Chûn Quoit facts for kids
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 Location in Southwest Cornwall
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| Location | Cornwall |
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| Coordinates | 50°08′55″N 5°38′16″W / 50.1486°N 5.6377°W |
| Type | Dolmen |
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| Periods | Neolithic |
Chûn Quoit is a very old and well-preserved stone structure in western Cornwall, United Kingdom. It's a type of ancient monument called a quoit, also known as a dolmen. These structures were built by people during the Neolithic period, which was the New Stone Age. You can find Chûn Quoit on open moorland near the villages of Pendeen and Morvah. It sits on a high ridge, looking out over beautiful heather moorland and the sea. Close by is Chûn Castle, an even later ancient fort.
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What is Chûn Quoit?
Chûn Quoit is a special kind of ancient burial chamber. It was likely covered by a large mound of earth, called a round barrow, which was about 35 feet (11 meters) wide. This mound would have completely hidden the stone chamber inside.
The Giant Capstone
The most striking part of Chûn Quoit is its huge top stone, called a capstone. This capstone looks a bit like a mushroom. It measures about 11 feet (3.3 meters) by 10 feet (3 meters) and is nearly 3 feet (0.8 meters) thick. On top of this giant stone, there's a small, round hollow carved into it, known as a cup mark.
How it Stands Tall
The massive capstone is held up by four strong stone slabs. These slabs lift the capstone about 7 feet (2 meters) off the ground. There's also evidence that there was an entrance passage on the south-east side, leading into the chamber from the mound. Archaeologists looked at the site in 1871, but they didn't find any important objects inside.
Oldest in the Area
Chûn Quoit is the only dolmen in the West Penwith area that still has its original capstone in place. Other similar structures have had their capstones moved or reset over time. Experts believe Chûn Quoit was built around 2400 BC. This means it's about 2,000 years older than the nearby Chûn Castle.
Other Ancient Sites Nearby
The area around Chûn Quoit is full of other amazing megalithic sites. These are places with very large stones, often built for ancient rituals or burials. Some of these include:
You can also see the rocky outline of Carn Kenidjack in the distance. This landmark is important because it marks where the sun sets during the midwinter period.
Folklore and Legends
Local stories and legends often tell tales about these ancient sites. One old tale from Towednack talks about a giant named Old Denbras. This giant lived in a castle on Morvah Downs, which might have been Chûn Castle.
The Giant's Burial Place
The story says that Old Denbras was a great hurler. He was eventually defeated in a wrestling match by a strong young man named Tom. Tom inherited Chûn Castle and the surrounding lands. But there was a condition: he had to bury the giant at his favorite spot on the hill, facing the sea.
The legend describes how Tom and a woman named Joan worked hard to bury the giant. They found his club and sling, which he used for hunting, and placed them with him. Then, they gathered many stones to build a large mound over the giant. They used poles to lift the huge capstone and place it over Denbras's head. This hid him forever from the light of day. The story says they built a "noble barrow" (burial mound) over the giant, adding more stones to it over time. This legend helps us imagine how people might have thought about these massive stone structures long ago.
