Sancreed Beacon

Nearest town:
Newlyn (5km E)
OS reference:
SW415295
OS sheet:
203
Latitude:
50° 6' 30.83 N
Longitude:
5° 36' 57.17 W
Added to TMA by

Images

Image of Sancreed Beacon (Cairn(s)) by thesweetcheat

Northern cairn, looking towards Chun Castle and Carn Galva.

Image credit: A. Brookes (6.10.2017)
thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat Nov 23, 2017
Image of Sancreed Beacon (Cairn(s)) by thesweetcheat

The bump on the skyline is Carn Galva, Ding Dong mine is over to the right, highlighting what a wonderfully compact peninsula this is.

Image credit: A. Brookes (22.10.2015)
thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat Nov 2, 2015
Image of Sancreed Beacon (Cairn(s)) by thesweetcheat

Looking east over the northern cairn to Mount’s Bay. Not the best visibility, but St Michael’s Mount indicated.

Image credit: A. Brookes (22.10.2015)
thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat Nov 2, 2015
Image of Sancreed Beacon (Cairn(s)) by thesweetcheat

Northern cairn, with kerbstone in the foreground and capstone buried in the centre.

Image credit: A. Brookes (22.10.2015)
thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat Nov 2, 2015
Image of Sancreed Beacon (Cairn(s)) by thesweetcheat

Looking south over the southern cairn. St Buryan church tower can be seen on the skyline, the sea beyond.

Image credit: A. Brookes (22.10.2015)
thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat Nov 2, 2015
Image of Sancreed Beacon (Cairn(s)) by thesweetcheat

Remaining stones of the retaining circle or kerb, southern cairn. The northern cairn can be seen in the background.

Image credit: A. Brookes (18.6.2013)
thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat Aug 8, 2013
Image of Sancreed Beacon (Cairn(s)) by thesweetcheat

The southern cairn, showing the use of granite outcrop in the construction.

Image credit: A. Brookes (18.6.2013)
thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat Aug 8, 2013
Image of Sancreed Beacon (Cairn(s)) by formicaant

What appears to be a well similar to that in Chun castle.

Image credit: Mike Rowland 15/06/2007.
formicaant
formicaant Jun 16, 2007
Image of Sancreed Beacon (Cairn(s)) by formicaant

One of what looks like a kerb stone of the former barrow.

Image credit: Mike Rowland 15/06/2007.
formicaant
formicaant Jun 16, 2007
Image of Sancreed Beacon (Cairn(s)) by formicaant

A stone which forms part of the northern mound.

Image credit: Mike Rowland 15/06/2007.
formicaant
formicaant Jun 16, 2007
Image of Sancreed Beacon (Cairn(s)) by formicaant

The cist in situ on the remains of the southern mound.

Image credit: Mike Rowland 15/06/2007.
formicaant
formicaant Jun 16, 2007

Articles

Sancreed Beacon

formicaant
formicaant Jun 16, 2007

This is an ancient settlement site with the remains of two burial mounds at it’s highest point. The more southerly of these has a cist, square in shape still in situ and appears to have kerb stones around it’s edge. The more northerly mound is very sparse, only a few stones remain.
Also at the summit of the hill, next to the mounds is what appears to be a well or spring similar to that found in the interior of Chun Castle.
The information board says that there are field boundaries and hut circles which can be seen in the winter when the foliage has died back.
St Michael’s Mount can be clearly seen from this hilltop site and the small hillfort of Caer Bran is visible on the adjacent southern hill.

Folklore

Sancreed Beacon
Cairn(s)
Rhiannon
Rhiannon Nov 24, 2012

There was formerly a place also called the Giant’s Chair near the Beacon in Sancreed, a cromlech, the covering-stone of which had slipped down, and so formed a sort of wide seat.

From Rambles in Western Cornwall by J O Halliwell (1861).

A fine Cromlech near the Beacon, whose appearance, in consequence of the upper stone having slipped off at its back, entitled it in the opinion of the country people to the name of the “Giant’s chair” has been broken up within the last five years.

in the Royal Cornwall Gazette, 22nd December 1843.

Sites within 20km of Sancreed Beacon

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