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Summary

Mulfra Quoit stands to the SE of the summit of Mulfra Hill and consists of a megalithic chamber or quoit set within a round mound.

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument CO2: Mulfra Quoit (Cromlech)

Other References/Statuses

• OS No. (OS Quarter-sheet and OS No.): SW43NE 65
• Primary Record No. (1985-2009): 30897
• SMR No. (OS Quarter-sheet and SMR No.): SW43NE 128

Monument Type(s):

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

Full description

Mulfra Quoit stands to the south-east of the summit of Mulfra Hill and consists of a megalithic chamber or quoit set within a round mound or barrow. The chamber now consists of three supporting stones, and a dismounted capstone. It was excavated by W Borlase who records a possible pit in the centre (b1, b2). The site is also recorded by WC Borlase (b3) and Lukis (b4), and was surveyed by Daniel in 1950 (b6). The OS surveyed the tomb in 1960 (h1) and 1975 and record the diameter of the barrow as 12.2m. Weatherhill (1981) records the capstone as 2.9m square, and the chamber as 2.0m by 1.7m by 1.7m high with one supporter missing. The round barrow which originally surrounded the chamber measures 11.0m in diameter. The site is a Scheduled Monument.

A small, circular depression, apparently artificial, can be seen on the upper surface of the capstone. First noticed by Pete Herring, it is 1.25cm deep and 5-6cm in diameter, with a dished profile (b11).

An incised equal-armed cross, c. 10cm across, is located on the capstone of the quoit (12). It is interpreted as 'graffiti' by Preston-Jones and Okasha (13).

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Site history:
1: 1960. GEARY, E / OS
2: 1975. UNKNOWN / OS
3: 1981. SHEPPARD, P, FMW / DOE
4: 1983. SHEPPARD, P, FMW / DOE
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Jackson, M. & Jackson, A., 2006, Ancient Stones of Kernow (Booklet). SCO27463.

<1> Borlase, W, 1740, Parochial Memoranda, 5, 9 (Unpublished document). SCO2884.

<2> Borlase, W, 1754, Antiquities Historical and Monumental of the County of Cornwall, 230, PL 287 (Bibliographic reference). SCO2878.

<3> Borlase, WC, 1872, Naenia Cornubiae, 59-61 (Bibliographic reference). SCO2892.

<4> Lukis, WC & Borlase, WC, 1885, Prehistoric Stone Monuments: Cornwall, 9, 28, PL19 (Bibliographic reference). SCO3881.

<5> Hencken, HO, 1932, The Archaeology of Cornwall and Scilly, 48, 302, 319 (Bibliographic reference). SCO3489.

<6> Daniel, GE, 1950, The Prehistoric Chamber Tombs of England and Wales, 238, NO 5, PL 94 (Bibliographic reference). SCO3204.

<7> Russell, V, 1971, West Penwith Survey, 20 (Bibliographic reference). SCO4314.

<8> Weatherhill, C, 1981, Belerion: Ancient Sites of Land's End, 11, 80 (Bibliographic reference). SCO5027.

<9> Ordnance Survey, 1970s, 1:10,000 OS Map (Cartographic materials). SCO4045.

<10> Sheppard, PA (for DOE), 19--, Scheduled Monument Description (Bibliographic reference). SCO5181.

<11> Rose, P, 2009, Mulfra Hill, Madron, Cornwall - Archaeological - Archaeological Survey 1988-9, 21 (Cornwall Event Report). SCO20778.

<12> Pers. Comm., David Giddings, Cornwall Archaeological Society, c2013 (Verbal communication). SCO25106.

<13> Preston Jones, A & Okasha, E, 2013, Corpus of Anglo-Saxon Stone Sculpture Volume XI: Early Cornish Sculpture (Bibliographic reference). SCO26964.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

Related records: none recorded

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