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Kelsey Head Cliff Castle

Cliff Fort

<b>Kelsey Head Cliff Castle</b>Posted by pure joyImage © Martin Bull
Nearest Town:Newquay (5km ENE)
OS Ref (GB):   SW765608 / Sheet: 200
Latitude:50° 24' 13.92" N
Longitude:   5° 8' 44.2" W

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The Kelseys Round Barrow(s)

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<b>Kelsey Head Cliff Castle</b>Posted by pure joy

Fieldnotes

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Kelsey Head Cliff Castle - 28th September 2003

The car parks at West Pentire both seem to be privately run because they seem to charge all day / all year around (whereas most Council owned ones are free off season / outside peak hours), but are probably still the best places to start if you come by car. If you stick to the coast path you could probably get away without a map. Otherwise you may feel more confident with one. By the by, there is a semi-signposted short cut across fields to 'Porth Joke'. The National Trust car park via Treago Farm is free, but not well signposted.

Porth Joke is not only a great name, but also had cows grazing right up the sand (and even some hoof prints in the sand - had they been out surfing??). Kelsey Head Cliff Castle is then on the next headland.

The defences are not particularly impressive but you can imagine that the site would have been quite out of the way and maybe would not have needed large ramparts. The entrance (in the middle of the V shaped ramparts) is relatively obvious if you walk long the defences.
pure joy Posted by pure joy
5th October 2003ce

Miscellaneous

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On National Trust open land.

Mentioned by Craig Weatherhill, in “Cornovia: Ancient Sites of Cornwall & Scilly” (Cornwall Books - 1985, revised 1997 & 2000) “The headland is defended by a V-shaped Iron Age rampart and ditch 220m long, pierced by a single entrance 3.0m wide near the angle of the V. This entrance is somewhat indistinct and there is a scatter of loose masonry on its eastern side. The rampart, 1.5m high, incorporates natural rock outcrops and its ditch is 4.6m wide and 0.6m deep. The defended area totals 1.0ha; traces of iron Age dwelling sites have been found.”
pure joy Posted by pure joy
6th September 2003ce

Latest posts for Kelsey Head Cliff Castle

The Kelseys (Round Barrow(s)) — Images (click to view fullsize)

<b>The Kelseys</b>Posted by pure joy pure joy Posted by pure joy
24th October 2003ce

The Kelseys (Round Barrow(s)) — Fieldnotes

The Kelseys Barrows - 28th September 2003

SW7660 area

The OS map shows 3 barrows dotted around 'The Kelseys', near Kelsey Head Cliff Castle. The nearest to the cliff castle is allegedly at SW765605, but I couldn't find a trace of it. The second is visible as a low mound near the cliff edge at SW765602, and the third is at SW768600 but is pretty indistinct.
pure joy Posted by pure joy
5th October 2003ce