Tor enclosure facts for kids
A tor enclosure is a special type of ancient monument found in the southwest of Great Britain. These amazing structures were built a very long time ago, around 4000 BCE, during a period called the early Neolithic Age.
Tor enclosures are large areas surrounded by walls. They are usually found near natural rock formations called tors, which are often on top of hills or on the sides of hills. Imagine a big, natural pile of rocks, and then ancient people built a roughly circular stone wall around it! These enclosures are similar to other ancient sites called causewayed enclosures, which are found in other parts of the British Isles. Many tor enclosures were built around the same time in the Neolithic Age, but some were made later in prehistory.
Where Can You Find Tor Enclosures?
The most famous tor enclosures are in Cornwall, a county in southwest England.
Carn Brea
One of the best-known examples is Carn Brea. This was the first tor enclosure that experts identified. They started digging there in the early 1970s and learned a lot about these ancient sites.
Helman Tor
Another important example is Helman Tor, also in Cornwall. It's located between the towns of Bodmin and Lostwithiel.
Other Possible Tor Enclosures
There are a few other places that might also be tor enclosures:
- Rough Tor on Bodmin Moor in Cornwall.
- Stowe's Hill, also found on Bodmin Moor.
- Whittor on Dartmoor, a large area of moorland in Devon.
