Carfury Standing Stone facts for kids

The Carfury Standing Stone is an ancient stone monument. You can find it in Penwith, Cornwall, which is a beautiful area in southwest England. It's about 4 kilometers (2.5 miles) northwest of the town of Penzance.

This tall stone is also known as Cuckoo Rock. It stands about 3 meters (10 feet) high. It's like a giant, thin slab, about 0.7 meters (2.3 feet) wide and 0.4 meters (1.3 feet) thick.

Discovering the Stone's Secrets

How the Stone Was Set Up

In the winter of 1957-1958, two people named Peter Pool and Vivien Russell carefully dug around the stone. This process is called an excavation. They wanted to learn more about how the stone was placed there.

They found that the Carfury Standing Stone was put into an oval-shaped hole in the ground. To make it stand firm, smaller stones were packed tightly around its base. This helped to wedge the large stone in place.

A Possible Partner Stone

During their digging, not many other objects were found. However, Vivien Russell noticed something interesting. She thought there might be another similar stone nearby, further down the hill.

If this "sister stone" truly exists, it would mean that Carfury Standing Stone was once part of a pair. This would make it very similar to another famous monument called Cuckoo Rock.

Protecting History

A Scheduled Monument

Because of its historical importance, the Carfury Standing Stone was given special protection. In June 1968, it was officially named a "Scheduled Monument."

This means it's a nationally important archaeological site. It is protected by law to make sure it is preserved for future generations to study and enjoy.

Nearby Landmarks

The Carfury Standing Stone is located where you can see the Ding Dong Mine. This old mine is another interesting historical site in the area.