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Essa Standing Stones

Standing Stones

Fieldnotes

The Essa stones puzzle me although I have to admit Essa 1 does look like it could be "proper" as we say down here.
You do wonder how long this one will stay upright what with all the erosion around its base caused by cattle and water.

The Devil's Stone is in danger of being completely obscured by ivy and other green things!

It stands beside the minor road from Polruan to Lanteglos Church and got its name from the fact that coffins would be rested on it! (so says Robin Payne in the book "Romance of the Stones") He goes on to say that it is believed to be part of a group of stones that may have made up a barrow in the area mentioned on the 1803 OS map.
There are two or three other large stones built into the wall just inside the field and also on the othere side of the road to the left of the gateway.

The stones are not in keeping with most of the soft cornish slate that is generaly found in this area so must have been brought to this spot but I am still not convinced.

If you walk around the fields here you will see many large lumps built into walls as well as the three Essa stones.

If they were building a barrow wouldnt they have used smaller stones easier to transport?
The tithe map does mention a barrow field at Triggabrowne, further east from the church but why would they then transport stones half a mile or so along the ridge just to leave them in a pile beside the track?
Mr Hamhead Posted by Mr Hamhead
4th January 2004ce
Edited 8th April 2013ce

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