<< Our Photo Pages >> Chun Quoit - Chambered Cairn in England in Cornwall

Submitted by TheCaptain on Thursday, 16 June 2022  Page Views: 20559

Neolithic and Bronze AgeSite Name: Chun Quoit Alternative Name: Chûn Quoit
Country: England County: Cornwall Type: Chambered Cairn
Nearest Town: Penzance  Nearest Village: Madron
Map Ref: SW40223396  Landranger Map Number: 203
Latitude: 50.148659N  Longitude: 5.637716W
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
 4 Ambience:
5Superb
4Good
3Ordinary
2Not Good
1Awful
0No data.
 4 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

woodini254 43559959 KieKa rrmoser would like to visit

micske visited on 6th Jan 2024 - their rating: Cond: 5 Amb: 4 Access: 4

hallsifer visited on 1st Feb 2023 - their rating: Cond: 4 Amb: 5 Access: 2 Visted Lanyon Quoit many times but this was my first time here - absolutely stunning example of a quoit. Humbling to consider this was considered ancient by the folks that built the hill fort, spent a lot of time sitting and trying to take stone rubbings of it.

TheCaptain visited on 14th Jun 2022 - their rating: Cond: 4 Amb: 5 Access: 3 After struggling to find somewhere to eat, I really want to see Chun Quoit and Castle at sundown, so with a rapid drive, being guided by another force, I get to the bottom of the hill already in full shadow. Its almost 30 years since I last climbed the hill to visit the Chûn sites. A rapid walk up to the top, its a long way, and I get to the quoit just as it is in the golden glow of the sunset, but perhaps now past its best. Lots of photos, including the sun setting through the stones, then a quick look around the wonderful castle, and back down the hill to the car. Easy drive home with a fabulous full strawberry moon rising, and I am back to the cottage just before 11:00.

Catrinm visited on 20th Mar 2022 - their rating: Cond: 4 Amb: 4 Access: 4

SandyG visited on 16th Sep 2019 - their rating: Cond: 5 Amb: 5 Access: 3

lucasn visited on 16th Jun 2018 - their rating: Cond: 5 Amb: 4 Access: 3

bishop_pam visited on 27th Sep 2017 - their rating: Cond: 5 Amb: 5 Access: 3

ajmp3003 visited on 2nd May 2016 - their rating: Cond: 5 Amb: 4 Access: 3

ModernExplorers visited on 8th Mar 2013 - their rating: Cond: 3 Amb: 4 Access: 3 A beautiful ancient sculpture in an area full of megalithic remnants

jeffrep visited on 13th May 2011 - their rating: Cond: 4 Amb: 5 Access: 3

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

BolshieBoris visited on 1st Jun 1987 - their rating: Cond: 4 Amb: 5 Access: 2

LiveAndrew Bladup h_fenton AngieLake davidmorgan sem JimChampion cazzyjane Bolstered ArchAstro have visited here

Average ratings for this site from all visit loggers: Condition: 4.33 Ambience: 4.5 Access: 3

Chun Quoit
Chun Quoit submitted by TheCaptain : Sunset at Chun tonight, 15 June 2022 (Vote or comment on this photo)
Top photo: Sunset at Chûn Quoit last night (15th June). This is one of the most well-preserved of the quoits in Cornwall. A round capstone with a cupmark lies on top of the closed chamber.

Access: Uphill via the permissive footpath from the large lay-by on the B3318 road (at the junction with the road to Trewellard). Watch out for the llamas in the field near the lay-by!

This chambered round cairn is recorded as Pastscape Monument No. 424230, which tells us this is: "A chambered round cairn measuring 15 metres in diameter and 0.6 metres high. The retaining wall seems to have disappeared except for possibly two stones standing erect on the north edge of the mound".

The cairn is scheduled as part of Historic England List ID 1007264, 'Chun Downs prehistoric landscape complex, incorporating Chun Cromlech, Chun Castle, and barrow 200yds (180m) SW of Chun Farm'.

The Journal of Antiquities also includes an entry for Chun Quoit, Morvah, Cornwall, which tells us it's not an easy monument to get to, but "it is probably best reached from footpaths coming off the B3318 (north road) to the west and walking in a north-easterly direction". Their entry includes a photograph, a drawing of the Quoit, a description, local folklore and a list of sources for more information.

Page originally by Vicky with updates by Anne T.
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Chun Quoit
Chun Quoit submitted by BazCross : Chun Quoit at sunset. (Cat A ) (4 comments - Vote or comment on this photo)

Chun Quoit
Chun Quoit submitted by cazzyjane : Looking lovely in the sun. February 2010. (7 comments - Vote or comment on this photo)

Chun Quoit
Chun Quoit submitted by sem : The capstone and the horizon. There is a theory that dolmens (or quoits as they are known in Cornwall) were not totally covered in earth but the capstones were left uncovered and were a copy of the horizon. I have manipulated the tones in this shot to show this, but no shapes have been altered. (3 comments - Vote or comment on this photo)

Chun Quoit
Chun Quoit submitted by pebbletripper : Site in Cornwall: this lens aboration had us running down to the stone to check what was going on! as it made our hearts skip a beat. What happened was a refractive image of the sun to the right being superimposed on the stone plus clouds - no photoshop used. (9 comments - Vote or comment on this photo)

Chun Quoit
Chun Quoit submitted by cazzyjane : Oil on canvas. (3 comments - Vote or comment on this photo)

Chun Quoit
Chun Quoit submitted by bazcross : Chun Quoit on 30.05.08 The use of a large flash unit has helped highlight detail underneath the capstone. (2 comments)

Chun Quoit
Chun Quoit submitted by Korak : Photoshop CS4 enhancement of cazzyjane's lovely sunny day Chun Quoit. Please note that a bit of pebbletripper's sunset reflection was also used in the mix. Thanks to both of you for permission to use these great images! (1 comment)

Chun Quoit
Chun Quoit submitted by Bladup : Chun Quoit (6 comments)

Chun Quoit
Chun Quoit submitted by Bladup : A lovely winter Sunset at the lovely Chun Quoit (4 comments)

Chun Quoit
Chun Quoit submitted by Raze66 : Photo: Jan 2023. Looking stunning in the sun. (3 comments)

Chun Quoit
Chun Quoit submitted by Bladup : After sunset at the wonderful Chun Quoit.

Chun Quoit
Chun Quoit submitted by BazCross : Chun Quoit from above. March 2012.

Chun Quoit
Chun Quoit submitted by cazzyjane : Oil on board from my earlier photo. (2 comments)

Chun Quoit
Chun Quoit submitted by cromagnonman : Chun Quoit Chun Portal Dolmen. To purchase framed prints of any of my photos please contact [email protected]. (1 comment)

Chun Quoit
Chun Quoit submitted by Bladup : Chun Quoit

Chun Quoit
Chun Quoit submitted by Catrinm : This is a coloured print of ‘cromlech in Zennor after Borlase’ I think 18 th century, I got about 20 years ago in a boot sale. Do people think it is Zennor quoit or a different chamber ?. When visited recently the capstone etc seemed a lot bigger than this image. Vies welcome (2 comments)

Chun Quoit
Chun Quoit submitted by Bladup : Chun Quoit.

Chun Quoit
Chun Quoit submitted by Bladup : Chun Quoit, A place that's gone from hardly visited to non stop visitors in the last 15 years, an amazing place. This Original Artwork in a glass frame is £49.99 + Postage (Just whatever it costs), and is 25 and a half cm x 17 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 [email protected] if interested.

Chun Quoit
Chun Quoit submitted by Bladup : Tiny little picture of Chun Quoit. This Original Artwork is £19.99 + Postage (Just whatever it costs), and is 6 and a half cm x 5 cm, In a frame 15 cm x 11 cm. E-mail me at [email protected] if interested.

Chun Quoit
Chun Quoit submitted by EmmaDespres : My young boys and I loved this quoit. It taught us about the benefit of protection, had such a lovely feel, well worth the jumping over the water-logged marshland to get there on a cold and blustery Saturday in February!

Chun Quoit Artwork
Chun Quoit Artwork submitted by BazCross : Chun Quoit. Artwork.

Chun Quoit
Chun Quoit submitted by SandyG : View from south.

Chun Quoit
Chun Quoit submitted by Postman : Threading the needle.

Chun Quoit
Chun Quoit submitted by DrNickLeB : Chun Quoit

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Nearby sites listing. In the following links * = Image available
 234m NNW 337° Tor Noon Tumulus and Homestead* Round Barrow(s) (SW40143418)
 279m E 87° Chun Castle Well* Holy Well or Sacred Spring (SW40503396)
 279m E 89° Chun Castle* Hillfort (SW40503395)
 384m NNE 25° Chun Tumulus Round Barrow(s) (SW404343)
 460m S 180° Chun Downs Tumulus* Round Barrow(s) (SW402335)
 754m ENE 67° Bosullow Trehyllys Fogou* Souterrain (Fogou, Earth House) (SW40933422)
 813m ENE 70° Bosullow Trehyllys Settlement* Ancient Village or Settlement (SW410342)
 885m NNE 16° Carne Farm Settlement* Ancient Village or Settlement (SW405348)
 1.0km SSW 208° Woon Gumpas Common Tumuli* Barrow Cemetery (SW397331)
 1.1km SW 232° Woon Gumpus Barrows Round Barrow(s) (SW39343335)
 1.1km SSW 212° Woon Gumpus Menhirs* Natural Stone / Erratic / Other Natural Feature (SW3960033079)
 1.1km S 188° Boswens Menhir* Standing Stone (Menhir) (SW40013289)
 1.2km NNE 26° Carne Farm Hut Circle* Ancient Village or Settlement (SW408350)
 1.3km NNE 31° Trevowhan standing stones* Standing Stones (SW40943502)
 1.3km SW 234° Portheras Barrow* Round Barrow(s) (SW39143326)
 1.3km ENE 77° Kerrow Bosullow Standing stone* Standing Stone (Menhir) (SW415342)
 1.3km NE 53° The Carn Field System* Misc. Earthwork (SW413347)
 1.3km SSE 160° Boswens Common Hut Circles* Ancient Village or Settlement (SW406327)
 1.3km SW 224° Boslow Cross* Ancient Cross (SW39253304)
 1.3km NNE 27° Trevowhan Standing Stone* Standing Stone (Menhir) (SW40893512)
 1.5km NE 52° Bosullow Quoit* Modern Stone Circle etc (SW41453483)
 1.5km W 270° Higher Boscaswell Well* Holy Well or Sacred Spring (SW3869434032)
 1.5km SW 223° Carnyorth Circles Ancient Village or Settlement (SW39103289)
 1.7km SW 219° Carn Kenidjack Hut Circle and Enclosure Ancient Village or Settlement (SW391327)
 1.7km SW 233° Carn Kenidjack* Rock Outcrop (SW388330)
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"Chun Quoit" | Login/Create an Account | 9 News and Comments
  
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Re: Chun Quoit by Andy B on Friday, 01 May 2020
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A tiny scale model of Chun Quoit, made in the 1860s from cork and wood from the Pitt Rivers collections, with thanks to Prof Dan Hicks:

https://twitter.com/profdanhicks/status/1254475577513390081
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    Re: Chun Quoit by Sunny100 on Friday, 01 May 2020
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    Have viewed the photo of the tiny model of Chun Quoit, but you cannot "Like" the photo unless you register with Twitter, which I don't want to do. Facebook is enough for me.
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Chûn Quoit Radioactivity by lucasn on Tuesday, 28 January 2020
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Chun Quoit by lucasn on Thursday, 05 July 2018
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Local people support grazing proposals (all 13 of them!) by Andy B on Monday, 10 September 2012
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“Local people support grazing proposals” referring to the proposals for Higher Downs and Tor Noon near Chun Quoit.

http://www.cornwallwildlifetrust.org.uk/news/News_pages/Local_people_support_grazing_proposals

This statement was apparently based on feedback from just 13 people who attended two information walks in July this year and will mean that the area will be crossed by ‘unobtrusive’ temporary electric fencing.

Not surprisingly Save Penwith Moors take exception to this and have written more here
http://www.savepenwithmoors.com/UPDATES.htm#localpeoplesupport
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Your help requested to support applications to re-register Chun Doees as common land by Andy B on Monday, 02 July 2012
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Ian McNeil Cooke writes: Save Penwith Moors have made two more applications to have the area now known as Chun Downs – that includes Chun Castle and Quoit – re-registered as Common Land. This will give some degree of lasting protection from installation of permanent fencing, gates, buildings etc that would require public consultation and consent from the Secretary of State, rather than – as has been the situation on Carnyorth Common – unrestrained and unaccountable installation of stock proofing.

18th July 2012 is the final date for representations

For full details and what you need to do please go to:
http://www.savepenwithmoors.com/2012%20RCL%20Applic%20Chun.pdf (PDF file)

Some more background to common land issues: During the 19th century many areas of common land were being enclosed and, during a period of unprecedented urban expansion, changes in the law were introduced to protect and manage these commons in recognition of their ‘open’ recreational value.

Common land had its origins in the manorial system that was abolished in 1925 by the Law of Property Act which also gave the public right of access to commons – mainly in urban areas – but also restricted fencing and other works.

During the first half of the 20th century there was public pressure to increase recreational rights and to give greater legal protection to commons from encroaching development and, in 1955, a Royal Commission determined that legislation was needed to promote the registration of common land and town and village greens, public access, and improved management.

The Commons Registration Act 1965 was intended to deliver some of the Royal Commission’s recommendations and allowed for provisional registration of land that was, in general, uncultivated and unenclosed. Applications for many areas to be registered were made during the three years between January 1967 and January 1970. However numerous landowners lodged objections that resulted in a large number of applications being withdrawn or refused. [The definition of common land in the 1965 Act was “land subject to common rights … or waste land of the manor not subject to rights of common”: normally connected to a property – not a person – and may include grazing animals, collecting wood and digging peat.]

A devastating consequence in West Penwith of de-registration was that many areas of moorland, including numerous archaeological sites, were ‘broken-in’ by landowners/farmers – with generous government grants − and turned into profitable green fields for grazing stock.

However a new Act − the Commons Act 2006 – now gives the opportunity to redress the situation by re-registering some of the commons that failed under the 1965 Act: Cornwall is one of several pilot areas to benefit and it is under this Act that our applications to re-register four areas of West Penwith moorland are being pursued.

More at Save Penwith Moors
http://www.savepenwithmoors.com/UPDATES.htm
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    Successful application to re-register common land at Chun Downs by Andy B on Wednesday, 16 August 2017
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    Land at Chun Downs, Parishes of Morvah, Madron, Sancreed and St Just, Cornwall

    The application was made on 5 January 2012, under schedule 2, paragraph 4 of the Commons Act 2006, to add land to the register of common land. The land is a scheduled ancient monument. It is open moorland, noted for its field systems, round-house sites and burrows, as well as Chun Castle and Chun Quoit. Chun Downs West is owned by Cornwall Wildlife Trust, Chun Down East has six owners, three of whom could not be traced. The land lies within the Cornwall Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

    The tithe map and Apportionment for the Parish of Morvah in 1841 recorded the application land as ‘Chyowne Downs’, being used for furze and turf. The inspector said that while grazing may take place periodically, the land does not cease to qualify as ‘unoccupied’ in this context unless there is some physical use which requires the exclusion of others. The inspector found that the land was of manorial origin, has the character of waste land and is open, uncultivated and unoccupied. The application was granted on 11 April 2013. Application reference: COM 404.

    http://www.planningportal.gov.uk/uploads/pins/common_land/decision/com404_decision.pdf
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Re: Chun Quoit by AngieLake on Saturday, 23 September 2006
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I think I'm in love! This little dolmen is so perfect and 'unspoiled'. It sits there serenely, (or perhaps that should read 'nonchalantly'?) with its big pancake 'beret' sticking out at a jaunty angle, whiling away the years, whilst we can only gaze in rapt admiration at its mushroom-like walls and wonder what it was like at the height of its importance.
There can't be any doubt that Carn Kenidjack was a major focal point in alignment for Winter Solstice sunset from here. I'd love to see the sun go down through those jagged 'teeth'.
Like SEM, I noticed how the dolmen appears and then disappears as you walk up the hill from the B3318 towards it. (Echoes of the approach to Stonehenge, and many other monuments, I guess?)
The fields I passed through (over two stiles) were empty on the way up, but coming down I was taken aback to see a herd of black cows ambling through it from left to right. (No, I'm not that brave when they have young with them!) Luckily they walked on through open gateways to the next field and when they were nearly all gone, I walked through anxiously, trying to ignore the stares of a 'teenage' calf and hoping his mum wouldn't decide to 'see me off'!
Part of the magic of the Megalithic Portal is returning to the site page after having visited the monument for the first time. This is one of those occasions, and I'm really grateful, as - since I discovered these pages a few years ago - the info I've downloaded to help me find the sites (and choose which ones are worth visiting) has been invaluable.
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Re: Chun Quoit by Anonymous on Monday, 03 March 2003
Look out at Midwinter solstice (Dec 21st/Dec23rd) for local Pagans who gather here every year to watch the sun disappear between the peaks of Carn Kendijac (or at least try to see it dissapear, as it usually ends up raining or foggy!!!!!)
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