Neolithic chambered tomb of the portal dolmen type, standing 2.7m high and supporting a 20 ton capstone. In a field near Darite, close to Bodmin Moor. In the care of English Heritage.
An archaeological excavation at Trethevy Quoit near Darite has made an exciting discovery which means that our understanding of the prehistoric site will have to be reassessed... continues...
Is time running out for Trethevy Quoit and other such unprotected Scheduled Monuments? A new video by Roy Goutté on the disruption (and potential damage) caused by horses/ponies and vehicles to the ground immediately surrounding Trethevy Quoit in Cornwall. The video shows startling and dramatic new evidence of that recent damage... continues...
"Without a care in the world it would seem, horses and ponies had been allowed to run free in the field without making any attempt whatsoever to protect the monument. Not even the simplest of electrified animal fencing had been installed which was simply inviting disaster... continues...
Visited after our trip to the Hurlers. As expected down a narrow single (almost) track road to a small 'island'. From here Trethevy Quoit is well signposted to a field gate. What initially surprises about this ancient monument is its proximity to some nearby houses and to the field entrance. I had read quite a bit about damage being done to the base of the monument by cattle and farm vehicles though could see no evidence of animals or any recent damage on this occasion.
It is an enormous monument which can't help but impress. Oddly though, I was strangely unmoved by it - perhaps I missed viewing it from a distance on the skyline first as with other monuments of this nature I have visited. Didn't have to walk through a bog, or jump a stream, or circumnavigate farm animals. Perhaps it was just too easy.
Directions:
Trevethy Quoit is sign posted when approaching from the north (Darite)
It was another glorious day. Not a cloud in the sky and an unusually hot sun for the time of year. It felt like the middle of summer. We parked in the little parking area and I first read the information board. By now the children had run on in front of me and were already exploring this superb dolmen. I soon went through the wooden kissing gate to join them.
This was one of several famous sites I was looking forward to visiting during my week in Cornwall and it certainly didn’t disappoint. The Dolmen was much larger than I expected and in excellent condition. I really liked the fact that the original entrance is so well preserved and it made you think of the past and the people who would have used it to gain access to the tomb in order to care for their loved ones. I couldn’t help but crouch through the entrance to try to get a feel for what they experienced. Due to the fallen rear stone you can only go in a little way. The main way into the dolmen now is via the fallen stone. I sat on this whilst Dafydd pondered the dolmen’s construction, with the girls happily running around outside blowing bubbles. The only thing detracting from this scene was the close proximity of the houses, which is a pity.
I had wanted to visit this famous site for many years and it felt great to finally get here. It certainly didn’t disappoint. It is worth travelling a long way to see. Fantastic!
The road leading up to the quoit was far too icy for driving, so we parked in the village and went on foot. In retrospect it was better this way anyway - for such a large structure you can see nothing of it until you are about 30 foot from it - and then the size is really striking.
It's possible to squeeze inside the chamber, but since the back stone has fallen down there is little room. The angle of the capstone is mind-boggling - just a few more degrees and it will almost certainly slide.
No-one was here when we came, and if it wasn't for the grim-looking houses built right next to it, this place would be much more mysterious. But still, at least it's here, and with a little imagination it's not hard to see what it would've been like.
Access: Easy access. The quoit is visible from the road, through a kissing-gate and stands only a few yards into a small grassy field. There are a couple of parking spaces by the quoit next to a grassy 'island' at the road junction between Crow's Nest, Tremar and Derite. It is signposted, but we found that the signs seemed to disappear at Crow's Nest (the direction we arrived from) and had to use the map.
Saturday 6 March 2004
Wonderful. I visited once about 8 years ago and had great memories of the place. It was just as I remembered.
On our journey to Land's End, I made this visit to Trethevy mandatory. As Jane had been lusting after it for years - ever since she got the Mod Ant book - I got no argument!
Looming, incongruous, spectacular. I know I'm not alone in thinking this is THE 'must-see' dolmen.
We chilled for 30-40 mins and at uncanny speed, Jane produced the painting (she calls em 'sketches') that appears elsewhere on this page.
Many years ago I lived in Darite and Trethevy Quoit was a popular place to visit. However, one mystery always nagged at the back of my mind, what was that hole in the top slab for? Some reports suggest that it was carved by a young man as a tribute to his sweetheart. Can anyone shed any light on this?
Trethevy Quoit has to be one of the best preserved sites I have visited, in spite of being so accessible.
Ahhhhh, what a beauty! Our first encounter during a week in Cornwall last summer couldn't have been bettered. Although sign-posted (and following the directions in the book), we still managed to get lost but after asking a friendly local (who took the time to correct my pronunciation!) we finally got here. small amount of parking is provided and then it's over the fence and there it is!
This really is a beautiful site but I was shocked to see it so close to a solitary house...like Mayburgh Henge the site is within spitting distance of a dwelling and I wondered whether it would be a curse or a delight living so close by! Depends on whether you want people hanging around outside your house each and every solstice!
I wanted to stay longer, the site had such a feel to it and the fact that one of the stones has fallen inward seems to add to the whole place. Fab!
I took these photos in 2001, when I visited this place... I felt really lost at the time, and thought I MUST have taken a wrong turn! Then, suddenly, and not at all hidden, was the little car park and information board! Just behind a hedge and some cottages was the structure... although it was so close to the other buildings, I recall feeling like I was in the middle of nowhere - very peaceful. Not another person to be seen or heard. I liked it.
'Christmas Day' at the most famous quoit in East Cornwall.
Although this stunning quoit is just about signposted from the main Dobwalls to Minions road, and then from Darite, I wouldn't rely on these small old white signs to get to this famous quoit. An OS map makes it easier. Once you get to the triangle just outside the field in the which it stands, there is then a then a large modern brown sign, but by then you are only about 20 metres from the quoit anyway! At this triangle there is a tarmaced lay-by for 5 cars, plus other spaces on road, and a nice information board. The info board contains info on the quoit itself and also some of the other ancient monuments in the St Cleer parish.
The site is just inside the field, through a wooden gate, and seems shockingly large once you step inside the field. The stone at the back (the one that has fallen in) seems to be cup marked - ancient or modern?
This takes some finding but is a treasure not to be missed.
When i arrived a marquee was being erected in the same field to celebrate a 60th birthday party.What a venue.
The lentil hovers at over 45 degrees as if it is about to crash down to earth at any moment.Lets hope it doesn't because it is a wonderful sight and must not be missed.
Having been "lost" on Bodmin moor in the mist this time we were really prepared,map,compass,water,mars bar,boots,plastic bags!! Ten feet from the car,behind a hedge more or less in someones back garden,Trethevy Quoit!!!Some days are easier then others,but what a splendid sight no less dramatic for being close to civilisation.
From "Speculi Britannia pars" - Norden (circa 1584), the first description of the quoit:
"Tretheuie, called in Latine Casa gigantis, a litle howse raysed of mightie stones, standing on a litle hill within a feilde, the form hereunder expressed."
and
"This monument standeth in the parish of St Clere. The cover being all one stone, is from A to B 16 foote in length, the bredth from C to D is 10 foote, the thicknes from G to H is 2 foote; E is an artificiall holl 8 inches diameter, made thorowgh the roofe very rounde, which served as it seemeth to putt out a staffe, whereof the howse itself was not capable: F was the dore or entrance"
It is interesting that Dr Borlase did not mention Trethevy and the next published reference was in 1801 ("Beauties of England and Wales" - Britton and Bayley).