Godolphin Hill

Nearest town:
Helston (7km E)
OS reference:
SW592312
OS sheet:
203
Latitude:
50° 7' 52.57 N
Longitude:
5° 22' 11.41 W
Added to TMA by

Images

Image of Godolphin Hill (Enclosure) by thesweetcheat

Sorry Rhiannon, I couldn’t find the Giant’s Chair on the southwest side of the hill. This was the only vaguely chair-like outcrop I found, but it was on the northwest slopes so not even in the right place.

Image credit: A. Brookes (24.6.2021)
thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat May 8, 2022
Image of Godolphin Hill (Enclosure) by thesweetcheat

The National Trust Heritage records suggest that this may be a small tor cairn, built around a natural outcrop.

Image credit: A. Brookes (24.6.2021)
thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat May 8, 2022
Image of Godolphin Hill (Enclosure) by thesweetcheat

A further possible hut circle on the summit next to the previous one.

Image credit: A. Brookes (24.6.2021)
thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat May 8, 2022
Image of Godolphin Hill (Enclosure) by thesweetcheat

A further possible circular feature conjoined to the hut circle or ring cairn in the first picture. This might suggest an arrangement like that on the top of Bartinne.

Image credit: A. Brookes (24.6.2021)
thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat May 8, 2022

Articles

Folklore

Godolphin Hill
Enclosure
Rhiannon
Rhiannon Nov 24, 2012

Giant’s Chair, Godolphin Hill.
On the S.W. slope of this hill is a very fine mass of rock, which has naturally assumed the shape of a chair. The back gradually slants off into an angle and surmounts the seat, which is much smoothed by attrition from the frequent use to which it has been put for sitting purposes by the neighbouring inhabitants. The seat is large enough to hold three persons, comfortably, and therefore we may reasonably suppose that the giant from whom it takes its name was three times as large as an ordinary human being. And he must have been at least as large as this, if, as the legend tells, he were able to hurl huge blocks of granite as far as Prospidnick, (where they formed the staple of the adjoining granite quarries,) a distance of close upon four miles, as the crow flies. He chose this rock as his chair to repose his wearied limbs after his exertions. The chair faces the hill so that there was no prospect to distract the giant’s attention from sleep.

From Cornish Chairs by the Rev. S. Rundle, in v14 of the Journal of the Royal Institution of Cornwall (1900).
I can’t see this marked on maps. But maybe it’s noticeable if it’s still there? The Bronze/Iron age people that lived here must have known it at least.

Sites within 20km of Godolphin Hill

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