Each issue of the Saints and Stones Homepage features a journey to take to explore the Saints and Stones of England, Scotland, Wales, and Ireland. This month's journey visits the iconic Boscawen-Un, a Bronze Age stone circle consisting of 19 upright stones with a leaning, eight foot stone just south of the center of the circle. Excavation has revealed evidence that it was installed in the leaning position.
The center stone leans towards the northeast sector of the circle where an arrangement of stones may represent an earlier cairn or cist. The large circle is slightly oval in shape. The 19 stones are evenly spaced, and vary from three feet to five feet in height, all of granite except for one of quartz, with the smooth sides facing the interior of the ring. There is a west-facing gap in the circle, which may have formed an entrance. Visited in 2011
 Books: Journey to the Stones, Mermaid to Merrymaid: Nine Walks to Ancient Sites in the Land's End Peninsula, Cornwall by Ian Cooke. A wonderful guide by the author of the Antiquities of West Cornwall series of books. Nine detailed walks guide the traveller on a journey of mystery to ancient sites and kingdoms of the past. Some of sites visited include Men-an-Tol, Zennor Church, Merry Maidens Stone Circle, Chun Quoit, Mulfra Quoit, Lanyon Quoit, Carn Euny Ancient Settlement, Boscawen-un Stone Circle, Tregiffian Barrow, the Pipers Standing Stones, and many more. Includes maps, photos, and illustrations. A most helpful publication.
Publications/Publishers: Cornish Archaeology Journal. A well-respected peer-reviewed publication, which has for more than 50 years published the majority of archaeological research projects carried out in Cornwall and Scilly. It is not all archaeological jargon and complex theory! There is something of interest for everyone in each journal. The 5 most recent editions are available to members only, but some of the articles are free to access.
Websites and Blogs:  Cornwall Archaeological Society. For over 50 years, the Society has been the principal archaeological organization in Cornwall and Scilly. The Society acts as the forum that brings together amateur archaeologists, professional archaeologists, and all those interested in Cornwall's past and the preservation of its archaeological heritage. With over 450 members, its activities are varied and inclusive. The society arranges talks, monthly walks, annual conferences, and special events. It also runs fieldwork and research projects and encourages members to take part with likeminded organisations. Its Regular Newsletter keeps members up to date on news of people, events and activities. Its area representatives are stationed across the county, keeping track of sites and monuments and offering a local point of contact.
Podcasts:  Stone Club Walks and Talks. Founded by artists Lally MacBeth & Matthew Shaw, Stone Club was set up as a place for stone enthusiasts to congregate, to muse and most importantly to stomp to stones.In each episode Stone Club welcome guests to shed new perspectives on prehistory in a collaborative and inclusive way. Stone Club takes liteners you on walks in the ancient landscape and hosts talks about related themes. Stone Club believes the journey is as important as the destination and encourages people to pause and think about place in new ways, connecting ancient sites through community and conversation.
Organizations #1:  Cornwall Heritage Trust. Founded in 1985 to "preserve and strengthen" ("gwytha ha crefhe") Cornwall's rich and distinct heritage, the Trust owns or manages some of the most iconic and important historic places in Cornwall. The Trust is proud to have HRH The Prince of Wales, Duke of Cornwall as our Royal Patron, and Colonel Edward Bolitho OBE as our President. The Trust's heritage objectives are to: acquire land of particular beauty, historic, cultural or religious significance; preserve and restore buildings, artefacts or other items of particular artistic, aesthetic, historic, cultural, religious or other significance; educate the general public and the people of Cornwall and inspire Cornwall's young people about Cornwall's heritage and to encourage the realisation of its importance to future generations; promote, with sensitivity, the heritage of Cornwall for the people of Cornwall's economic well being; and raise funds and achieve favourable publicity to these ends.
Organizations #2:  Cornish Ancient Sites Protection Network (CASPN). CASPN is a Charitable Trust and a local partnership organisation that exists to protect and conserve the ancient sites and monuments of west Cornwall, so that people of all ages and abilities can enjoy and appreciate them forever. CASPN representatives come from a wide range of organisations and community groups that share an interest in Cornwall's ancient sites. CASPN activities focus on the following areas: Nature conservation and site preservation through clearance of encroaching scrub and damaging vegetation, such as gorse, bracken and brambles; Clearing rubbish and debris left at the sites; Erection of sensitive signage promoting responsible site use; Educating and involving visitors and local communities through site clearances, site monitoring, guided walks and talks, and membership scheme; Building productive relationships with landowners, community groups and official bodies; and Promotion of year-round sustainable heritage-based tourism.
Art/Photography/Museums:  Royal Cornwall Museum. The Museum in Truro was founded in 1818 by the Royal Institution of Cornwall. The Royal Institution of Cornwall had an educational purpose, with the objective ‘to advance the education of the public by encouraging and promoting the study and knowledge of literature, natural sciences, archaeology, history, ethnology, geology and the fine and applied arts, with special reference to Cornwall. Since January 2024, the Museum has been transforming the 200-year-old institution of more than one million artefacts to make it more user friendly. Click on the link above to see the projected date of its reopening.
Videos:  The Cornish Bird, The Stones & Hidden Wonders of Cornwall . The Prehistory Guys interview Elizabeth Dale (A.K.A. 'The Cornish Bird') who traces her heritage in Cornwall back more than 500 years. From a megalithic point of view, Cornwall is one of the most densely packed areas in the whole of the UK and if you visit Lizzie's blog ('The Cornish Bird' https://cornishbirdblog.com), you're sure to find her writing beautifully about ancient sites both familiar and strange, many well off the beaten track. For a change, we thought you'd love to hear from someone whose approach is not academic, someone who appreciates the stones for their own sakes as they stand in and characterise the landscape in which she lives.
Updates: Featuring updates to the Saints and Stones sites visited in the past:
Knowes of Trotty Visited June 27, 2010 and July 22, 2017
Cornwall Sites Visited by saintsandstones.net:
Cornwall Saints
Boskenna Cross, Cornwall
![](images/dotclear.gif") (Visit: May 15, 2011)
King Doniert Stone and the Other Half Stone, Cornwall
(Visit: May 19, 2011)
Longstone Cross, Cornwall
(Visit: May 19, 2011)
Men Scryfa Early Christian Inscribed Stone, Cornwall
(Visit: May 13, 2011)
Nun Careg Cross, Cornwall
(Visit: May 15, 2011)
St. Buryan Church and Cross, Cornwall
(Visit: May 14, 2011)
St. Guron's Well, Cornwall
(Visit: May 18, 2011)
St. Helen's Oratory, Cornwall
(Visit: May 16, 2011)
St. Ia's Church, Cornwall
(Visit: September 28, 2005)
St. Just-in-Penwith Church, Cornwall
(Visits: September 27, 2005 and May 16, 2011)
St. Levan's Church, Cornwall
(Visit: May 15, 2011)
St. Michael's Mount, Cornwall
(Visit: September 27, 2005)
St. Petroc's (Bodmin), Cornwall
(Visit: May 18, 2011)
St. Petroc's (Padstow), Cornwall
(Visit: May 18, 2011)
St. Piran's Cross, Cornwall
(Visit: May 18, 2011)
St. Piran's Lost Oratory, Cornwall
(Visit: May 18, 2011)
St. Piran's Old Church, Cornwall
(Visit: May 18, 2011)
St. Senara's, Cornwall
(Visits: September 27, 2005 and May 16, 2011)
Sancreed Church, Crosses, and Holy Well, Cornwall
(Visit: May 14, 2011)
Trevorgans Cross, Cornwall
(Visit: May 14, 2011)
Cornwall Stones
Boscawen-Un Hedge Stone, Cornwall
( Visit: May 14, 2011)
Boscawen-Un Stone Circle, Cornwall
(Visit: May 14, 2011)
Boskednan Menhir, Cairns, and Tumuli, Cornwall
(Visit: May 13, 2011)
Boskednan Stone Circle (Nine Maidens), Cornwall
(Visit: May 13, 2011)
Carn Euny Ancient Village and Fogou, Cornwall
(Visit: May 14, 2011)
Carn Gluze (Ballowall Barrow), Cornwall
(Visit: May 16, 2011)
Chapel Carn Brea Tomb, Cornwall
(Visiy: May 14, 2011)
Chun Castle Settlement, Cornwall
(Visit: May 13, 2011)
Chun Quoit, Cornwall
(Visit: May 13, 2011)
Chysauster Ancient Village, Cornwall
(Visit: May 13, 2011)
Gun Rith Standing Stone, Cornwall
(Visit: May 15, 2011)
Kerris Standing Stone, Cornwall
(Visit: May 15, 2011)
Lanyon Quoit, Cornwall
(Visits: September 27, 2005 and May 13, 2011)
Men-An-Tol, Cornwall
(Visit: May 13, 2011)
Merry Maidens Stone Circle, Cornwall
(Visits: September 27, 2005 and May 15, 2011)
Mulfra Quoit, Cornwall
(Visit: May 13, 2011)
The Pipers Standing Stones (Near The Hurlers), Cornwall
(Visit: May 19, 2011)
The Pipers Standing Stones (Near Merry Maidens), Cornwall
(Visit: May 15, 2011)
Rillaton Barrow, Cornwall
(Visit: May 19, 2011)
Treen Common Circle Enclosure, Cornwall
(Visit: May 13, 2011)
Tregiffian Barrow, Cornwall
(Visit: May 15, 2011)
Trethevy Quoit (The Giant's House), Cornwall
(Visit: May 19, 2011)
Zennor Quoit, Cornwall
(Visit: May 16, 2011)
Previous Journeys Pages
Past Journeys Pages
Previous Resources Pages
Past Resources Items
|
