Carwynnen Quoit facts for kids
The restored dolmen in 2014
|
|
 Location in Cornwall
|
|
| Alternative name | Giant's Quoit |
|---|---|
| Location | Cornwall |
| Coordinates | 50°11′18″N 5°17′38″W / 50.18835°N 5.29378°W |
| Type | Dolmen |
| History | |
| Periods | Neolithic |
Carwynnen Quoit is an ancient stone monument called a dolmen. It's found near Camborne in west Cornwall. This special site dates back to the Neolithic period, which was a very long time ago! People also call it 'The Giant's Quoit' or 'The Giant's Frying Pan'. The monument fell down in 1966 but was carefully put back together in 2014.
Contents
What is Carwynnen Quoit?
Carwynnen Quoit is a very old and rare type of monument. You can find it in Carwynnen, Cornwall. It is a portal dolmen, which means it has large upright stones supporting a huge capstone.
This monument is from the Neolithic period, which was about 5,000 years ago. It is one of the few portal dolmens in Cornwall found outside the Penwith area.
How Big Is It?
The dolmen stands about 1.5 meters (5 feet) tall. The big stone on top, called the capstone, is huge! It measures about 3.3 meters (11 feet) long and 2.5 meters (8 feet) wide.
This capstone is also about 0.3 meters (1 foot) thick. It weighs around 10 tons, which is like the weight of two elephants! The monument sits on a gentle slope near two small streams.
The History of Carwynnen Quoit
People have known about Carwynnen Quoit for a very long time. The first person to write about it was a Welsh historian named Edward Lhuyd around the year 1700.
Later, in 1748, a symbol of the monument appeared on a map of Cornwall. This shows how important ancient sites were even back then.
Early Records and Discoveries
In 1769, a Cornish historian named William Borlase drew the first detailed plans of the site. In 1840, the field where the quoit stands was even called "Frying Pan Field" on old maps.
In 1891, people noticed "curious marks" on a stone nearby. This stone was under a thorn tree. However, later searches by the Ordnance Survey in 1971 found no trace of these marks or other interesting stones.
Collapse and Rebuilding
Carwynnen Quoit actually collapsed once before, in the 1800s. But a kind person named Lady Pendarves had it rebuilt. Sadly, it fell down again in 1966.
For 48 years, the huge stones lay on the ground. Two of the support stones were on top of the capstone, and one was underneath.
In 2009, a group called The Sustainable Trust bought the land. They worked with the Cornwall Heritage Trust. Together, they hired archaeologists to study the site before rebuilding it.
Archaeological Dig and Community Involvement
In 2012, archaeologists started digging at the site. They wanted to learn more about its past. Troon Primary School was the first school to join in. Students learned about archaeology and the monument.
There was also an Open Day for everyone in the community. People could see what the archaeologists found. The event was even shown on TV! A special website, Giant's Quoit, was made to share discoveries and show how the monument was being restored.
Putting the Stones Back Together
The first stones were put back up in May 2014. Two of the support stones were placed exactly where they had been 5,000 years ago.
The third stone had to be moved slightly to make the monument more stable. The work finished in June 2014. A huge crane carefully lifted the heavy capstone and placed it on top of the supports.
