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<< Our Photo Pages >> Men-An-Tol - Holed Stone in England in Cornwall

Submitted by Andy B on Thursday, 05 January 2023  Page Views: 56506

Neolithic and Bronze AgeSite Name: Men-An-Tol Alternative Name: Men an Tol, Mên-an-Tol, Mên an Tol
Country: England County: Cornwall Type: Holed Stone
Nearest Town: Penzance  Nearest Village: Madron
Map Ref: SW4264434942  Landranger Map Number: 203
Latitude: 50.158530N  Longitude: 5.60452W
Condition:
5Perfect
4Almost Perfect
3Reasonable but with some damage
2Ruined but still recognisable as an ancient site
1Pretty much destroyed, possibly visible as crop marks
0No data.
-1Completely destroyed
3 Ambience:
5Superb
4Good
3Ordinary
2Not Good
1Awful
0No data.
3 Access:
5Can be driven to, probably with disabled access
4Short walk on a footpath
3Requiring a bit more of a walk
2A long walk
1In the middle of nowhere, a nightmare to find
0No data.
4 Accuracy:
5co-ordinates taken by GPS or official recorded co-ordinates
4co-ordinates scaled from a detailed map
3co-ordinates scaled from a bad map
2co-ordinates of the nearest village
1co-ordinates of the nearest town
0no data
5

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I have visited· I would like to visit

coldrum dotjay 43559959 cappy would like to visit

Couplands visited on 29th Jul 2023 - their rating: Cond: 3 Amb: 3 Access: 3

HarryRocks visited on 7th Apr 2023 - their rating: Cond: 3 Access: 4

hallsifer visited on 19th Feb 2023 - their rating: Amb: 4 Access: 3 The considerable die back during winter means it's easy to see this site from the boskednan stone circle.

micske visited on 1st Jan 2023 - their rating: Cond: 4 Amb: 4 Access: 3

bishop_pam visited on 24th Nov 2022 - their rating: Cond: 5 Amb: 5 Access: 3 On a very showery the the sun came out to bless us as we arrived at the stones

LiveAndrew visited on 20th Jan 2022 - their rating: Cond: 3 Amb: 4 Access: 3

hallsifer visited on 22nd Sep 2021 - their rating: Cond: 5 Amb: 5 Access: 4 The third time I've visted the site, still as magical - to the north, but not far (I believe) of the stones under a bush is a small plastic box with a local schools story of how the stones arrived there. Wonderful little surprise! Of course, a friend and I went through the stone several times to make sure we wouldn't get any rickets.

LiveAndrew visited on 19th Aug 2021 - their rating: Cond: 4 Amb: 4 Access: 3

emh504 visited on 2nd Sep 2020 - their rating: Cond: 3 Amb: 4 Access: 3 I was surprised at the relatively small scale of the monument! Still big enough to squeeze through the hole in the stone however. On a moor with cows, fortunately they weren’t close when we visited. Quite a long walk from the road

SandyG visited on 15th Sep 2019 - their rating: Cond: 3 Amb: 5 Access: 4

ChrisHealey visited on 20th Aug 2017 - their rating: Cond: 2 Amb: 4 Access: 4

jeffrep visited on 13th May 2011 - their rating: Cond: 3 Amb: 4 Access: 4

coin visited on 8th Mar 2011 - their rating: Cond: 4 Amb: 5 Access: 3 I was passed through the hole!

brianlavelle visited on 28th Mar 2010 - their rating: Cond: 4 Amb: 5 Access: 3

SteveC visited on 24th Apr 2007 - their rating: Cond: 5 Amb: 4 Access: 4

Psy1968 visited on 11th Jul 2002 - their rating: Cond: 2 Amb: 4 Access: 4

woodini254 visited on 13th Feb 1996 - their rating: Cond: 4 Amb: 5 Access: 3

BolshieBoris visited on 1st Jun 1987 - their rating: Cond: 4 Amb: 4 Access: 3

lucasn visited - their rating: Cond: 3 Amb: 5 Access: 3

LiveAndrew Andy B Bladup DrewParsons mark_a myf h_fenton rldixon TimPrevett PAB JimChampion sem AngieLake ocifant davidmorgan X-Ice cazzyjane AnnabelleStar ArchAstro have visited here

Average ratings for this site from all visit loggers: Condition: 3.56 Ambience: 4.33 Access: 3.37

Men-An-Tol
Men-An-Tol submitted by karolus : Men-An-Tol Winter Solstice set, 2022 (Vote or comment on this photo)
Top photo: Men-An-Tol at the winter solstice sunset, 2022. A holed stone thought to be the remains of a stone circle. The suspicion is that the holed stone is the remains of a Neolithic tomb, primarily because holed stones have been found in conjunction with the entrances to burial chambers.

The doughnut-shaped stone is best known for the traditional belief that it had the power to heal illnesses. To cure rickets and tuberculosis, naked children were passed through the hole three times and then dragged through the grass three times toward the east. Adults seeking cure from rheumatism or spinal troubles crawled through the hole nine times against the sun.

This site is scheduled as Historic England List ID 1004641, "Men-an-Tol, 315m south east of Coronation Farm". The stone setting and holed stone are also recorded as Pastscape Monument 424271, which adds: "Plans of the positions of the recumbent stones in particular suggest that the monument as it is known is actually part of a stone circle, up to 18m in diameter".

The Journal of Antiquities also includes an entry for Men-an-Tol, Madron, Cornwall, which includes a drawig from 1864, a photograph, a description, a list of reference sources for more information, and some suggestions for other nearby prehistoric monuments to see close by.

Access: Well signposted from lanes around Madron.
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Men-An-Tol
Men-An-Tol submitted by vicky : Adults with rheumatism or back pain still crawl through the holed stone of Men-an-Tol, nine times anti-clockwise, in an attempt to relieve themselves from the pain. (2 comments - Vote or comment on this photo)

Men-An-Tol
Men-An-Tol submitted by TysonM : I was very lucky to be able to have clouds moving in front of the afternoon sun. Just wished I could be in the U.K. around Equinox time. This would be one of the most incredible sights, seeing the sun's disc beetween the menir and the hole in the rock. (6 comments - Vote or comment on this photo)

Men-An-Tol
Men-An-Tol submitted by cromagnonman : Taken on 29th August 2019. Foreground: 9 exposures of 30 seconds f/8.0 ISO 100 Sky: 300 exposures of 45 seconds f/4.0 ISO 1600 I find something magical about the process of creating a startrail picture. Sitting under the stars for three or four hours with no lights so my eyes have adjusted to the dark so well that I don't need any additional light. Gazing at the vastness of the univ... (3 comments - Vote or comment on this photo)

Men-An-Tol
Men-An-Tol submitted by sem : Never visited before so I had to take a shot from the classic angle. (11 comments - Vote or comment on this photo)

Men-An-Tol
Men-An-Tol submitted by Manja : One of my favourite sites. Visited in Sept 2007. (Vote or comment on this photo)

Men-An-Tol
Men-An-Tol submitted by PaulM : Men-an-Tol, West Penwith, Cornwall, (SW426349) The disfigured Men-an-Tol (April 2000) shortly after the vandalism. Streaks can clearly be seen in the photo. (1 comment)

Men-An-Tol
Men-An-Tol submitted by BazCross : Men-an-Tol, photographed at the Spring Equinox, 2012. (5 comments)

Men-An-Tol
Men-An-Tol submitted by BazCross : Me-an-Tol, photographed at the Spring Equinox, 2012. (5 comments)

Men-An-Tol
Men-An-Tol submitted by BazCross : Mid winter at the Men an Tol.

Men-an-Tol
Men-an-Tol submitted by AngieLake : Category A Can anyone see any coincidence between Barbara Hepworth's work - shown here at the late sculptor's garden at St Ives - and the nearby megalithic landscape???? (Men an Tol and the wonderful sculpture garden were both photographed in March 2004 during a wonderful week at Cape Cornwall.) I did ask permission to photograph and film the exhibits. (4 comments)

Men-An-Tol
Men-An-Tol submitted by PaulM : Men-an-Tol, West Penwith, Cornwall, (SW426349) The Men-an-Tol showing the curve of the stone circle. (4 comments)

Men-An-Tol
Men-An-Tol submitted by Bladup : Men-An-Tol. This Original Artwork in a glass frame is £39.99 + Postage (Just whatever it costs), and is 15 and a half cm x 12 cm. A limited (to a 100) edition print in a 8" x 10" glass frame would be £19.99 + £2.90 postage, E-mail me at paul.blades@rocketmail.com if interested.

Men-An-Tol
Men-An-Tol submitted by BazCross : Men-an-Tol, photographed at the Spring Equinox, March 2012. (2 comments)

Men-An-Tol
Men-An-Tol submitted by jeffrep : Men-an-Tol, Cornwall, England.

Men-An-Tol
Men-An-Tol submitted by h_fenton : Men-an-Tol, Kite Aerial photograph showing the main group of stones on this site including the one with the hole. Interesting the way the shadows are going. (3 comments)

Men-an-Tol
Men-an-Tol submitted by BazCross : Men an Tol with guardians. (2 comments)

Men-An-Tol
Men-An-Tol submitted by Bladup : At a great time of day, a good bit after sunset at Men-An-Tol.

Men-An-Tol
Men-An-Tol submitted by coin : Picture of the aligned stones.

Men-An-Tol
Men-An-Tol submitted by cazzyjane : Men-An-Tol. Oil on canvas. (1 comment)

Men-An-Tol
Men-An-Tol submitted by cazzyjane : The centre stone at Men an Tol with an amazing sunset as a backdrop. July 2010.

Men-An-Tol
Men-An-Tol submitted by AngieLake : Sunset on 9th March 2004, through the intriguing lifebelt-shaped stone at Men an Tol. As a guide to the direction, later in the month, at Spring Equinox, 21st March, the sun would set due west. (4 comments)

Men-An-Tol
Men-An-Tol submitted by ocifant : This shows the possibility that this is actually a circle, and not a 'burial chamber'.

Men-An-Tol
Men-An-Tol submitted by ocifant : The obvious shot (and yes, the flare was deliberate!) (1 comment)

Men-An-Tol
Men-An-Tol submitted by Bladup : Men-An-Tol, Another stone circle that was clearly once part of a nationwide fertility cult

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Nearby sites listing. In the following links * = Image available
 120m NNE 25° Men-an-tol Artificial Mound (SW4270135048)
 146m N 7° Men-an-tol Mound Cairn (SW4266835086)
 282m WSW 237° Burnt Down Hut Circles* Ancient Village or Settlement (SW424348)
 361m N 5° Men Scryfa* Early Christian Sculptured Stone (SW42693530)
 363m NE 42° Venton Bebibell* Holy Well or Sacred Spring (SW429352)
 481m SE 144° Bosiliack Huts N Ancient Village or Settlement (SW42913454)
 569m NNE 32° Four Parishes Rock* Sculptured Stone (SW42973541)
 572m SSE 158° Bosiliack Huts* Ancient Village or Settlement (SW42833440)
 595m SSE 161° Bosiliack Settlement* Ancient Village or Settlement (SW42813437)
 653m W 271° Dakota Standing Stone* Standing Stone (Menhir) (SW41993498)
 714m ENE 58° Boskednan Menhir 2* Standing Stone (Menhir) (SW43273529)
 722m ENE 61° Boskednan B* Cairn (SW4329435260)
 724m ENE 57° Boskednan A* Cairn (SW43273531)
 768m ENE 70° Boskednan Menhir 1* Standing Stone (Menhir) (SW43383517)
 796m ENE 74° Boskednan stone circle* Stone Circle (SW43423513)
 810m NNE 22° Bosigran Barrows* Barrow Cemetery (SW42983568)
 842m W 264° Dakota Homestead Ancient Village or Settlement (SW418349)
 853m E 87° Boskednan 4* Cairn (SW43503495)
 866m SE 145° Bosiliack Barrow* Chambered Tomb (SW43113421)
 884m S 182° Lanyon Farm Standing Stones* Marker Stone (SW42573406)
 931m NW 322° Watch Croft Standing Stone* Standing Stone (Menhir) (SW421357)
 957m SSW 195° Lanyon Farm menhir* Modern Stone Circle etc (SW42353403)
 976m E 97° Ding Dong Standing Stone* Standing Stone (Menhir) (SW43613478)
 978m N 359° Carn Galver* Round Barrow(s) (SW42683592)
 1.0km ENE 72° Boskednan 2* Cairn (SW43653521)
View more nearby sites and additional images

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Cornovia: Ancient Sites of Cornwall and Scilly, Craig Weatherhill

Web Links for Men-An-Tol

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"Men-An-Tol" | Login/Create an Account | 34 News and Comments
  
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Re: Men-An-Tol by Anonymous on Monday, 16 January 2023
I was there in '84 and met an old Cornish man walking his dog. It wasn't as well posted back then so I asked him how to get there. His accent was so thick I only got three or four words of what he said. Enough to find it though. A magnificent and rugged site with the lines of medieval fields in the background
[ Reply to This ]

Re: Men-An-Tol by Anonymous on Thursday, 17 December 2020
Hello,



Does anyone know who owns the land that Men-An-Tol and the Merry Maidens is on? Apparently it''s not National Trust public land but privately owned.



Thank you fellow friends!
[ Reply to This ]
    Re: Men-An-Tol by Blingo_von_Trumpenstein on Thursday, 17 December 2020
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    I know Men-An-Tol is 'owned' by the local farmer as I just 2 minutes ago heard a story about how he was acting in 1999 during the total eclipse. He tried to ruin the moment but failed...funny how I saw your question straight after...I guess this story wanted to be told...
    [ Reply to This ]

Men-An-Tol by lucasn on Thursday, 14 June 2018
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Men-An-Tol in the mist
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TN5v4A_tbq4&t=18s
[ Reply to This ]

Re: Men-An-Tol by Anonymous on Saturday, 24 February 2018
Cattle farming and Megalithic monuments are both Bronze age in origin. I think a little perspective is called for here. The grazing is to prevent scrub encroachment which would depreciate the heathland environment and archaeological context. Cattle may cause some limited damage but nothing beyond repair and in any case this would have happened for thousands of years. Good luck to the Cornish people and their quest for self determination but I think its worth remembering that Cornish quarrymen and miners (nationalists to a man I''m sure) devoted three centuries to the industrial mutilation of their landscapes and destroyed megalithic sites at a rate that cattle could only dream of. Hopefully balanced, sensitive management of the Penwith moors will prevail.
[ Reply to This ]

Re: Men-An-Tol by 4862 on Sunday, 26 March 2017
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Men-an-tol is an excellent megalithic monument in Penwith. It is the remnant of a stone circle and is on top a hill overlooking lands end. I've visited here quite a few times and everytime it is a lovely and beautiful place.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F_DDGn0q-OE
[ Reply to This ]

Mismanagement of Penwith Moors, Cornwall - letter from the Celtic League by Andy B on Thursday, 21 November 2013
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AN KESUNYANS KELTEK – SCOREN KERNEWEK
CORNWALL BRANCH OF THE CELTIC LEAGUE
A National Branch of the Celtic League which has roster consultative status at the United Nations
Michael J Chappell
Convenor – Cornwall Branch Celtic League
21 November, 2013
e. kernow@celticleague.net
w. http://www.celticleague.net

The moors of Penwith in west Cornwall are an area to be cherished and treasured. With a
history extending back thousands of years, the district contains many ancient sites of
International note amongst them the Men an Tol and the Tregeseal Stone Circle. These sites are iconic and form a part of our world recognised Cornish heritage.

As an organisation, we are extremely concerned at the current management of the moors
and ancient sites by English Heritage (EH) and Natural England (NE).

Our Branch has now had sight of evidence which confirms beyond all doubt that these two
organisations are openly and deliberately overseeing irreparable damage caused in this
area. This evidence has been witnessed by some of our members at first hand who have
visited the sites and there is now overwhelming photographic and video material to hand.

The introduction to this environment of unsuitable cattle and fencing as well as other ill
thought out actions is a matter of great public concern. Ancient monuments are being
trampled over by these large beasts and many visitors are being frightened away.
Much of the evidential material lays in the hands of a campaign group ‘Save Penwith Moors' (SPM) and also a charitable partnership, the ‘Cornish Ancient Sites Protection Network’ (CASPN), two local organisations which care greatly for the area. We have consulted with both CASPN and SPM and indeed other interested parties in advance of this communication.

SPM was set up in July 2008 by six local residents to campaign for a few of the most
popular areas of open access heath land that includes much archaeological heritage both
mining and prehistoric, to be left free of new stock proofing and grazing for the benefit of
local and tourist recreation and education. From that start with six concerned locals, SPM
now has a membership of 600.

Many other organisations and individuals are now noticing the grave mismanagement of
Penwith Moors. Higher Level Stewardship (HLS) is destructive to the historic environment and English Heritage is supporting it despite the evidence presented by SPM.

English Heritage's stance is that the monuments are being damaged by visitors but this rests on the personal opinion of that organisation’s Anne Preston-Jones and not on clear and unequivocal evidence.

English Heritage continue to bizarrely maintain this stance despite the discrepancy between opinion and evidence and have only reluctantly added cattle damage to their report on Tregeseal after submission by SPM. They still favour damage by visitors and give that more weight than their evidence can support.

CASPN probably has more evidence of damage to the paths and surrounds at Men-an-Tol,
particularly the turf around the central stone, but they have been excluded in favour of HLS and its inherent damage. Therefore, EH is allowing, even encouraging the damage to
Cornwall's historic environment rather than admit that their HLS scheme is flawed and
damaging. Some grazing in this area might be acceptable but this needs to be done in a better planned and managed way. To allow grazing when the area is soft and wet does not represent responsible stewardship.

These problems are not limited to Cornwall. We should remember that SPM are in contact
with other similar organisations in other parts of the UK who are also having their local
environments decimat

Read the rest of this post...
[ Reply to This ]

Re: Men-An-Tol by Anonymous on Tuesday, 12 November 2013
Stock & wildlife have been frequenting these sites for 3000 years or so, another few makes no odds. Access for all, I say, regardless of species. Only caveat would be if the site hasn't been archaeologically evaluated- which is not the case here.
[ Reply to This ]
    Re: Men-An-Tol by Bladup on Tuesday, 12 November 2013
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    Yes, So you admit yourself the place was looked after very differently for the 1500 years before [it's about 4500 years old] and only started getting mistreated when the sites meaning/importance was lost towards the end of the bronze age, So it's not necessarily true at all that cattle were meant to be trampling all over the place, A lot of the old field walls around here are ancient themselves so the ancients may well have had certain fields for cattle, other fields for growing crops, others for living in, and others for burial and the rites that went with said burials, A lot of Stone circles [of which Men-an-Tol is] are found built on land at the edge of what would then have been classed as fertile, The bit of land in between if you like, But certainly central and very important to it's community [for everything] and in my opinion far to sacred to let cattle wreck it.
    [ Reply to This ]

Re: Men-An-Tol by Anonymous on Tuesday, 12 November 2013
Apologies, but does any person think that ANY monument of this era is inviolate to animal incursion? Do the complainers not realise that these animals are / were the lifeblood of our forefathers and that the erectors of these monuments would not have given a damn about a bit of cattle hair or mud. Or are they more concerned about the picturesque rather then the reality? An erection of a metal defence system perhaps would prevent the trampling of the turf into a morass. Of course then, the site would forfeit any mystical, esoteric ambience, but that is acceptable in as much as it would allow the patent shoe access to the area. The wandering of cattle into such a site is nothing more or less then transition. Tempus fugit
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    Re: Men-An-Tol by Bladup on Tuesday, 12 November 2013
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    It's hard to think like that after seeing the state of the place for oneself, I don't believe for a minute that the ancients would have been so disrespectful to this sacred area [There's even burial mounds right next to the Men-an-Tol as well].
    There's plenty of places to keep the cattle that aren't near any ancient sites at all, and worse of all most of the livestock fields down here are empty anyway, So there's no excuses for the shocking treatment of this well loved place.
    [ Reply to This ]

Re: Men-An-Tol by Anonymous on Monday, 11 November 2013
So not only badgers are more important that one of our food sources but so are stones.

Hmm.

Mary
[ Reply to This ]

Re: Men-An-Tol by Anonymous on Sunday, 10 November 2013
Neil reports: Numerous holed stones are present in England, Ireland, Wales, Scotland. The great majority have a folktale or legend associated with them the basis of which is 'good health' in one form or another. The Holed Stone at Avebury is the classic example. The old Norse goddess Eyr was the good health deity.
In my view the men-a-tol holed stone is another classic example which has a story about sick scrofulous children linked to it.
It must be preserved. The cattle should be fenced off Mr Farmer.
[ Reply to This ]

Conservation group claims cows are threatening ancient stones by Andy B on Monday, 04 November 2013
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Save Penwith Moors write: Following on from submission of a letter from Save Penwith Moors to The Cornishman it was decided to run the issues raised as a ‘story’ in the newspaper. This was published in the newspaper on 31st October under the heading “Conservation group claims cows are threatening ancient stones”.

The animals are part of a so-called conservation grazing agreement arranged through Natural England and a spokesman for this government quango was quoted in the article: “Natural England is committed to the sensitive management of both the natural and historic environment of west Penwith”, and that conservation grazing is a “proven and successful technique” whereby animals graze historic sites to “help prevent” invasive vegetation from overrunning “important natural habitats and historic monuments” and “enhancing wildlife interest and maintaining public access that might otherwise become overgrown.”

The idea that anyone could even consider it is sensitive management to install many miles of new barbed wire fencing, dozens of gates and a few cattle grids across West Penwith open access land – both inland and coastal – beggars belief.

While it is true that some ancient monuments may be in danger of becoming overrun with invasive vegetation and that conservation grazing may be “proven” in other areas, this is certainly not true of the Men-an-Tol where the grassy surround has been grazed for decades by rabbits, or for Tregeseal Circle where, after five years of conservation grazing, vegetation still has to be cleared by CASPN volunteers rather than the longhorn cattle.

In addition public access is being degraded − not maintained − as the public right of way either side of the monument is being turned into a sea of mud by livestock and becoming impassable in places to all except the most intrepid rambler.

Read more on The Cornishman site:
http://www.cornishman.co.uk/Conservation-group-claims-cows-threatening/story-19997942-detail
[ Reply to This ]
    Re: Conservation group claims cows are threatening ancient stones by Anonymous on Sunday, 17 November 2013
    In 2008, Natural England commenced its "fence-all and graze-all" High Level Stewardship scheme on the archaeology-rich Penwith Moors, despite a heavy ground swell of public opinion against the scheme, and against the wishes of the locally elected bodies.

    In that time, the (Scheduled) Tregeseal stone circle has been damaged no less than 13 times; with stones being destabilised by the absurdly large breed of non-traditional longhorn cattle using them as scratching posts, with English Heritage turning a shameful blind eye, as they have done to blatant breaches of the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act carried out in the same period of time.

    Now, the world-famous site of the Men-an-Tol is being subjected to the same treatment, with concentrated cattle activity reducing the site to a dung-spattered morass, and rendering the public footpath to the site almost impassable. A desperate letter of concern to English Heritage on October 8 has yet to be responded to. The damage being done by the actions of one quango and the indifference of the other is heart-breaking to all who love this landscape and its remarkable monuments.

    The pressure group Save Penwith Moors, headed by well-known local archaeologists Ian McNeil Cooke and Craig Weatherhill, and environmental expert Steve Yandall, seeks increased support. Please join our Facebook page, and consult our website: http://www.savepenwithmoors.com

    Many thanks,
    Craig Weatherhill
    [ Reply to This ]

Ancient monument 'damaged by cattle' by bat400 on Wednesday, 03 April 2013
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One of the Westcountry's most famous archaeological landmarks is being threatened by grazing cattle permitted by the Government's environment watchdog, campaigners have warned.

The Bronze Age stone monument, known as Men-an-Tol, has stood near Morvah, in West Cornwall, for up to 4,500 years.

But campaigners fear it is now being damaged by cattle introduced onto the heathland under a Natural England agri-environmental scheme.

Ian McNeil Cooke, of the Save Penwith Moors action group, said: "On one of my recent, regular walks from my studio about half a mile away, I noticed cattle hair on the holed stone with hoof prints in the churned up ground surrounding all three stones.
"It is obvious that the cattle had been using the stones as convenient 'rubbing posts'."

He said several stones of the Bronze Age Tregeseal Circle, some three miles away, had been destabilised in a similar way when cattle were introduced in 2009.

Mr McNeil Cooke added: "It is obvious that the experience at Tregeseal Circle is being repeated at Men-an-Tol and that it is only a matter of time before damage is caused to this most famous and, arguably, most frequented ancient site in the Land's End Peninsula by locals – including parties of primary schoolchildren – and visitors from across the world.

"This is, of course, completely unacceptable to us and of extreme concern. English Heritage and Natural England have been asked what action will be taken to rectify the situation before it is too late and another scheduled ancient monument is destabilised and degraded."

A spokesman for English Heritage said the stones were set in concrete in the 1940s and reset in 1993 in response to concerns about soil erosion around the stones caused by visitor pressure.
He added: "We do not, however, expect cattle activity to cause damage to the stones or its setting, but will continue to monitor the site."

A Natural England spokesman said it was "committed to the sensitive management of both the natural and historic environment of West Penwith". He said: "We are aware of recent claims that the presence of grazing cattle in the area risks damaging the standing stones at Men-an-Tol. We are working with English Heritage to look into these claims and to ascertain whether there is any need to review grazing management for the area."

Read more: http://www.thisiscornwall.co.uk

Follow us: @thisiscornwall on Twitter | thisiscornwall on Facebook
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    Re: Ancient monument 'damaged by cattle' by AngieLake on Thursday, 04 April 2013
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    I bet it would be a different story if someone let a herd of cattle loose inside Stonehenge!
    (Although sheep are allowed in Avebury's circle, and cattle around the W.Kennet Avenue - or were on a few occasions when I've visited...?)
    [ Reply to This ]
      Re: Ancient monument 'damaged by cattle' by fwbrown on Sunday, 07 April 2013
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      Yes, when I visited Avebury in July 2004, there were sheep all around the stones in one field. I saw no evidence that they had caused any damage, though, and suspect that there have been livestock grazing inside the circle for centuries.
      [ Reply to This ]
    Re: Ancient monument 'damaged by cattle' by AngieLake on Saturday, 06 April 2013
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    There was a filmed news report on this issue on ITV Westcountry local news tonight, Fri. 5th April, showing Ian McNeil Cooke, who lives nearby, at the Men an Tol site pointing out the hoof marks around the stones and talking about the damage that will be caused if it continues. Another guy with him also spoke about their hopes of ensuring that farmers' cattle grazed safely without damaging our megalithic heritage.

    I've got Ian's brilliant book 'Mermaid to Merrymaid' - it's a sort of 'bible' of sites in the area - and have often wondered if I'd see him while visiting the site, but never knew what he looks like. Shall say 'hello' if I spot him again. Although if this carries on I'm not sure I'd want to visit if lots of cattle are churning up the ground there. Like Ian pointed out, humans are much lighter than cattle, whose weight is much more likely to do damage.
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      Re: Ancient monument 'damaged by cattle' by coldrum on Tuesday, 14 May 2013
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      It's a damned if you do and damned if you don't situation.
      If the vegetation round these monuments isn't kept in check then people would moan about not being able to see them.
      Yet if you have livestock keeping the vegetation at bay you have the problem of damage to the stones.
      Either the monuments are fenced off, which would annoy people or volunteers clear the areas themselves so no livestock is needed. Or just let the plants grow and accept that there will be certain times of the year when it will be difficult to locate them.
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        Re: Ancient monument 'damaged by cattle' by coldrum on Tuesday, 14 May 2013
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        Who owns these areas? Someone must have given permission for Natural England to get involved. Perhaps local communities should think about buying these areas and managing themselves.
        Other communities around the country have done this.
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Pastscape Entry by coldrum on Monday, 30 May 2011
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http://www.pastscape.org.uk/hob.aspx?hob_id=424271
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Cornish Archaeological Society Events at the end of July by Andy B on Saturday, 10 July 2010
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Thursday 22nd 11am to 3pm Men-an-Tol, Men Scryfa and Nine Maidens Stone Circle (CAS) CAS members will be “on site” to ensure that visitors find and understand all three monuments. Park cars at SW 418 344 and follow signs. Some rough moorland walking and the lane will be muddy after any rain. Suitable footwear and sunblock recommended. No facilities nearby.

Sunday 18th 2.00 – 5.30pm Archaeology of Craddock Moor (CAS) Meet at Minions Car Park (west end) (258 711) to explore this under-walked part of the moor. Wear clothing suitable to the day, including leg-covering, walking shoes/boots. Bring snack/drink/sunblock
http://www.megalithic.co.uk/article.php?sid=818#35307

Sunday 25th July Castle-an-Dinas (CHT) Tours at 1.30 and again at 4pm. Park on the hill, near St Columb Major, (615 949) Suitable clothing and footwear. Tuesday 27th 1.45-5.30pm Archaeology of Minions Moor (CHT). Meet at Minions car park (west) SX 258 711. Bring clothing suitable to weather including good leg covering and walking shoes/boots, drink, snack, sunblock.

Thursday 29th Helman Tor (CAS/CHT) Two tours 11am-1pm and again 2pm-4pm. Meet at Helman Tor car park (SX 063 614) Bring suitable clothing and footwear, sunblock, drink, snacks. There are no facilities nearby. Friday 30th 2pm Treryn Dinas (CAS) Meet at Treen Village car park (SX 395 230) Clothing suitable for guided walk to this famous headland. Bring sunblock, drink and snack.

http://www.cornisharchaeology.org.uk/walks.htm Festival of British Archaeology 2010
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Re: Men-An-Tol Reconsidered by Anonymous on Wednesday, 16 August 2006
I am interested in dimensions of the stones thickness and height of the stones and the alignment . Does anyone have information on this? Also how far are they spaced apart. I am thinking of making a replica.
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    Re: Men-An-Tol Reconsidered by AngieLake on Wednesday, 16 August 2006
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    In 'Cornovia' by Craig Weatherhill (invaluable if exploring Cornwall), he says:
    ".....It is a wheel-shaped slab 1.3m across, set on edge, and pierced by a round hole 51cm in diameter. It is flanked by two smaller upright stones 1.2m high, at least one of which has been moved during the past two centuries, and there is a third, recumbent stone. Research has shown that the Men-an-Tol was an integral component of a stone circle 18m across, vestiges of which can still be traced."
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Re: Men-An-Tol Reconsidered by Anonymous on Friday, 24 December 2004
webmaster
http://www.chestertourist.com

I have been to the site my self after a little walk along the path I found the site. It does appear to be in some kind of small ridges enclosure.
There are also some other stones laying half buried around the circle.
I found I hard to 'tune into' the site. I found the landscape a bit bleak.
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Re: Men-An-Tol Reconsidered by enkidu41 on Sunday, 05 September 2004
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It should also be noted that in his book, Ian McNeill points out that if the stone was an entrance stone it would be to a chambered tomb of which all other traces have disappeared. Not impossible of course, but very unlikely, particularly given its isolated moorland location.

I favour his further suggestion that the stone is a relatively late addition inserted into a much ruinous earlier sacred circular site as a specific "fertility" stone, possibly even during medieval times.
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Re: Men-An-Tol Reconsidered by AngieLake on Sunday, 05 September 2004
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In Ian McNeil Cooke's brilliant book "Mermaid to Merrymaid - JOURNEY TO THE STONES" (Ancient Sites and Pagan Mysteries of Celtic Cornwall) - (I paid £14.95 at a bookshop in St Just last March), he explains the holed stone as follows:

"If you look at the shape of the holed stone you may notice that, whereas the western face is quite flat, the opposite side is distinctly rounded with the hole being much more 'splayed out'. The Men-an-Tol was likely to have originally 'sat' horizontally, with its rounded side skywards, as the uppermost stone in a stack of natural granite slabs of the type so often to be seen on local hilltops. The hole may be a rock basin partially or totally worn through by the action of weather over many thousands of years - the smoothness of the inside caused by friction of small harder stones constantly rolled around inside the depression exposed to wind and rain."

He talks in detail of the healing legends of the stone, and also of various drawings of its layout, beginning with one by Dr Borlase about 1750, which show the stone in a different position. Ian also mentions the local Earth Mysteries magazine, Maen Mamvro, having the theory (and not being alone in that) that the stone was once the entrance to a burial chamber.
I would go along with that, after dowsing for the processional route in March 2004, and finding the same ritual pattern of movement here as I had in 2003 at Trefignath tomb in Anglesey.
This was quite exciting, as the pattern for tomb entrances is usually quite different. These were the only two places that I've come across so far that have an elongated 'starburst' ritual movement in the forecourts of their entrances, in the form of four long 'fingers', (beginning to move from the left side with my back to the tomb entrance, and ending on the right side, after going out along the four 'fingers') - Men-an-Tol's general alignment was to the NW, and Trefignath's to the East.
I did dowse a circle whose outside edge was three paces west from the holed stone and included the two nearby stones (west)towards the footpath from the style. (The two either side of the holed stone didn't belong to this circle.) Going behind the holed stone, I dowsed the related 'barrow', 9 paces in length, going approximately SE. Wouldn't it be nice to prove all this?!
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Re: Men-An-Tol Reconsidered by enkidu41 on Saturday, 04 September 2004
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Is this truly a holed stone - or an "ordinary" stone in which the hole was drilled in more recent times? Close inspection of the hole shows that it has the expected conical shape on one side suggestive of scraping and carving; but the other side has a definite cylindrical shape which is highly unlikely to have come about except through drilling. If the hole is indeed a later addition then this adds weight to the suggestion that this is a stone circle and not a tomb with a highly unusual (if not unique) holed circular entrance stone.
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Men-An-Tol Reconsidered by ocifant on Thursday, 19 February 2004
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The transactions of the Cornwall Archaeology Society, Cornish Archaeology (Hendhyscans Kernow) No 32 1993 includes an article 'The Men-An-Tol Reconsidered' which presents information suggesting this is in fact the remnants of a stone circle. The article contains details about the remedial management work done at the site to counter the wear and tear damage caused by the thousands of visitors the site receives every year.
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Re: Men-An-Tol by ocifant on Tuesday, 27 January 2004
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Burial chamber? Or Stone Circle?

Walking from the lane toward the stones, there is a large stone embedded in the ground. A fallen outlier perhaps? It is also possible to see/feel other stones in a semi-circle, suggesting that this was in fact, another stone circle, in view of the Boskednan Nine Maidens.

Excavations by the CAU have also suggested a circle, I don't have the reference to hand currently, but will dig it out and add it here.
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Re: Men-An-Tol by Anonymous on Thursday, 02 October 2003
I have visited many ancient sites around the UK and as I have healing abilities I often check the stones for any "energy".

The Men-An-Tol is one of the few stones I've come across that have such power, as I touched the holed stone I was spun 180 degrees clockwise around in my aura (not physically).

I haven't a clue what the significance of this was, but the local traditions of it being a stone with healing properties are probably correct.

The walk on the way up to the Men-An-Tol was pleasant too, with very large stones being used in the Cornish walls. Also the landscape with its distant tin mine is a beautiful setting.

My verdict: the Men-An-Tol are not just another ancient pile of rocks in the landscape, something mystical makes this site different.

§
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    Re: Men-An-Tol by Anonymous on Friday, 27 September 2013
    Three of us visited the site in December 2006. I was walking ahead of the other two and I could hear voices, child like, as if children were playing near by (which is of course possible, but there were no children when I got to the site). My sister some way behind me thought she heard me calling out to her - which I wasn't. So we both experienced 'voices' in very different ways. At the actual site, we took photos and when they were developed, there were many orbs of light in them. We were there just before dusk, so that might explain it. Whatever the causes, the place has a mystical feel and emanates energy!
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Re: Men-An-Tol by Anonymous on Monday, 21 October 2002
Just thought I would let you know that the Men An Tol is indeed signposted and there is a small parking place. I was there 10 days ago. It is about a mile to mile and a half from there, slighly up hill. I found that the first upright that I came to, when putting ones hand on, appeared to rock. Obviously not actually, but just to my hand. I thought I must be imagining it, but it happened a second time. This is the stone thought to be live.

Spent 2 days just visiting standing stones and such sights. It was amazing, and had some strange and interesting experiences there. Hope to be returning next month.
Bye for now. Best wishes, pj x
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