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HER Number:18163.85
Name:CARN BREA - Post Medieval folklore site

Summary

Carn Brea is associated with a giant, and various on the summit represent his dismembered remians

Grid Reference:SW 6837 4071
Parish:Carn Brea, Kerrier, Cornwall
Map:Show location on Streetmap

Protected Status

  • Conservation Area: CARN BREA
  • Scheduled Monument CO79: Carn Brea Castle

Other References/Statuses

  • Primary Record No. (1985-2009): 18163.85
  • SMR No. (OS Quarter-sheet and SMR No.): SW64SE 113.13

Monument Type(s):

Full description

Redding recorded folk tales concerning the Carn Brea giant, whose great foe was the giant Bolster, who was able to step from St Agnes Beacon to the Carn in a single stride (b1). Tangye notes the various rock formations occuring around this area which are traditionally identified with the dismembered head, body and possessions of the giant, killed after a fight with Bolster using natural boulders. The Giant's Head (or Face) is situated at SW 6870 4094 is the most prominent of these (b3). None of these features is thought to be artificially worked or positioned (b4).
Herring has noted the frequent association between Neolithic tor enclosures and legends of Giants and supposes some kind of folk memory at work.
(b4) - Parkes, C, 1989, Pers Comm, ,


<1> Redding, C, 1842, An Illustrated Itinerary of the County of Cornwall, 193 (Bibliographic reference). SCO4241.

<2> TANGYE, M, 1973, THE VARIED FEATURES OF CARN BREA, ILLOGAN, VOL 8, NO 1, 8-15 (Unedited Source). SCO8205.

<3> Tangye, M, 1981, Carn Brea, a Brief History and Guide, 26-32 (Bibliographic reference). SCO4526.

Sources / Further Reading

[1]SCO4241 - Bibliographic reference: Redding, C. 1842. An Illustrated Itinerary of the County of Cornwall. 193.
[2]SCO8205 - Unedited Source: TANGYE, M. 1973. THE VARIED FEATURES OF CARN BREA, ILLOGAN. J OLD CORNWALL SOC. VOL 8, NO 1, 8-15.
[3]SCO4526 - Bibliographic reference: Tangye, M. 1981. Carn Brea, a Brief History and Guide. 26-32.

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

Related records

18163Part of: CARN BREA - Neolithic tor enclosure, Iron Age hillfort (Monument)

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