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<< Our Photo Pages >> King Arthur's Down NW - Stone Circle in England in Cornwall

Submitted by TheCaptain on Tuesday, 31 October 2017  Page Views: 13657

Neolithic and Bronze AgeSite Name: King Arthur's Down NW Alternative Name: Emblance Down NW, Leaze NW
Country: England County: Cornwall Type: Stone Circle
Nearest Town: Camelford  Nearest Village: St Breward
Map Ref: SX13477751  Landranger Map Number: 200
Latitude: 50.567488N  Longitude: 4.635323W
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.
 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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HollyG would like to visit

markj99 visited on 11th Sep 2022 - their rating: Cond: 2 Amb: 4 Access: 3 The stone circles are easy to find but difficult to interpret. I was able to get a reasonable grasp of the site after wandering around for half an hour. The NW Circle is more complete the SE Circle.

LiveAndrew visited on 2nd Sep 2021 - their rating: Cond: 3 Amb: 4 Access: 3

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

SandyG TheCaptain have visited here

Average ratings for this site from all visit loggers: Condition: 2.67 Ambience: 3.67 Access: 3

King Arthur's Down NW
King Arthur's Down NW submitted by SandyG : View from west (8th April 2009). (Vote or comment on this photo)
The remains of a pair of stone circles on King Arthur's Downs, northwestern Bodmin Moor, Cornwall. This NW circle, is more complete, and has a diameter of about 23 metres - see our nearby sites list for details of the SE circle nearby. There are a couple of nice shaped upright stones at the northern edge, one an upward pointing triangular stone, the other more rectangular but with a sloping top.

In all I counted 9 stones remaining of the circle, the rest mostly just stumps but with a couple of fallen slabs to be seen, one of which in the southeast arc is another delta shaped stone. A couple more probable stone positions can be seen as muddy depressions in the ground. In the centre of the circle are two prostrate slabs.

previous notes for this site.
Circle diameter: 82 feet, Number of stones: 3+.

Note: Report on the clearance of these twin stone circles carried out in August - with lots of photos, a new plans and new questions - details in the comment on our page.
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King Arthur's Down NW
King Arthur's Down NW submitted by cazzyjane : King Arthur's Down NW. Nothing much remains of this circle but it is worth a visit for the location. (5 comments - Vote or comment on this photo)

King Arthur's Down NW
King Arthur's Down NW submitted by Bladup : Sunset at King Arthur's Down NW Stone Circle. (Vote or comment on this photo)

King Arthur's Down NW
King Arthur's Down NW submitted by SandyG : View from east (8th April 2009). (Vote or comment on this photo)

King Arthur's Down NW
King Arthur's Down NW submitted by TheCaptain : King Arthur’s Down NW stone circle. The lovely triangular stone in the northern arc. (Vote or comment on this photo)

King Arthur's Down NW
King Arthur's Down NW submitted by LiveAndrew : The remnants of the more complete NW circle

King Arthur's Down NW
King Arthur's Down NW submitted by Bladup : King Arthur's Down NW Stone Circle.

King Arthur's Down NW
King Arthur's Down NW submitted by Bladup

King Arthur's Down NW
King Arthur's Down NW submitted by Bladup

King Arthur's Down NW
King Arthur's Down NW submitted by Bladup

King Arthur's Down NW
King Arthur's Down NW submitted by Bladup

King Arthur's Down NW
King Arthur's Down NW submitted by Bladup : King Arthur's Down NW Stone Circle Cist.

King Arthur's Down NW
King Arthur's Down NW submitted by Bladup : King Arthur's Down NW Stone Circle.

King Arthur's Down NW
King Arthur's Down NW submitted by DrNickLeB : King Arthur's Down NW

King Arthur's Down NW
King Arthur's Down NW submitted by SandyG : The three standing stones. View from south east (8th April 2009).

King Arthur's Down NW
King Arthur's Down NW submitted by TheCaptain : King Arthur’s Down NW stone circle. The Stenness shaped stone in the northern arc, living merrily in its own little bog. (1 comment)

King Arthur's Down NW
King Arthur's Down NW submitted by TheCaptain : King Arthur’s Down NW stone circle. The two stones at the centre of the circle. They looked like they might possibly have been the fallen and broken remains of a cist to me at the time, although I find it difficult to see now !

King Arthur's Down NW
King Arthur's Down NW submitted by TheCaptain : King Arthur’s Down NW stone circle. The three stones of the northern arc which are still standing. Even on a nice dry day after a long dry spell, beware the pools of bog which will catch the unwary - or those not looking where they are walking !

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Nearby sites listing. In the following links * = Image available
 22m ESE 115° King Arthur's Down SE* Stone Circle (SX13497750)
 200m E 91° Emblance Down stone row* Stone Row / Alignment (SX13677750)
 297m SE 136° Leaze stone circle* Stone Circle (SX13677729)
 315m ESE 123° Leaze cairn* Cairn (SX13737733)
 515m WNW 283° King Arthur's Hall* Standing Stones (SX12977764)
 629m SW 214° Leaze Cist* Cist (SX131770)
 633m SSW 194° Leaze Hut Circle* Ancient Village or Settlement (SX133769)
 675m W 279° King Arthur's Downs Cross* Ancient Cross (SX1280677643)
 959m WNW 295° Casehill Cairn* Cairn (SX12617794)
 1.0km SSW 205° Emblance Downs Hut Circle* Ancient Village or Settlement (SX130766)
 1.0km SW 228° Bolatherick* Standing Stone (Menhir) (SX12667684)
 1.1km SSE 155° Carkees Tor* Ancient Village or Settlement (SX139765)
 1.1km ENE 62° Garrow Tor* Ancient Village or Settlement (SX145780)
 1.2km SSW 196° Clapper Bridge* Not Known (by us) (SX131764)
 1.4km NE 47° Propped stones on Garrow Tor* Natural Stone / Erratic / Other Natural Feature (SX145784)
 1.4km SW 227° Whiteheads Standing Stone* Standing Stone (Menhir) (SX1241976611)
 1.4km S 185° Carkees Down Long House* Ancient Village or Settlement (SX133761)
 1.5km SW 225° Whiteheads Cist* Cist (SX12377649)
 1.5km E 92° Butterstor Ancient Village or Settlement (SX150774)
 1.7km SW 222° Whiteheads Settlement Ancient Village or Settlement (SX123763)
 1.7km SSW 201° Carbilly Farmstead Ancient Village or Settlement (SX128759)
 1.8km NNE 29° Fernacre Cairn 1* Cairn (SX14397904)
 1.9km WNW 288° Treswallock Downs - Bronze Age cairn cemetery* Barrow Cemetery (SX11717816)
 2.0km N 351° Louden Hill circle* Stone Circle (SX13217950)
 2.0km NNW 330° Middle Moor Cross* Ancient Cross (SX125793)
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"King Arthur's Down NW" | Login/Create an Account | 12 News and Comments
  
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Re: King Arthur's Down NW by SumDoood on Tuesday, 31 October 2017
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So..... can one hope to determine when the damage was done? If it occurred during times when the circle was, or had recently been, in frequent use that would indicate / hint at a decommissioning purpose for the damage. Which would be interesting.
[ Reply to This ]

Report on the clearance of the Emblance Downs Twin Stone Circles - August 2017 by Andy B on Tuesday, 31 October 2017
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Clearance of the Emblance Downs Twin Stone Circles by the TimeSeekers Volunteer Clearance Group - August 2017

The circles are situated on Emblance Downs, St Breward, Cornwall (Grid ref: SX134775) about 500m south-east of the enigmatic enclosure known as King Arthur's Hall. They lie close together separated by just 3.3m and both have diameters of 23m (76ft). The circles have a very irregular current spacing of ring
stones due to the removal and destruction of others over many years.

The western circle is far better preserved with six earth-fast broken ring stones
and two recumbent ring stones in the ring setting. The recumbent stone in the south-east being 1.6m long and triangular in appearance. Another two fallen and perhaps displaced stones are near the centre of the circle.

Previous reports have indicated that there may have been up to 15 ring stones originally. The eastern circle has eight surviving stones - four earth-fast but broken and one very large fallen stone 3.28m in length on the perimeter. There are two slabs lying just outside the ring setting and another further out still that may be an outlier.

A further stone circle known as Leaze can be found about 300 metres to the south-east on private land.

Although this began as a basic vegetation clearance of two stone circles, things changed as we went along, making discoveries and noting features that were of interest well worth recording. Very little seems to be known about these circles that are rarely visited which I find really strange, as twin circles so close together are not something you come across every day. Should more official interest be shown in them?

It was a straight forward clearance, albeit a wet one! Knowledge is everything and I feel we have gone some way to understanding a little more about the build of both circles by detecting a fully buried ring stone by probing and the broken remains of others also by probing.

We were fortunate in having enough earth-fast ring stones remaining to obtain an accurate diameter of both circles 23m (76ft). Having twin circles with identical diameters side by side is intriguing.

Why two you have to ask and did they serve different purposes or used together as one?
Is the low mounded area in the western circle significant?
Were the circles purposely built around a rising spring and the ‘modern day ’ boundary wall holding the water back creating a marshy area?
Why are the two most impressive stones (that we know of) to the south-east in
their respective circles?

Read the report, with lots of photos and a plan here
https://1drv.ms/b/s!Ail2FMShTla_gQPLA3qU4H8FLqvJ

(You don't need to sign in - Click on 'No Thanks - Continue to View' at the bottom and you can see it)

With thanks to Roy G for the report and the hard work of his group.
[ Reply to This ]

Re: King Arthur's Down NW by TheCaptain on Friday, 27 September 2013
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From Pastscape
[ Reply to This ]
    Re: King Arthur's Down NW by Anonymous on Friday, 27 September 2013
    I'd always understood that King Arthur's Downs terminates at the trackway immediately to the south of King Arthur's Hall and it morphs into Emblance Downs after that. No big deal just querying but thanks for replying.
    [ Reply to This ]
    Re: King Arthur's Down NW by Anonymous on Friday, 27 September 2013
    Check this out then scroll down to Page 47 where you will see the boundary markers between King Arthur's Downs and Emblance Downs. To my eye the twin circles are definitely on Emblance Down. What do you think? http://www.bodminmoor.co.uk/blislandboundarystones/pdfbroadband/Chapter7.pdf
    [ Reply to This ]
      Re: King Arthur's Down NW by TheCaptain on Friday, 27 September 2013
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      Thanks for your input, and that certainly shows that the circles are on Emblance Down, but they have become known as "King Arthurs Down" circles in all literature (Barnatt, Burl etc) and "official" circles (English Heritage, Pastscape) for a long time now, so that is where we take our names from. I have to admit now that you have pointed this out, Emblance Down circles would sound better to me, all things "King Arthur" seeming a bit, well, tacky in a Disney sort of way!

      So I'll now go and rename our site for the fallen megalith (and possible stone row) just a bit east of here to Emblance Down stone row from King Arthur's Row, as that was a name I made up to fit the site I found. See http://www.megalithic.co.uk/article.php?sid=11110

      [ Reply to This ]
        Re: King Arthur's Down NW by Anonymous on Friday, 27 September 2013
        Okay Captain thank you. I've been doing research work on KIng Arthurs Hall and discovered the revetment wall behind the 'facade' stones and am now trying to tie it all in with the local circles. I'm pretty convinced the Hall is far older than what is generally believed and probably Early Bronze Age. It was while I was down at the twin circles that I realised I was on Emblance and not King Arthurs Downs as everyone claimed. Great history out there a tale waiting to be told, which I hope to do. Cheers, RoyG
        [ Reply to This ]
          Re: King Arthur's Down NW by Andy B on Friday, 27 September 2013
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          Roy, would you like to write an article for us?
          Thanks
          Andy
          [ Reply to This ]
            Re: King Arthur's Down NW by Anonymous on Friday, 27 September 2013
            What on Andy?
            [ Reply to This ]

Re: King Arthur's Down NW by Anonymous on Friday, 27 September 2013
I was under the impression that these pair of circles were on Emblance Down not King Arthur's Down, but I stand to be corrected.
[ Reply to This ]

Re: King Arthur's Down NW by TheCaptain on Thursday, 24 March 2005
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King Arthur’s Down stone circles , King Arthur’s Downs, Bodmin Moor, Cornwall SX135775. Visited Sunday, 20 March 2005

Walk eastwards from King Arthur’s Hall along the ancient trackway and after about half a kilometre, where parts of the moor become walled in on both the north and south sides, and you will find the remains of these two adjacent stone circles.

The first, NW circle, is the more complete, has a diameter of about 23 metres, and a couple of nice shaped upright stones at the northern edge, one an upward pointing triangular stone, the other more rectangular but with a sloping top. In all I counted 9 stones remaining of the circle, mostly just stumps but with a couple of fallen slabs to be seen, one of which in the southeast arc is another delta shaped stone. A couple more probable stone positions can be seen as depressions in the ground. In the centre of the circle are two prostrate slabs. I wondered if the stones in the middle (which upon closer inspection looked like the northern slab had been split) are the remains of some sort of burial cist ? It looked to me as if the two stones could have been a side slab, and remains of a capstone, any other stones being either buried or removed to build the walls.

Difficult to photograph well, while walking around looking for a photographic opportunity, I stood into a boggy depression, slipped and fell ! Nice smelly wet black moor mud all over my trousers for the rest of the day. Thankfully it dried out fairly quickly in the strong wind.
[ Reply to This ]

Re: King Arthur's Down NW by TheCaptain on Sunday, 20 March 2005
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I am surprised to see this described as "recently discovered". I used to spend a fair bit of time down this way in my youth, and spent many days up here on the moor, so knew this area quite well. It always seemed obvious to me that there were two adjacent circles here. Admittedly, there is not much to see of this one, but given a nice day after a wet one, and there seemed to be many more than 3 stones visible, probably due to there being puddles in depressions where stones once stood.

Now its made me keen to go here again. Its only 3 hours or so away these days. If tomorrow's as lovely as today turned out after the fog cleared..... I have nothing much else planned.....
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