Cheesewring facts for kids
The Cheesewring (which means Keuswask in Cornish) is a unique rock formation in Cornwall, United Kingdom. It's found on Bodmin Moor, near the village of Minions. This amazing landmark is made of huge granite slabs stacked on top of each other. It looks a bit like a "cheesewring," which was a special press used long ago to make cheese.
The Cheesewring is a natural tor, which is a fancy word for a large, free-standing rock outcrop. It was formed over millions of years by weathering. This means that wind, rain, and ice slowly wore away the softer parts of the rock, leaving behind these incredible stacks of granite.
In 1861, a writer named Wilkie Collins visited the Cheesewring. He described it as a giant pile of stones, with the heaviest and largest rocks at the very top. He noted how it stood tall and straight, even though the rocks seemed to be stacked loosely on a sloping hill. It truly looks like it could fall over at any moment, but it has stood for ages!
Right next to the Cheesewring is a place called Cheesewring Quarry. This quarry was important because it provided the granite used to build parts of famous structures, like Tower Bridge in London. In the late 1800s, there was a worry that the quarry's blasting operations might damage the Cheesewring. Luckily, people in the area worked together to protect this special landmark, and it was saved.
An Amazing Legend
There's a cool local legend about how the Cheesewring was formed. Long ago, when Christianity was new in Britain, some giants lived on the mountains. They weren't happy about the new saints arriving and claiming their wells as sacred.
One very big giant named Uther decided to get rid of the saints. He met a saint named Tue, who seemed quite small and weak. Saint Tue suggested a rock-throwing contest. If Uther won, the saints would leave Cornwall. But if Saint Tue won, the giants would become Christians.
Uther went first and easily threw a small rock to the top of a nearby hill. Then it was Saint Tue's turn. He prayed for help, and when he picked up a huge slab of rock, it felt super light! One after another, they threw rocks, stacking them perfectly into tall piles.
The score was tied at twelve stones each. Uther threw his thirteenth stone, but it rolled down the hill. Saint Tue picked up this fallen stone. As he lifted it, an angel appeared and carried the rock right to the top of the pile!
Seeing this amazing sight, Uther knew he had lost. Most of the giants were so impressed that they decided to follow Christianity after that. And that's how the legend says the incredible Cheesewring came to be!
Images for kids
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Partial remnant of Daniel Gumb's Cave
