Heritage Gateway

Cornwall & Scilly HER

For important guidance on the use of this record, please click here.

If you have any comments or new information about this record, please email us.

HER Number:	28216
Name:	THE PIPERS - Bronze Age standing stone

Summary

The Pipers of Boleigh are situated north-east of the Merry Maidens stone circle and are the largest surviving menhirs in Cornwall.

Grid Reference:	None recorded
Parish:	St Buryan, Penwith, Cornwall

Protected Status

Scheduled Monument CO44: The 'Pipers of Boleigh' standing stones

Other References/Statuses

National Mapping Programme (Morph No.): 1002.21.1
OS No. (OS Quarter-sheet and OS No.): SW42SW 11
Primary Record No. (1985-2009): 28216
SMR No. (OS Quarter-sheet and SMR No.): SW42SW 51-52

Monument Type(s):

STANDING STONE (Bronze Age - 2500 BC to 801 BC)

Full description

The Pipers of Boleigh menhirs are situated north-east of the Merry Maidens stone circle (28200), the south-west stone (28216.1) at 315m, and the north-east stone (28216.2) 420m. The menhirs are recorded by Borlase in 1754 (b1) and illustrated by Blight in 1865 (b3), and in 1871 WC Borlase dug around them but found nothing (b4). Shown on the OS map of 1908 as 'The Pipers (longstones)' (b7), the 1962 map shows only the north east stone, annotated 'The Piper' (b9). The Pipers, scheduled in 1958 (b8), are the largest surviving menhirs in Cornwall (b11). The location of both menhirs can be identified from vertical aerial photographs (p2).

--------------------------------
Site history:
1: 1960. QUINNELL, NV / OS
2: 1983. SHEPPARD, PA / DOE
--------------------------------

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

<1> Borlase, W, 1769, Antiquities Historical and Monumental of the County of Cornwall (Bibliographic reference). SCO2878.

OSP, 1960, AO/ 60/ 340 (Photographic Record). SCO13732.

<2> Borlase, WC, 1863, Excavations and Discoveries 1862-63 (Unpublished document). SCO2890.

JAS, 1988, 3388/154-5 (Photographic Record). SCO17722.

<3> Blight, JT, 1865, Churches of West Cornwall (Bibliographic reference). SCO2865.

<4> Borlase, WC, 1872, Naenia Cornubiae, 106-107, 214-215 (Bibliographic reference). SCO2892.

<5> Lukis, WC & Borlase, WC, 1885, Prehistoric Stone Monuments: Cornwall, 14, 21, PL XXX (Bibliographic reference). SCO3881.

<6> Page, W (Editor), 1906, Victoria History of the County of Cornwall, 372 (Bibliographic reference). SCO4068.

<7> Ordnance Survey, 1900s, 2nd Edition 6 Inch Map (Cartographic materials). SCO4051.

<8> MOW, 1958, AM 7 (Unedited Source). SCO7684.

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

<10> Russell, V, 1971, West Penwith Survey, 31 (Bibliographic reference). SCO4314.

<11> Barnatt, J, 1982, Prehistoric Cornwall: The Ceremonial Monuments, 226-228 (Bibliographic reference). SCO2777.

<12> Sheppard, PA (for DOE), 19--, Scheduled Monument Description (Bibliographic reference). SCO5181.

Sources / Further Reading

---	SCO27463 - Booklet: Jackson, M. & Jackson, A.. 2006. Ancient Stones of Kernow.
[p1]	SCO13732 - Photographic Record: OSP. 1960. AO/ 60/ 340. ABP.
[1]	SCO2878 - Bibliographic reference: Borlase, W. 1769. Antiquities Historical and Monumental of the County of Cornwall.
[p2]	SCO17722 - Photographic Record: JAS. 1988. 3388/154-5. ACP.
[2]	SCO2890 - Unpublished document: Borlase, WC. 1863. Excavations and Discoveries 1862-63. MS At RIC.
[3]	SCO2865 - Bibliographic reference: Blight, JT. 1865. Churches of West Cornwall.
[4]	SCO2892 - Bibliographic reference: Borlase, WC. 1872. Naenia Cornubiae. 106-107, 214-215.
[5]	SCO3881 - Bibliographic reference: Lukis, WC & Borlase, WC. 1885. Prehistoric Stone Monuments: Cornwall. 14, 21, PL XXX.
[6]	SCO4068 - Bibliographic reference: Page, W (Editor). 1906. Victoria History of the County of Cornwall. 372.
[7]	SCO4051 - Cartographic materials: Ordnance Survey. 1900s. 2nd Edition 6 Inch Map.
[8]	SCO7684 - Unedited Source: MOW. 1958. AM 7.
[9]	SCO4045 - Cartographic materials: Ordnance Survey. 1970s. 1:10,000 OS Map.
[10]	SCO4314 - Bibliographic reference: Russell, V. 1971. West Penwith Survey. 31.
[11]	SCO2777 - Bibliographic reference: Barnatt, J. 1982. Prehistoric Cornwall: The Ceremonial Monuments. 226-228.
[12]	SCO5181 - Bibliographic reference: Sheppard, PA (for DOE). 19--. Scheduled Monument Description. HBMC / English Heritage.

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

Related records

28216.10	Parent of: THE PIPERS - Bronze Age standing stone (Monument)
28216.20	Parent of: THE PIPERS - Bronze Age standing stone (Monument)

Search results generated by the HBSMR Gateway from exeGesIS SDM Ltd.