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Summary

The Men-an-Tol is an enigmatic group of three stones.

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument CO56: Men an Tol

Other References/Statuses

• National Mapping Programme (Morph No.): 317.62.1
• OS No. (OS Quarter-sheet and OS No.): SW43SW 38
• Primary Record No. (1985-2009): 30458
• SHINE Candidate (Yes)
• SMR No. (OS Quarter-sheet and SMR No.): SW43SW 56

Monument Type(s):

• HOLED STONE (Bronze Age - 2500 BC to 801 BC)
• STANDING STONE (Bronze Age - 2500 BC to 801 BC)
• STONE CIRCLE (Bronze Age - 2500 BC to 801 BC)

Full description

The Men-an-Tol is described and illustrated by Borlase (b1, b2) and C19 writers including Edmonds (b4) and Lukis (b6). Gover records the earliest reference to the name in 1613 (b11). Cornish in 1906 mentions that the most westerly stone has been moved since 1815 and brought into a straight line with the other two (b8). In Daniel's opinion there is insufficient evidence to merit the assertion that the Men-an-Tol is the remains of a burial chamber (b12). The monument is Scheduled, and is described in 1958 as consisting of three stones now standing in a line running ENE to WSW. The end stones are 5.8m apart with a flat circular holed stone set midway between them (b13). The OS who surveyed the site at 1:2500 in 1960 record that stone "A", the eastern most upright, is roughly square in section with sides of 0.4m, and is 1.3m high. Stone "B", the holed stone, is roughly octagonal in outline, 1.3m wide, 1.1m high and 0.3m thick. The circular hole is 0.5m in diameter. Stone "C" to the west is an upright stone, 1.2m high, roughly triangular in section, with side of 0.6m. To the west, and the foot of stone "C" is a recumbent slab, "D", which is 1.2m long, 0.4m at its widest point and approximately 0.3m thick. Stone "E" is a recumbent block 1.3m long, 0.7m at its widest point, and 0.5m thick and lies to the west of the main formation. Beyond this to the north-west is an erect stone, "F", 0.9m high and 1.1m long. The OS record that in their present arrangement no conclusions can be drawn as to the origin and purpose of the group of stones (h1). Men-an-Tol is shown on the OS map of 1963 (b14) and the extant remains are listed by Russell in 1971 (b15). The site was revisited by the OS in 1975 when no change is recorded from the survey of 1960 (h2). The DOE in 1981 report the painting of a number on the western stone and note damage by horses to the surrounding ground (h3, b16). In 1983 the painted number "74" had been renewed, and the ground was in the same muddied condition (h4, b19). The site is described by Weatherhill in 1981 (b17) and Barnatt in 1982 (b18) suggests that the re-siting of the western upright, alleged by Cotton (b3) and others, is erroneous since it is based on Borlase's plan of 1769 which is very likely inaccurate. He notes that Borlase shows the recumbent stone at the foot of the west upright in the same relative position as it found today. Cooke in 1987 agrees and notes that Borlase's plan also shows the upright to be of square section when it is in fact triangular (b21). Sheppard visited the site in 1984 and reports the stones to be firmly fixed with no movement or recent tilt. Soil erosion around the holed stone is to a depth of about 0.15m (h5, b20). The Men-an-Tol is visible on aerial photographs (p1) and was plotted as part of the NMP. It possibly forms part of a stone circle.

--------------------------------
Site history:
1: 1960. PITCHER, GH / OS
2: 1975. QUINNELL, NV / OS
3: 1981. SHEPPARD, PA / DOE
4: 1983. SHEPPARD, PA / DOE
5: 1984. SHEPPARD, PA / DOE
--------------------------------

Preston-Jones, A, 1993, The Men An Tol (Cornwall Event Report). SCO1795.

Preston Jones, A, 1993, The Men an Tol reconsidered (Article in Serial). SCO25303.

Jackson, M. & Jackson, A., 2006, Ancient Stones of Kernow (Booklet). SCO27463.

<1> Borlase, W, 1740, Parochial Memoranda, 5 (Unpublished document). SCO2884.

OSP, 1960, AO/60/298/1 (Photographic Record). SCO13737.

<2> Borlase, W, 1769, Antiquities Historical and Monumental of the County of Cornwall, 177 (Bibliographic reference). SCO2878.

<3> Cotton, W, 1827, Illustrations of Stone Circles, Cromlechs, and Other Remains of the Aboriginal (Bibliographic reference). SCO3177.

<4> Edmonds, R, 1862, The Land's End District, 19, 212 (Bibliographic reference). SCO3302.

<5> RIC, 1873, Journal of the Royal Institution of Cornwall, VOL 4, 152 (Article in Serial). SCO6315.

<6> Lukis, WC & Borlase, WC, 1885, Prehistoric Stone Monuments: Cornwall, 17, 25, PL 34 (Bibliographic reference). SCO3881.

<7> UNKNOWN, 1894, UNKNOWN TITLE, VOL 12, 200-202 (Unedited Source). SCO6557.

<8> Page, W (Editor), 1906, Victoria History of the County of Cornwall, VOL I, 372-373 (Bibliographic reference). SCO4068.

<9> Ordnance Survey, 1900s, 2nd Edition 6 Inch Map (Cartographic materials). SCO4051.

<10> Hencken, H O'N, 1932, The Archaeology of Cornwall and Scilly, 46-47, 50, 319, PL 48 (Bibliographic reference). SCO3489.

<11> Gover, JEB, 1948, Place-Names of Cornwall, 649 (Bibliographic reference). SCO3402.

<12> Daniel, GE, 1950, The Prehistoric Chamber Tombs of England and Wales, 242 (Bibliographic reference). SCO3204.

<13> MOW, 1958, OW 819 (Unedited Source). SCO7685.

<14> Ordnance Survey, 1970s, 1:10,000 OS Map (Cartographic materials). SCO4045.

<15> Russell, V, 1971, West Penwith Survey, 38 (Bibliographic reference). SCO4314.

<16> Sheppard, PA (for DOE), 19--, Scheduled Monument Description (Bibliographic reference). SCO5181.

<17> Weatherhill, C, 1981, Belerion: Ancient Sites of Land's End, 24 (Bibliographic reference). SCO5027.

<18> Barnatt, J, 1982, Prehistoric Cornwall: The Ceremonial Monuments, 223-226 (Bibliographic reference). SCO2777.

<19> Sheppard, PA (for DOE), 19--, Scheduled Monument Description (Bibliographic reference). SCO5181.

<20> Sheppard, PA (for DOE), 19--, Scheduled Monument Description (Bibliographic reference). SCO5181.

<21> Cooke, I, 1987, Journey to the Stones: Mermaid to Merrymaid, 47 (Bibliographic reference). SCO3172.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• ECO1853 - Men an Tol
• ECO2864 - SM Management: Men an Tol
• ECO6139 - Ancient Penwith Site Assessment Form
• ECO6165 - Ancient Penwith: an archaeological assessment of sites in West Penwith for the PLP (Ref: 2016R069)

Related records: none recorded

Associated Images

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