The Modern Antiquarian. Stone Circles, Ancient Sites, Neolithic Monuments, Ancient Monuments, Prehistoric Sites, Megalithic MysteriesThe Modern Antiquarian

The Tristan Longstone

Standing Stone / Menhir

Miscellaneous

Beside the road leading to Fowey in Cornwall stands an ancient, weathered stone measuring some 7 feet in height and set in a millstone base.

It was once much closer to Castle Dore and may have been the origin of the association of this site with the story of the tragic love of Tristan and Iseult.

There is a Latin inscription on the stone, now much worn, which can be restored with only a little judicial guesswork to read:
Drustans hic iacet Cunomori filius
This means, "Drustanus lies here, the son of Cunomorus".

It has been suggested, plausibly, that the characters referred to are Tristan, the nephew of Mark - Drustan being a recognized variant of the hero's name and Cunomorus being a Latinization of Cynvawr.
Posted by phil
30th November 2001ce
Edited 24th March 2013ce

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