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Summary

Lanyon Quoit consists of three slim orthostats with a capstone 5.8m long. The structure collapsed in 1815 and was re-erected in 1823 when the supporting stones were shortened.

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument CO3: Lanyon Quoit

Other References/Statuses

• National Mapping Programme (Morph No.): 317.27.1
• OS No. (OS Quarter-sheet and OS No.): SW43SW 41
• Primary Record No. (1985-2009): 30500.10
• SHINE Candidate (Yes)
• SMR No. (OS Quarter-sheet and SMR No.): SW43SW 97.1

Monument Type(s):

• CHAMBERED TOMB (Neolithic - 4000 BC to 2501 BC)

Full description

Lanyon Quoit chambered tomb stands by the side of the road to Morvah 7.2km north of Penzance (b7). Before its fall in 1815 it consisted of three slim orthostats of unhewn granite, supporting on their summit a horizontal capstone sufficiently high from the ground to permit a rider on horseback to pass beneath. During the fall part of the capstone or 'quoit' was broken off (b5). It was set up again in 1823 when the supporting stones were shortened and Lukis records that the capstone is said to have been replaced upside down. The present formation is therefore modern with few features in common with the original (b7). It is marked on the OS map of 1908 (b8) and is a Scheduled Monument (b11). Daniel in 1950 records the north chamber consisting of three orthostats supporting a capstone 5.8m long (b10). The OS in 1960 surveyed the site at 1:2500 (h1) and record that the tomb is as described by Daniel. It is shown on the OS map of 1963 (b12) and the extant remains are listed by Russell in 1971 (b14). In 1975 the chamber tomb and remains of the surrounding barrow (30500) were resurveyed by the OS at 1:2500 (h2). Barnatt in 1982 gives a plan of the site (b17) and Sheppard in 1982 reports that the covering of rough moorland grass around the site is worn thin near the large stones (h4, b16). The monument is visible on aerial photographs (p1) and was plotted as part of the NMP.

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Site history:
1: 1960. PITCHER, GH / OS
2: 1975. QUINNELL, NV / OS
3: 1980. SHEPPARD, PA / DOE
4: 1982. SHEPPARD, PA / DOE
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Edmonds, R, 1857, The Celtic and other Antiquities of the Land's End district of Cornwall, 350-352 (Article in Journal). SCO5096.

<1> Borlase, W, 1740, Parochial Memoranda, 155 (Unpublished document). SCO2884.

RAF, 1946, 3G/TUD/209/5390 (Photographic Record). SCO10975.

<4> Blight, JT, 1870, The Cromlechs of Cornwall, 96 (Unpublished document). SCO2870.

<5> Borlase, WC, 1872, Naenia Cornubiae, 16-19 (Bibliographic reference). SCO2892.

<6> UNKNOWN, 1885, W ANTIQUARY, VOL V, 3, 68 (Unedited Source). SCO6433.

<7> Lukis, WC & Borlase, WC, 1885, Prehistoric Stone Monuments: Cornwall, 25 (Bibliographic reference). SCO3881.

<8> Ordnance Survey, 1900s, 2nd Edition 6 Inch Map (Cartographic materials). SCO4051.

<9> Hencken, H O'N, 1932, The Archaeology of Cornwall and Scilly, 39 (Bibliographic reference). SCO3489.

<10> Daniel, GE, 1950, The Prehistoric Chamber Tombs of England and Wales, 238 (Bibliographic reference). SCO3204.

<11> UNKNOWN, 1958, OW 819 (Unedited Source). SCO7707.

<12> Ordnance Survey, 1970s, 1:10,000 OS Map (Cartographic materials). SCO4045.

<13> Fox, A, 1964, South West England, 50, FIG 9 (Bibliographic reference). SCO3332.

<14> Russell, V, 1971, West Penwith Survey, 20 (Bibliographic reference). SCO4314.

<15> Sheppard, PA (for DOE), 19--, Scheduled Monument Description (Bibliographic reference). SCO5181.

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

<17> Barnatt, J, 1982, Prehistoric Cornwall: The Ceremonial Monuments, 121-124, 246 (Bibliographic reference). SCO2777.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• ECO689 - SM Management: Lanyon Quoit

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