Rillaton Moor

Rillaton Barrow 2

Image by Mr Hamhead

Sanctuary Nov 11, 2010 08:34:35

Seeing it was such a beautiful day down here in Cornwall I went up to Minions on Bodmin Moor yesterday and tramped up to Stowe's Hill via Rillaton Barrow. It was while I was filming the barrow with my camcorder with Stowe's and the Cheesewring as a backdrop that I began to wonder if the natural stone formations on the edge of Stowe's held any form of significance to the belief's of the Neolithic and Bronze Aged builders at that time and being one of the reasons that so much has gone on there in the past? Although it was 3-4000+ years ago I guess much of the Cheesewring was as it is now as it would have taken 100's of thousands of years (I guess) for the climatic conditions to expose it as it is seen today.

tjj Nov 11, 2010 10:06:26

Replying to Sanctuary

Sanctuary wrote:

It was a stunning day yesterday wasn't it (if gift from the gods ... if I believed in them). I've never seen the Cheesewring, only photos - it is spectacular, a phenomenon. I came across the Devil's Chimney while out walking with a group earlier in the year. Someone said it was left over from quarrying but it seemed much older than that - what do I know?.

An interesting subject Sanctuary ... and thanks, you've been keeping this forum going recently by starting topics which meander off into some interesting 'mind'-scapes.

Mr Hamhead Nov 20, 2010 09:56:32

Replying to Sanctuary

I have always been led to believe that the Cheesewring is the result of post Ice Age erosion.....so yes I think it would have looked very similar to what it does now when Neolithic Man was living on Stowes Hill.
If you can imagine the hill before the quarry was created the summit would have had a defensive crown of stones...maybe even with a wooden fence atop. The Cheesewring sits outside this wall, which I find strange...why did they not include it in, what has been suggested, a ritual area?
Rock formations were used by our earlier friends...see Showery Tor on the northwest side of the moor for the best example.
http://www.themodernantiquarian.com/site/309/showery_tor.html
We now know how these formations were created...imagine what prehistoric man thought about them....mind you, if they could build things like Stonehenge without modern technology.........