<< Our Photo Pages >> King Arthur's Hall - Standing Stones in England in Cornwall

Submitted by Andy B on Wednesday, 06 November 2024  Page Views: 33774

Neolithic and Bronze AgeSite Name: King Arthur's Hall
Country: England County: Cornwall Type: Standing Stones
Nearest Town: Bodmin  Nearest Village: St. Breward
Map Ref: SX12977764  Landranger Map Number: 200
Latitude: 50.568496N  Longitude: 4.642441W
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.
 3 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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Catrinm visited on 13th Apr 2025 - their rating: Cond: 3 Amb: 4 Access: 4

markj99 visited on 11th Sep 2022 - their rating: Cond: 3 Amb: 5 Access: 3 King Arthur's Hall is unique in my experience. It is one of the most unusual monuments I have ever visited. Henges and pounds are normally round. The isolated location amplifies the special vibe exuded by this exceptional place.

davep visited on 12th Jul 2022 - their rating: Cond: 4 Amb: 4 Access: 3

LiveAndrew visited on 2nd Sep 2021 - their rating: Cond: 4 Amb: 5 Access: 4

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

phlebas visited on 11th Apr 2019 - their rating: Cond: 3 Amb: 4 Access: 3

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

lucasn visited - their rating: Cond: 4 Amb: 5 Access: 4

AngieLake TheCaptain cazzyjane have visited here

Average ratings for this site from all visit loggers: Condition: 3.5 Ambience: 4.5 Access: 3.38

King Arthur's Hall
King Arthur's Hall submitted by AngieLake : Blessed by lovely weather, my visit to this strange site was enhanced by the cloud of fluffy white bog cotton dancing in the breeze. This view looks diagonally back towards the entrance gate, with Roughtor behind me in the distance, at 38degs from the largest pointed stone near to the camera. Note the way the two large pointed stones stick up on the 'west' side of the site. The tallest of the... (Vote or comment on this photo)
Rectangular Stone Enclosure in Cornwall. King Arthur's Hall is nothing to do with King Arthur. It consists of an arrangement of banks in the in the form of a rectangular henge surrounding a marshy interior. This is bordered on the inside edge by vertical flat stones ( which look like chair backs - hence the name).

There had long been speculation the site dated back to pre-historic times because of its standing stones, but the a new survey confirmed this. Researchers working on behalf of the Cornwall Archaeological Unit (CAU) were joined by volunteers for the dig, which began in 2022.

Samples taken from the monument, including pollen, insects and parasite eggs, were radiocarbon dated, Historic England said. The results were combined with other dating techniques, such as Optically Stimulated Luminescence, to give a date of between 5,500 and 5,000 years ago.

Geological examination of the standing stones suggested they came "from within 250m (820 feet) of the site and were possibly dug out from the interior rather than from a distant tor", Historic England said.

James Gossip, from the CAU, said the site had been used and upgraded at various times in its history, up to the medieval period.

"Knowing when King Arthur's Hall was built will help us understand this unique monument form better, how it might have originally been used and how it could have been used over time," he said.

He said the findings would help answer questions such as whether the stones were "placed there at the time of building or later in prehistory" and if the site was used "as an animal pound or reservoir".

More at BBC News: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cj3mrryzr15o

Note: New dating confirms King Arthur's Hall prehistoric origin, as many of us suspected. This is amazing news but where's the credit for the amateur researchers who kicked this off and pushed for the dating to be funded? More at the Archaeology in Cornwall conference this Saturday 9th Nov, details in the comments on our page
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King Arthur's Hall
King Arthur's Hall submitted by cazzyjane : King Arthur's Hall, on a sunny September day. Still very boggy and wet but wonderful views all around. (4 comments - Vote or comment on this photo)

King Arthur's Hall
King Arthur's Hall submitted by h_fenton : King Arthur's Hall viewed from the north east. Kite Aerial Photograph 10 April 2015 (2 comments - Vote or comment on this photo)

King Arthur's Hall
King Arthur's Hall submitted by TheCaptain : King Arthur's Hall (Vote or comment on this photo)

King Arthur's Hall
King Arthur's Hall submitted by h_fenton : King Arthur's Hall, image produced from a 3D model derived from 16 Kite Aerial Photograph s. 10 April 2015 (1 comment - Vote or comment on this photo)

King Arthur's Hall
King Arthur's Hall submitted by Bladup : Jumping sheep at King Arthur's Hall. (2 comments - Vote or comment on this photo)

King Arthur's Hall
King Arthur's Hall submitted by TheCaptain : King Arthur's Hall, seen here looking northeast through the entrance. Taken from the stile at the entry to its fenced off enclosure. Roughtor and Brown Willy on the horizon

King Arthur's Hall
King Arthur's Hall submitted by steveco : King Arthur's Hall Stone (rectangular) Circle SX129777. Rough Tor is in the background.

King Arthur's Hall
King Arthur's Hall submitted by rexh : King Arthur's Hall, a megalithic monument on Bodmin’s King Arthur’s down, south of Louden stone circle and settlement. a rectangular embanked stone lined (sacred) pool with an active spring (marked in photo by the framing pole). Its closest measurement is 21x49m. this post explores its possible geometry composed of an adjoined square 21x21m and a 3-4-5 rectangle 28x21m. burl has suggested it�...

King Arthur's Hall
King Arthur's Hall submitted by LiveAndrew : Arthur's Hall enclosure

King Arthur's Hall
King Arthur's Hall submitted by Antonine : 2012

King Arthur's Hall
King Arthur's Hall submitted by jimkerslake : King Arthur's Hall

King Arthur's Hall
King Arthur's Hall submitted by jimkerslake : Quite a boggy walk from Rough Tor in the background

King Arthur's Hall
King Arthur's Hall submitted by Bladup : King Arthur's Hall.

King Arthur's Hall
King Arthur's Hall submitted by Bladup : King Arthur's Hall.

King Arthur's Hall
King Arthur's Hall submitted by postman : The current occupier

King Arthur's Hall
King Arthur's Hall submitted by postman : A corner entrance

King Arthur's Hall
King Arthur's Hall submitted by postman : wet and wlid

King Arthur's Hall
King Arthur's Hall submitted by knap : Just thought I'd post this as a shot that demonstrates the precarious angles that many of the stones at King Arthur's Hall lean at. Truly great site, well worth a visit or two! (1 comment)

King Arthur's Hall
King Arthur's Hall submitted by TheCaptain : An ancient trackway crosses the moor near King Arthur's Hall, and there are a couple of standing stones nearby, which no doubt are to mark the route of this track. This is one just to the southeast. KAH is the dark mounds in the fenced off enclosure in the near distance.

King Arthur's Hall
King Arthur's Hall submitted by TheCaptain : King Arthur's Hall

King Arthur's Hall
King Arthur's Hall submitted by TheCaptain (3 comments)

King Arthur's Hall
King Arthur's Hall submitted by TheCaptain

King Arthur's Hall
King Arthur's Hall submitted by Bladup : King Arthur's Hall from above with Rough Tor (on the left) and Brown Willy (Right of center) in the background (Photo courtesy of Cornwall National Landscape)

King Arthur's Hall
King Arthur's Hall submitted by Bladup : King Arthur's Hall under excavation from above (Photo courtesy of Cornwall National Landscape)

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 164m W 269° King Arthur's Downs Cross* Ancient Cross (SX1280677643)
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 653m SSE 167° Leaze Cist* Cist (SX131770)
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 1.6km NW 312° Alex Tor Kerbed Cairn* Cairn (SX11827873)
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"King Arthur's Hall" | Login/Create an Account | 25 News and Comments
  
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Re: King Arthur's Hall by Anonymous on Sunday, 24 November 2024
In 1998 RCHME published the U I 433143 for KAH and gave dimensions as 159 x66 feet. Thus 66 feet is 14 x 4.714 feet the part of the 30/60/90 triangle of 2.722 x 4.714 x 5.444 feet 1/root3/2. Then in 2008 EH published Bodmin Moor Vol 1 and on Figire 19 produced 2 plans of the KHA. (Thus in 1998 it was Megalithic using Prof Thom's figures. But no plot published.)
Figure 19 allows for the geometry to be established with the Stones being a 5/12/13 triangle ( see AndyB 07/11) surrounded by a rectangle with the crest of the banks being basically a 1/2/Root5 triangle. Why does it work, because the hypotenuse of the stones triangle is the same length as the N/S side of the banking at 36 x4.714, the figures being 18 x 36 x 40.25 for the Banking triangle which sits symmetrically over the stones rectangle.
Go back to 1998 and work it all out with the 2008 plans.
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Re: King Arthur's Hall by AngieLake on Friday, 08 November 2024
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There's a report in Dailymailonline today about the recent excavations, with photos of the site and excavators:

www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-14058665/King-Arthurs-Hall-Cornish-monument-mystery.html

The reporter hadn't properly checked where the site is, quoting it as 'in Bodmin', and Bodmin Moor being 'near Helston'.

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New dating confirms King Arthur's Hall prehistoric origin but where's the credit? by Andy B on Wednesday, 06 November 2024
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A historic site in Cornwall linked to King Arthur has been found to be up to five times older than previously thought after a new survey was carried out.

Historic England said the findings of the dig at King Arthur's Hall, on Bodmin Moor, were the first to confirm the site dated back to prehistoric times.

The monument was previously listed as dating back to the medieval period but it is now believed to date back 4,000 years earlier to the Neolithic period by a group of specialists from UK universities.

Historic England said there had been speculation the site dated back to pre-historic times because of its standing stones, but the new survey was the first to confirm this.

Researchers working on behalf of the Cornwall Archaeological Unit (CAU) were joined by volunteers for the dig, which began in 2022.

Samples taken from the monument, including pollen, insects and parasite eggs, were radiocarbon dated, Historic England said.

The results were combined with other dating techniques, such as Optically Stimulated Luminescence, to give a date of between 5,500 and 5,000 years ago.
Read more at BBC News:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cj3mrryzr15o
However there is a major injustice here - amongst all the professionsl blowing their own trumpets there is no mention of the amateur researchers who kicked off this project and convinced HE that funding should be made available for the dig and dating - see Roy Goutte's article from 2014 here:
web.archive.org/web/20160910082324/https://theheritagetrust.wordpress.com/2014/08/08/king-arthurs-hall-is-it-really-just-a-medieval-animal-pound-or-something-archaeology-is-seriously-overlooking/
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Solving The Mystery Of King Arthur's Hall, excavation from 15th September 2022 by Andy B on Wednesday, 14 September 2022
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In September, the Cornwall AONB’s Monumental Improvement project will be working with the Cornwall Archaeological Unit to conduct an excavation of King Arthur’s Hall, a Scheduled Monument on Bodmin Moor currently listed on the Heritage at Risk register. This enigmatic site has long been a source of speculation about its age and use with theories ranging from a prehistoric ceremonial gathering place to a medieval animal pound, however the reality is that little is known about when and why it was built. Now the Cornwall AONB’s Monumental Improvement project is working with local communities and specialists to try and solve the mystery of this fascinating and unique Scheduled Monument.

Managed by the Cornwall Archaeological Unit, in conjunction with experts from St Andrew’s and Reading Universities, a team of archaeologists and local volunteers will carry out a small investigative excavation in order to understand more about the age of this puzzling site. The data gathered will help to inform a bespoke management plan for the site in the future, with a view to ultimately securing its removal from the Heritage at Risk register.

The excavation is part of a wider two-year project funded by National Lottery Heritage Fund, Cornwall Council, Historic England, National Trust and Cornwall Heritage Trust, which is seeking to ensure that 40 Scheduled Monuments in the Cornwall AONB (currently on the Heritage at Risk register of classified as vulnerable), are better protected and identified. King Arthur’s Hall is listed at risk due to the vegetation which covers its banks and some of the standing stones which line its interior, some of which have also fallen or become buried beneath the turf. Animal burrowing, possibly from rabbits and dogs is also having an impact on the stability of the Hall, and visitor erosion provides a threat too. The excavation is a first step in helping to better support the Monument, as understanding more about its construction will help to inform the right methods needed to protect it for the future.

Across a 10-day period, specialist teams will dig a small trench near the entrance to King Arthur’s Hall to examine the bank and the adjacent leat system, using Optically Stimulated Luminescence (OSL) dating to try and determine when it was built. The team will take pollen, peat and water samples and examine the standing stones inside the Hall in order to discover more about the construction and use of the Monument in the past. Having secured the required Scheduled Monument Consent and consent for work in a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), the project is planning to commence the excavation on 15 September.

In order to limit the impact of visitors on the moors and minimise traffic, all events will take place in St Breward Village Hall, with minibus transportation to the site where necessary, and events are by pre-booking only.

To Find Out More About the project and book your free place now at one of our events, please visit http://www.cornwall-aonb.gov.uk/king-arthurs-hall

This excavation is able to happen with thanks to the kind support of the landowner of King Arthur’s Hall, the Hamatethy Commons Council and local archaeology group, TimeSeekers.
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    Family Fun Day, Saturday 17th September, St Breward Village Hall, Bodmin Moor by Andy B on Wednesday, 14 September 2022
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    EXCAVATION EVENTS PROGRAMME
    During the excavation, we will be celebrating the fascinating heritage of the Cornwall AONB, exploring ideas about what King Arthur’s Hall might have been used for and who might have built it!

    FAMILY FUN DAY - SATURDAY 17 SEPTEMBER

    We are running a free family fun day at St Breward Village Hall. Come and get involved in a range of activities which will be looking at when the mysterious site of King Arthur’s Hall might have built and why.

    * Immerse yourself in our inflatable planetarium to learn more about the skies over King Arthur’s Hall (limited spaces available operated on a first come, first served basis)

    * Discover life in the Iron Age! Handle archaeological finds from the period and have a go at making your own coil pot.
    * Learn about the wildlife on Bodmin Moor and make your own bird feeder to take home

    * Discover the ancient art of dowsing with Tamar Dowsers

    Timings: 11:00-13:00 and 14:00-16:00

    Location: St Breward Village Hall, Bodmin, PL30 4PP
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    Site visit to King Arthur’s Hall, Saturday 17th Sept 2022 by Andy B on Wednesday, 14 September 2022
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    MAYES CREATIVE - PINHOLE AND SUPER 8 FILM WORKSHOP
    Journey with us to the enigmatic King Arthur’s Hall and learn to use analogue techniques to capture the sights of the Monument and its surrounding landscapes with pinhole and Super Eight film cameras.

    When: Saturday 17th September (10:30 - 14:00)
    Where: St. Breward Village Hall (PL30 4PP), with a minibus trip to King Arthur's Hall

    Details here
    https://www.cornwall-aonb.gov.uk/king-arthurs-hall
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    King Arthur's Hall excavation site visit, Friday 16th Sept 2022 by Andy B on Wednesday, 14 September 2022
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    Exciting free opportunity for students from Universities and Colleges to visit the site of the excavation of King Arthur's Hall.

    About this event
    A Monument Celebration Week Event!
    Brought to you by the Cornwall AONB's Monumental Improvement Project!

    Date: Friday 16th September
    Time: 10:00 - 13:00
    Meeting Point: St Breward Village Hall, PL30 4PP
    https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/king-arthurs-hall-excavation-student-site-visit-tickets-395074647907
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    Re: Solving The Mystery Of King Arthur's Hall, excavation from 15th September 2022 by Bladup on Wednesday, 06 November 2024
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    Did they ever reveal the age? It's been a few years now?
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      Re: Solving The Mystery Of King Arthur's Hall, excavation from 15th September 2022 by Andy B on Wednesday, 06 November 2024
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      Hello, I've asked Stuart Dow who is on Facebook.
      Cheers
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        Re: Solving The Mystery Of King Arthur's Hall, excavation from 15th September 2022 by Bladup on Wednesday, 06 November 2024
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        Well that was quick Andy, Very efficient, ha ha, Amazing dates, never doubted it myself as the stones are neolithic big, I was there the other day and thought i'd ask about the date - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cj3mrryzr15o
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          Re: Solving The Mystery Of King Arthur's Hall, excavation from 15th September 2022 by Andy B on Wednesday, 06 November 2024
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          That is such a strange coincidence - you didn’t see the news report?
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            Re: Solving The Mystery Of King Arthur's Hall, excavation from 15th September 2022 by Bladup on Thursday, 07 November 2024
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            No, i asked on here the day before the news report (There must have been something in the air) because I actually visited the site the day before that, It's either a strange coincidence or i'm a strange man, To be honest its probably a bit of both. ha ha!!! We were spot on with our educated guesses about it's date though, I remember chatting to Roy about it 12 years ago (doesn't time fly?)
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              Re: Solving The Mystery Of King Arthur's Hall, excavation from 15th September 2022 by Andy B on Thursday, 07 November 2024
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              Stuart Dow writes: This is all down to Paul Broadhurst who in 2009 in his book 'The Secret Land ' wrote of his investigations with Robin Heath at KAH
              Robin was probably the first to use a theodolite for measuring the rectangle of Standing Stones around the 'pool'
              His measurements came up as a triangular of the rectangle being a 'Lunation Triangle' eg 12/5/13 .
              In this case that is 12 X 5 Megalithic yards / 5 bX 5 Megalithic Yards / 13 X 5 Megalithic yards .
              That is the same proportional maths as the Station Stones at Stonehenge !!!!!
              When I read that and went and visited KAH for the first time ... I then knew I had to get this knowledge out there . IT WAS SPECIAL !!!
              The amateur archaeological volunteer group, Roy Goutte and myself (TimeSeekers ) asked Chris Coldwell of AONB (Now Cornwall Historic Landscape ) if it would be possible to get KAH dated as we believed it was ancient and not "an animal pound" as one professional archaeologist had said it was !!
              Chris agreed to try and get funding ...
              That was in 2017 ...
              Now Paul Broadhurst ,Robin Heath ,and myself and Roy Goutte are vindicated ...and very happy
              King Arthurs Hall is the jewel in the Archaeological Crown of Kernow !!
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              Re: Solving The Mystery Of King Arthur's Hall, excavation from 15th September 2022 by Andy B on Thursday, 07 November 2024
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              ...I'm also in touch with Roy who says he is 'furious' - hopefully the lack of credit can be resolved amicably. Also anyone on Twitter see here x.com/megportal/status/1854249859643048038 which has turned into my first truly viral tweet so people getting to hear about it that way!
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Is KAH really just a Medieval Animal Pound or something archaeology is overlooking? by Andy B on Tuesday, 16 August 2022
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Roy Goutte writes: Here's article I wrote in 2014. At the time TimeSeekers were trying to convince Historic England it needed dating. We got there in the end!

King Arthur’s Hall: Is it really just a Medieval Animal Pound or something archaeology is seriously overlooking?

Many, many years ago, nobody really knows quite when, work began on constructing a banked ‘enclosure’ on the north-west corner of Bodmin Moor near St Breward, an area known for its collection of early stone circles, cairns, hut circles and settlements. The enclosure was eventually to become known as King Arthur’s Hall and the portion of moor it was located on, King Arthur’s Downs… but what was the exact purpose of this Scheduled Monument?

Many ideas have been put forward as to what its purpose was, including things as diverse as a Neolithic mortuary enclosure, a Medieval animal pound, a gathering place for ceremonial or ritualistic purposes or an ancient reservoir, but until it has been professionally excavated and dated in the quest for clues its use has to remain speculative as there is little or nothing to compare it with.

Basically, earth appears to have been extracted from a rectangular north to south orientated area 160ft x 66ft and banked up on the four sides of it, thereby forming a type of sub-level ‘tank’ with an 8ft ‘apron’ between that excavated area and the banks.

Removing the earth to form the banks from the centre of the structure strongly suggests that the sunken tanked appearance was a pre-requisite, otherwise the soil would surely have been either imported from elsewhere, or obtained from the immediate area surrounding the entire structure, thereby leaving a level surface internally. This lowered area must then surely be our first clue as to its possible use.

Read more here
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    Re: Is KAH really just a Medieval Animal Pound or something archaeology is overlookin by AngieLake on Tuesday, 16 August 2022
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    I found Roy Goutte's article very interesting, and his ideas, and finds of 'paving' on the banks, seem to fit in well with my own findings while dowsing in 2005. We shall have to 'wait and see' what the result of the excavations reveal. Quite exciting!
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King Arthur's Hall excavation including Activitiy Days, 16/17th September 2022 by Andy B on Tuesday, 26 July 2022
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I'm excited to share the dates for the long-awaited excavation of selected areas of King Arthur's Hall, Bodmin Moor. Currently we don't know if it is actually a prehistoric site so this is a really important moment.

The organiser is Natalie Haly, Monumental Improvement Project Manager, Cornwall AONB along with the Timeseekers local archaeology group. They hope to include OSL (optical) dating which as at Waun Mawn and other sites gives a good chance to get a date from the covered soil even without dateable organic material

Here are the dates for the planned excavation

15 September – Excavation commences with trench digging and test pit set up
16 September – Educational activity day for students and adult education groups
17 September – Family focused activity day
24 September – Specialist Sampling
25 September – backfilling and end of excavation ends

There will be volunteers from TimeSeekers helping out and I should think there are still openings for more volunteers via http://www.cornwallaonb.org.uk.
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King Arthur's Hall - funding for dating now available by Runemage on Tuesday, 16 July 2019
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News from our member RoyG

"Working together, the Cornwall AONB, Historic England, Cornwall Archaeological Unit and the TimeSeekers Volunteer Clearance Group, have secured the funding to have King Arthur's Hall on Bodmin Moor dated.
Personally it has been at the top of my wish list since my very first visit to the Hall in 2012 and carrying out small approved investigations and clearances there with my TimeSeekers team since.

The funding was made available by the Cornwall Heritage Trust after an Application from the Cornwall AONB. Thank you to all involved and of course the CHT to whom we are most grateful. "
For discussion, please see our Stones Forum
https://www.megalithic.co.uk/modules.php?op=modload&name=Forum&file=viewtopic&topic=8104&forum=1
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More gorse fires 22/04/10 by MikeAitch on Thursday, 22 April 2010
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From BBC news 22/04/10

Firefighters in Cornwall have tackled three big gorse fires overnight, all of which are thought to be suspicious.

The county's fire brigade were called out to the blazes at St Breward, Portkellis and Goss Moor.

Crews from Delabole, Camborne, Helston and St Dennis used water jets and beaters to put the fire out out.

Cornwall Fire and Rescue Service has dealt with about 90 gorse fires since February - two thirds are thought to have been started deliberately.

A gorse fire at Pensilva on Tuesday night, which had a 50m (165ft) front, is also being investigated as suspected arson.

Devon and Cornwall Police said not only do gorse fires threaten wildlife and property, they can keep crews away from potentially life-threatening situations.

"This is mindless destruction which might have very serious consequences," a police spokesman said.

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Re: King Arthur's Hall Almost Caught in Blaze by AngieLake on Tuesday, 20 April 2010
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This news article appeared in the online newspaper website 'thisiscornwall' today:

"Historic monument was almost caught in blaze"

"A gorse fire that streaked across Bodmin Moor in tinderbox-dry conditions threatened to engulf an important ancient monument.

The blaze, which sent towers of black smoke billowing into the air, was seen by helicopter pilot Kevin Foster, who was conducting an aerial lesson on Sunday afternoon.

He said the flames seemed perilously close to the King Arthur's Hall, a megalithic monument thought to be an early Bronze Age ceremonial site.

"I was up in the air on a lesson and three huge plumes of smoke caught my eye.

"We headed over there and the biggest fire was right on the edge of King Arthur's Hall, an ancient settlement."

For more see:

http://www.thisiscornwall.co.uk/homepagenews/Historic-monument-caught-blaze/article-2040021-detail/article.html

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Re: King Arthur's Hall by AngieLake on Saturday, 13 December 2008
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See my comment today on Gournay-sur-Aronde site page. The shape and use of that ancient site in France may possibly throw some light onto what King Arthur's Hall was used for?
Similarly, the Ox Burial site outside the entrance to Bryn Celli Ddu's chamber on Anglesey. There is also a link to the Druids.
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Re: King Arthur's Hall by MickM on Monday, 18 July 2005
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For a recent discussion of the various possible uses of this enigmatic site, see 'King Arthur's Hall; Megalithic Monument or Mediaeval Pound' by Diana Coles in 3rd Stone magazine issue 39 (winter 2000/1).
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Re: King Arthur's Hall by AngieLake on Sunday, 17 July 2005
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King Arthur's Hall is referred to as a possible Neolithic mortuary enclosure in Rodney Castleden's book 'Britain 3000 BC'.
He shows a diagram of the site in Chapter 8 - 'The Castles of Eternity'.
Quote, an excerpt from one paragraph:
"Often in southern England mortuary enclosures were rectangular and bounded by fences, ditches or banks, to mark them out as special taboo places, though with the cawing of carrion and the strong smell of decaying flesh people would scarcely have needed warning off. Some of the enclosures had structures within them, such as rectangular mortuary houses or raised platforms for sky-burials, sometimes hung with ox-hides, and entrances embellished with arcs of totem poles."
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Re: King Arthur's Hall by TheCaptain on Wednesday, 06 April 2005
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Walking northwards from the end of the roadway out into Bodmin Moor near Leaze waterworks, King Arthur’s Hall can be seen as a dark, raised feature, fenced in on the skyline. It is a strange thing, being basically a rectangular earthwork, 50 metres by 20 on a north south axis. Inside, the embankments are lined with stone slabs, set as if to hold them up and make a distinct edge, although there are many gaps, and many of the stones are leaning or fallen. The inside of the enclosure is featureless and marshy, even though it is positioned on the top of a ridge, and even in the driest of weather. It reminds me of a stone age reservoir !

An ancient trackway crosses the moor near here, and there are a couple of standing stones nearby, which no doubt are to mark the route of this track.

Visited Sunday, 20 March 2005
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