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<< Our Photo Pages >> Westmoorgate circle - Stone Circle in England in Cornwall

Submitted by TheCaptain on Sunday, 28 October 2012  Page Views: 8782

Neolithic and Bronze AgeSite Name: Westmoorgate circle
Country: England County: Cornwall Type: Stone Circle
Nearest Town: Launceston  Nearest Village: Altarnun
Map Ref: SX20258073
Latitude: 50.598543N  Longitude: 4.541244W
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
2 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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Westmoorgate circle
Westmoorgate circle submitted by TheCaptain : A further visit to Westmoorgate stone circle in April 2017, and it seemed even more obviously the remains of a circle that day, with perhaps a few more bumps than before. Viewed here looking east, off the edge of Bodmin Moor, over the Tamar valley towards Dartmoor. (Vote or comment on this photo)
Remains of a fairly recently discovered stone circle on Bodmin moor, just to the north of the farm of Westmoorgate. Seven or eight fallen stones remain of the southeastern arc.

The circle consists of 7 fallen stones in the southeastern arc, and I also found 2 more lumps in the ground (possibly buried stones) and a possible broken off stump. The stones are all about a metre or more in length, with a spacing of about 4-5 metres.

I paced out the diameter of the circle to be about 31 paces (33/34 metres?) in both N-S and E-W directions, and would estimate that the complete circle would have been made with 22 or 23 stones. One of the stones of the southeastern arc has a pointed top, which would fit in well with the regular "Bodmin Triangle" theory.

Within the circle, but not exactly at the centre, is an obvious rocky area, perhaps a small cairn, or a broken up centre stone?

I also wondered whether there is an outlier over to the northeast.

Note: Full description, details and photographs now with the Megalithic Portal of this only recently discovered stone circle on Bodmin Moor.
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Westmoorgate circle
Westmoorgate circle submitted by theCaptain : I walked around the circle and made a waypoint on my gps for each of the stones. I have plotted these onto Google Earth (2 comments - Vote or comment on this photo)

Westmoorgate circle
Westmoorgate circle submitted by markj99 : Westmoorgate circle as at 17.03.14 (Vote or comment on this photo)

Westmoorgate circle
Westmoorgate circle submitted by TheCaptain : A further visit to Westmoorgate stone circle in April 2017, and it seemed even more obviously the remains of a circle that day, with perhaps a few more bumps than before. Viewed here looking south, with The Beacon on the skyline. (Vote or comment on this photo)

Westmoorgate circle
Westmoorgate circle submitted by TheCaptain : A further visit to Westmoorgate stone circle in April 2017, and it seemed even more obviously the remains of a circle that day, with perhaps a few more bumps than before. Viewed here looking west along the most obvious part of the arc, with Brown Willy on the horizon. (Vote or comment on this photo)

Westmoorgate circle
Westmoorgate circle submitted by Bladup : Westmoorgate circle.

Westmoorgate circle
Westmoorgate circle submitted by Bladup

Westmoorgate circle
Westmoorgate circle submitted by Bladup

Westmoorgate circle
Westmoorgate circle submitted by Bladup

Westmoorgate circle
Westmoorgate circle submitted by theCaptain : Within the circle, but not exactly at the centre, is an obvious rocky area, perhaps a small cairn, or a broken up centre stone? Here looking eastwards, off the edge of Bodmin Moor, across the Tamar valley, with Dartmoor on the horizon.

Westmoorgate circle
Westmoorgate circle submitted by theCaptain : Looking west towards Brown Willy

Westmoorgate circle
Westmoorgate circle submitted by theCaptain : The circle itself these days consists of 7 fallen stones in the southeastern arc, and I also found 2 more lumps in the ground (probably buried stones) and a possible broken off stump.

Westmoorgate circle
Westmoorgate circle submitted by theCaptain : One of the stones of the southeastern arc has a pointed top, which would fit in well with the regular "Bodmin Triangle" theory.

Westmoorgate circle
Westmoorgate circle submitted by theCaptain : The stones are all of about a metre or more in length, with a spacing of about 4-5 metres.

Westmoorgate circle
Westmoorgate circle submitted by theCaptain : The circle itself these days consists of 7 fallen stones in the southeastern arc, and I also found 2 more lumps in the ground (probably buried stones) and a possible broken off stump. (1 comment)

Westmoorgate circle
Westmoorgate circle submitted by theCaptain

Westmoorgate circle
Westmoorgate circle submitted by theCaptain

Westmoorgate circle
Westmoorgate circle submitted by theCaptain : I could not believe that after just a hundred metres walk from the stream, as soon as the hilltop came into view, the stones of the circle became immediately obvious and clear to see. Just how is it possible that this circle had never been identified until s few years ago? I have been to many less obvious circles, and this one is in such an easily accessible and well used place. Unbelievable...

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Nearby sites listing. In the following links * = Image available
 143m NNW 340° Westmoorgate cairn* Cairn (SX2020680866)
 514m NW 311° West Moor Possible Menhir* Standing Stone (Menhir) (SX1987081077)
 1.1km W 266° Westmoor Cairns* Cairn (SX19178070)
 1.4km SSW 203° The Beacon Cist* Cist (SX19667944)
 1.6km SSW 200° The Beacon Cairns* Cairn (SX19677928)
 1.6km SE 137° Spettigue Menhir* Standing Stone (Menhir) (SX21307952)
 1.6km WSW 237° Leskernick Hill Row* Stone Row / Alignment (SX1884979885)
 1.8km SW 231° Leskernick SE* Stone Circle (SX18827964)
 1.8km WSW 237° Leskernick* Ancient Village or Settlement (SX18717980)
 1.8km WSW 238° Leskernick cairn* Cairn (SX18687982)
 1.8km SSW 201° Elephant Rock* Natural Stone / Erratic / Other Natural Feature (SX19557905)
 1.9km WSW 242° Leskernick NW* Stone Circle (SX18587992)
 2.0km WSW 257° Leskernick Hill cairn* Cairn (SX18328035)
 2.0km NW 315° Bray Down Cairns* Cairn (SX18908216)
 2.0km WSW 247° Leskernick Hill Settlement* Ancient Village or Settlement (SX18358000)
 2.0km WSW 253° Leskernick Quoit* Natural Stone / Erratic / Other Natural Feature (SX1827980202)
 2.0km WSW 251° Leskernick 2* Natural Stone / Erratic / Other Natural Feature (SX1829880125)
 2.1km ENE 72° Altarnun Cross* Ancient Cross (SX223813)
 2.1km WSW 243° Leskernick cist* Cist (SX18307983)
 2.2km NNW 327° Bray Down camp* Ancient Village or Settlement (SX191826)
 2.3km ENE 63° Altarnun Cross B* Ancient Cross (SX22318170)
 2.3km SW 215° Trezelland stone setting* Standing Stones (SX18857889)
 2.3km ENE 68° St Nonna's Well* Holy Well or Sacred Spring (SX2243981533)
 2.9km WNW 287° Buttern Hill Cairns* Cairn (SX17478167)
 3.1km ESE 120° Tregune Menhir* Standing Stone (Menhir) (SX2286379095)
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"Westmoorgate circle" | Login/Create an Account | 5 News and Comments
  
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Re: Westmoorgate circle by Anonymous on Wednesday, 30 November 2022
I used to live at West moor gate as a kid those stone were fun to ride over on a motorbike sorry for that I suppose I thought they were hut circles or something.
[ Reply to This ]

Re: Westmoorgate circle by Anonymous on Friday, 09 November 2012
Thanks for contributing this site Martyn. Just to add acknowledgements, it was first identified by Peter Herring from EH in 2004. He subsequently passed the information on to me and I first visited the site a few years later, and revealed it in print for the first time in my magazine Meyn Mamvro no.74 in Winter/Spring 2011. As all the stones are fallen or buried I guess it was never spotted before. The two Leskernick circles lie about a mile to the SW but are not visible from this circle. There are however, notable landmarks visible, including the summit of Brown Willy due west (equinox sunset) and the summits of Roughtor, Little Roughtor, Showery Tor, Bray Down, Carne Down Brentor, Trewint Tor, Black Rock, High Rock (Kilmar), The Cheesewring, etc. The circle is doubtless part of a typical ritual & ceremonial complex, and Peter suggested that the circle was the primary site constructed, with the two small cairns skylined to the NNW & NE placed to respect it. Cheryl Straffon, Editor, Meyn Mamvro
[ Reply to This ]

Re: Westmoorgate circle by TheCaptain on Saturday, 06 October 2012
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Supposedly a recently discovered stone circle, found in the last decade by archaeologists walking back from work at Leskernick using a different route, so of course it is a circle which I have to go and look for myself. Looking at the modern Bing or Google satellite views of this part of the moor, and what looks to be the remains of this circle seem to be clearly shown, and surprisingly near to a farm and other habitation, in a region regularly used for horse riding across the moor.

When looking for these ancient places, I like to firstly try and find them using a few basic directions and my wits, following this with any detailed descriptions and maps, and only lastly using modern methods such as satellite pictures and gps. Having read that it was very hard to find, I was prepared for all possibilities, from basic directions, printouts of enlarged maps, to plots of the aerial views and gps position in my Garmin.

On the way down to a Cornish holiday, this seemed a convenient stop off on the way, allowing lunch at the nearby Kings Head hotel in Five Lanes (Altarnun), and then a little walk out on the moor before continuing the journey. Thankfully it was a nice sunny day, but with horrible storms forecast for later, so it was decided to spend a bit longer out on the moor than the minimum.

From Five Lanes, drive the couple of miles westwards out towards Westmoorgate, and there is plenty of parking beside the lane just before you reach the farm at the end of the road. From here walk to the end of the lane (lovely blackberries), through the gates and onto the moor, turning almost straightaway to the right and crossing the stream at the ford, or if in high water, however you are able.

From the top of the bank here, proceed in a northerly direction, following the line of the initial short wall on your right and continuing for about 400 metres, towards the top of the low, flat hill, which will not initially be in sight over the brow. I could not believe that after just a hundred metres, as soon as the hilltop came into view, the stones of the circle became immediately obvious and clear to see. Just how is it possible that this circle had never been identified before? I have been to many less obvious circles, and this one is in such an easily accessible and well used place. Unbelievable it has not been on the maps for centuries!

The circle itself these days consists of 7 fallen stones in the southeastern arc, and I also found 2 more lumps in the ground (probably buried stones) and a possible broken off stump. I walked around the circle a couple of times and made a waypoint on my gps for each of the stones, WP 7 to WP 16. The stones are all of about a metre or more in length, with a spacing of about 4-5 metres. I paced out the diameter of the circle to be about 31 paces (33/34 metres?) in both N-S and E-W directions, and would estimate that the complete circle would have been made with 22 or 23 stones. One of the stones of the southeastern arc has a pointed top, which would fit in well with the regular "Bodmin Triangle" theory. Within the circle, but not exactly at the centre, is an obvious rocky area, perhaps a small cairn, or a broken up centre stone?

All this made me wonder; if this circle was not found until a few years ago, just how many more of them are out there waiting to be discovered? There could be hundreds!!!!!
[ Reply to This ]
    Re: Westmoorgate circle by AngieLake on Friday, 26 October 2012
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    Thanks for the photos and helpful information on how to find the circle, Martyn. You must have felt quite thrilled when you found it.
    Have added it to a list of new sites to visit when I'm in Cornwall again.
    [ Reply to This ]

Re: Westmoorgate circle by TheCaptain on Thursday, 30 August 2012
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This one is on my target radar for next month. So the big question is how I get an aerial shot with no kite or big pole.
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