Ancient 'stone circle' discovered in Cornwall
The monument at Castilly Henge near Bodmin is only the second of its kind in the Duchy
Archaeologists have found evidence of a rare stone circle at a prehistoric site in Cornwall.
The find at Castilly Henge, just off the the A30 near Bodmin, is only the second of its kind in the Duchy.
Local volunteers are helping to conserve the newly-discovered monument, which was found as surveys were carried out to better understand the site.
A team of volunteers cleared the site of bracken and scrub so archaeologists could map the stone circle using modern surveying techniques.
This found at least seven regularly spaced pits in the interior, forming a shape resembling a crooked horseshoe.
The researchers believe those may once have formed a complete ring, but ground conditions at the time of the survey left them unable to gather clear data on the northern interior.
The term 'henge' refers to a circular or oval-shaped bank with a ditch around the inner edge constructed during the Neolithic period between 3,000 and 2,500 BC.
The only other henge in Cornwall to contain a stone circle is Stripple Stones which is located on the steeps of Hawk’s Tor on Bodmin Moor.
Castilly Henge is believed to have been built during the late Neolithic period (c. 3,000 – 2,500 BC).
At the time, it would have formed an amphitheatre-like setting for gatherings and ritual activities.
Previous research has suggested that the site was used as a theatre (Playing Place or Plen-an-gwary) in the Middle Ages, then as a battery during the English Civil War.
The opportunity to apply modern survey methods to this monument arose in 2021, when it was included in a Monument Management Scheme (MMS), a partnership between Historic England and the CAU to conserve and repair monuments on Historic England’s Heritage at Risk Register.
Volunteers coordinated by the CAU cleared the site of vegetation which threatened below-ground archaeological deposits.
This work enabled teams from Historic England to carry out the first detailed topographic and geophysical surveys of Castilly Henge.
Ann Preston-Jones, Heritage at Risk Project Officer at Historic England, said: "The research at Castilly Henge has given us a deeper understanding of the complexity of this site and its importance to Cornish history over thousands of years.
"It will help us make decisions about the way the monument is managed and presented, so that it can be enjoyed by generations to come".
Peter Dudley, Senior Archaeologist at Cornwall Archaeological Unit, said: "The help of the local volunteers has been invaluable in removing the bracken and scrub obscuring the henge.
"Over the winter, 13 people gave 111 hours of their time and now the monument is looking so much better.
"The project has also re-fenced the field and the farmer is happy to start grazing again, improving the long term management of this amazing archaeological site".