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King Arthur's Hall
Re: King Arthur's Down double stone circle
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tiompan wrote:
Sanctuary wrote:
tiompan wrote:
Sanctuary wrote:
tiompan wrote:
Sanctuary wrote:
bladup wrote:
Sanctuary wrote:
bladup wrote:
You should suggest it to the people who are going to do the enhancement to the stone circles, If you don't ask you don't get, really just a date would be nice.


All in hand so watch this space!


Great stuff.


Interesting what PastScape concludes with:-

'There are no traces of associated linear banks or earthworks. The origins and purpose of the enclosure remains obscure but the effort required to both excavate or import material for a bank of such proportions and to erect the slabs suggests that it had a more important function than just an animal pound'.


Odd that they don't mention the A.S. Lewis survey in the biblography .


Do you mean A.L.Lewis George?

A very peculiar, I might say unique structure on Bodmin
Moors is known as "King Arthur's Hall." It consists of a
bank of earth, the present breadth of which varies from 12 to
20 feet at the base, its height varying from 5 to 7 feet ;
this bank encloses an oblong space, 159 feet long from
north to south (within 5 degrees to west of north), 64 feet
wide at the north, and 68-^ feet wide at the south. Twelve
stones stand or lie in line inside the north end of the bank,
eighteen inside the east side, six inside the south end, and
nineteen inside the west side. They seem to have formed a kind
of retaining wall to the inner side of the bank, but are mostly
pressed inward by its weight, and some are nearly buried by its
gradual wearing away. These facts, coupled with the probability
chat the lines, if not absolutely continuous, were originally much
more complete than they are now, lead me to suppose that
several stones may be quite covered, but this can only be
ascertained by digging or boring. The largest stones remaining
in position are about 5 feet high. The middle of the enclosure
is a foot or two lower than the ground outside, and is full of
water, which finds a vent at the south-west corner. All the
corners of the embankment are more or less broken and
rounded, and it is lower at the north and south ends than at
the east and west sides, but there is no appearance of any
special entrance, the angles of the lines of stones being well
defined, except, perhaps, at the south-west corner. Eough Tor,
Brown Willy, and Garrow, form a trinity of hills covering
30 degrees of horizon, 15 on each side of the north-east;
Hawkstor is south-east. This extraordinary monument, the
purpose of which it is difficult to imagine, is neither planned
nor mentioned in the work on Cornish rude stone monuments
by Messrs. Lukis and Boiiase, published by the Society of
Antiquaries ;~ it has a slight resemblance to two enclosures in
Brittany described by Admiral Tremlett in the " Journal of the
Anthropological Institute" for November, 1885, the entrance to
each of which was at a corner. These appeared to have been
used as places for cremation, but we have no evidence as to the
use of " King Arthur's Hall."


That's the one , survey also has a decent northing . As it is one of the earlier examples 1890's ish you might have thought they would mention it .


Yes he would appear to have been quite thorough. He gives a good account of all the circles in the area and their 'association' with each other in regard to their positioning in the landscape and distances from each other. I think PastScapes (EH) often look toward others to supply them with information and invite people to contribute or update articles. It looks very much like his work was overlooked or simply not considered.

I thought pastscape would be more comprehensive with quality not necessarily being a priority . They don't quote the 2009 scheduling either .
Despite it's age , it stands up well . Burl mentions him .


I'm rather tempted to buy this...You only have to walk over Emblance and King Arthur's Downs to realise there is a huge amount not recorded and under your feet. It's a very exciting area.
http://www.english-heritage.or[...]r-archaeological-survey-vol-1/


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Posted by Sanctuary
12th January 2013ce
19:42

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