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England
The Great Tomb on Porth Hellick DownCairn(s)
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Cutting inland after leaving Innisidgen, we went south to Maypole, then took the path through Holy Vale, which leads through a lovely little nature trail, between trees and over brooks. As we were getting pressed for time, this route was direct, but was well worth taking anyway, just for the pleasure of the tropical flowers and the lush vegetation that St Mary's supports. We came out on Higher Moors, where a duckboarded path skirts a lake that is obviously a haven for birdwatchers, with hides all around. Out into Porth Hellick, passing a curious quartz standing stone monument erected to the memory of Admiral Sir Cloudseley Shovell (I kid you not) whose ship was wrecked nearby in 1707. We cut straight up the hill to the north east, sadly missing the majority of the tombs here (we'll be back), but passing Ocifant's IKEA rock. Out onto the top, and there, surrounded by bracken, is the most fantastic tomb of the lot! What an amazing thing! Its restoration is less faithful than it might be, but this is an awesome site. To make the visit perfect, the whole of the top of the tomb was carpeted with blue and yellow wild flowers and the sun was out in force. We had the inevitable scramble inside, finished the last of our food and headed back down the hill. Last stop Hugh Town (and Buzza Hill)! |
Posted by thesweetcheat27th July 2009ce |
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This massive, carefully restored cairn was given its name after excavation and renovation in 1899. It's a real platform, rising maybe a metre of an half from the level ground and is edged by kerbstones all the way round and has a diameter of around 6 or 7 metres. It has a long low chamber topped by big capstones with a tight squeeze of an entrance partly blocked by a deliberately placed slab. I was desperate to paint its soft, cushiony shape and hang out here a bit! But as it was, the wind up here was howling so I was only able to do a notated sketch whilst we munched our picnic. I was happy to get in the long chamber, not least to get out of the wind which felt colder as the sun disappeared behind the thickening clouds. Although this is probably the Scillies' main 'hollywood' site, I didn't like it here as much as the Innisidgens. This post appears as part of the weblog entry 'Stop that! It's Scilly...
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Posted by Jane18th March 2004ce Edited 26th March 2004ce |
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10th October 2003 There are apparently 8 tombs in total here. The main one is well signposted, and has been restored by EH. I managed to find two of the others in the thick heather, as well as a strangely sculpted rock that looked like two IKEA armchairs, before the rain finally started. The landscape is difficult to make out, the various lumps and bumps looking like a lunar landscape hidden in the plush heather. This post appears as part of the weblog entry What we did on our holidays...
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Posted by ocifant13th October 2003ce |
| This is the largest and best preserved of a group of eight on Porth Hellick Downs. It is 40ft in diameter with a 12ft passage of leading to a chamber covered with four capstones. Entrance is aligned to the Long Rock Menhir. |
Posted by Earthstepper31st August 2003ce |
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Historical Illustrations of Ancient CornwallScroll down a little to see three Edwardian gentlemen posing casually amongst the stones. The webpage includes many other interesting old photographs of sites on the mainland. Part of 'Cornovia - a Cornish Sourcebook'. |
Posted by Rhiannon16th July 2006ce Edited 16th July 2006ce |
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