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Summary

A collapsed neolithic chambered tomb known as the Giant's Quoit; re-erected c1950 and consisting of three uprights supporting a capstone; collapsed again and in poor condition until 2012-14 when work was undertaken to re-erect the quoit.

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument CO396: Carwynnen burial chamber

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SW 63 NE 9
• National Record of the Historic Environment to Historic Environment Records data transfer
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 425684
• OS No. (OS Quarter-sheet and OS No.): SW63NE 9
• Primary Record No. (1985-2009): 35111
• SMR No. (OS Quarter-sheet and SMR No.): SW63NE 23

Monument Type(s):

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

Full description

The Giant's Quoit chambered tomb is first recorded in 1700 (1) and is also mentioned by Borlase (2). The field name on the Tithe Apportionment, 'Frying Pan Field', refers to the former appearance of the quoit (3). The monument is marked as 'Cromlech' on the 1889 OS map (4). The monument is discussed by a number of antiquarian authors (5-8).

In 1950 the monument consisted of three uprights supporting a capstone, having been re-erected after the collapse of the chamber just before 1872 (9). The chamber collapsed again in 1967 (10, 15). In 1979 the Inspector of Ancient Monuments recorded the following dimentions: length of chamber 2.13m, width 1.52m, height 1.52m; cover slab 3.67m by 2.74m (16).

In 1982 the remains were described as in very poor condition, the capstone lying on the ground with its supporters piled above (11).

After several years of research and excavation the quoit was restored in 2014 (12,13).

In 2005 a fieldworker discovered a fragment of a polished flint knife at the eastern edge of the site (TK pers comm; See Info File). Two possible carving have been reported (14).

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Site history:
1: 1971. ANK / OS
2: 1979. SHEPPARD, P / IAM
3: 1982. SHEPPARD, P / IAM
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Mercer, R, 1986, The Neolithic in Cornwall (Article in Journal). SCO3932.

Darvill, T., 2016, Megalithic tombs, barrows, and enclosures in fourth millenium BC Britain (Article in Serial). SCO29486.

<1> Lhuyd, E, 1700, Notes on Cornwall (Unpublished document). SCO3867.

<2> Borlase, W, 1740, Parochial Memoranda (Unpublished document). SCO2884.

<3> Tithe Award Map and Apportionment, 1840, Camborne (Cartographic materials). SCO4757.

<4> Ordnance Survey, 1880s, 1st Edition 1:2500 Map (Cartographic materials). SCO4048.

<5> Borlase, WC, 1872, Naenia Cornubiae, 24-26 (Bibliographic reference). SCO2892.

<6> Polsue, J (Editor), 1867-72, Lake's Parochial History of Cornwall, VOL 1, 188 (Bibliographic reference). SCO4139.

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

<8> Henderson, C, 1914, Notebooks of Parochial Antiquities, VOL II, 284-292 (Unpublished document). SCO3503.

<9> Daniel, GE, 1950, The Prehistoric Chamber Tombs of England and Wales, 17, 52, 173, 239 (Bibliographic reference). SCO3204.

<10> Thomas, AC, 1970, Camborne Checklist, VOL 9, 136 (Article in Journal). SCO4599.

<11> Barnatt, J, 1982, Prehistoric Cornwall: The Ceremonial Monuments, 44-46, 52, 104, 135-136, 246 (Bibliographic reference). SCO2777.

<12> Preston-Jones, A with Rose, Nowakpwski, J & Dodd, L, 2011, Carwynnen Quoit, Camborne, Cornwall - Archaeological recording and proposal fpr restoration (Report). SCO23806.

<13> Gossip, J, with Nowakowski, J, 2012, Discovering Carwynnen Quoit, Camborne, Cornwall: Archaeological Excavation - interim summary - September 2012 (Report). SCO26020.

<14> Pers. Comm., Member of the public. 02/11/2014 - see photos in Resources (Personal communication). SCO25106.

<15> Field Investigator's Comments, OS/King, AN. 1971 (Survey). SCO29739.

<16> Field Investigator's Comments, IAM/Shepperd, P. 1979 (Survey). SCO29739.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Finds

• FCO272 - PLANO CONVEX KNIFE (Neolithic - 4000 BC to 2501 BC)

Associated Events

• ECO3193 - Carwynnen Quoit (Ref: 2008202)
• ECO4124 - Discovering Carwynnen Quoit, Camborne: Excavation, 2012 (Ref: 146181)

Related records: none recorded

Associated Images

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