Kenidjack Cairn Circle

Nearest town:
Penzance (12km E)
OS reference:
SW3543732471
OS sheet:
203
Latitude:
50° 7' 57.26 N
Longitude:
5° 42' 9.23 W
Added to TMA by

Images

Image of Kenidjack Cairn Circle by thesweetcheat

Looking towards the chimney crowning Cape Cornwall, with The Brisons beyond.

Image credit: A. Brookes (15.6.2021)
thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat Mar 13, 2022
Image of Kenidjack Cairn Circle by thesweetcheat

The centre of the circle, showing possible buried remains of a cist. Carn Bean with mast (site of a round barrow) and Carn Kenidjack can be seen on the left skyline. The steep Nancherrow valley runs through the centre of the image, with St Just over on the right.

Image credit: A. Brookes (15.6.2021)
thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat Mar 13, 2022
Image of Kenidjack Cairn Circle by thesweetcheat

Handy aerial view from the mine workings next to the circle.

Image credit: A. Brookes (15.6.2021)
thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat Mar 13, 2022
Image of Kenidjack Cairn Circle by thesweetcheat

Some landscape context from the south, for idiots like me who’ve walked right past this. The cairn circle is next to the ruins, prominently located on top of the headland. Kenidjack Castle cliff fort is below to the left.

Image credit: A. Brookes (14.6.2011)
thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat Nov 13, 2019
Image of Kenidjack Cairn Circle by costaexpress

Just off the coastal path and surviving among the ruins of the old tin mines lies this cairn circle, just possible to make out cist in the centre. Found the site on the MP site, not listed on ours previously unless known by another name.

costaexpress
costaexpress Nov 13, 2019

Articles

Kenidjack Cairn Circle

thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat Mar 13, 2022

We first walked this stretch of the coast in June 2001, but we didn’t visit Kenidjack Castle for some reason, and we must have walked right past the cairn circle without even realising it was there.

I intended to put this right a decade later in June 2011, when we did manage a visit to the excellent cliff castle, but I failed to find this in tall undergrowth around the ruined mine buildings. With hindsight I was probably looking in the wrong place.

Seeing Costa’s photos a couple of years ago had me kicking myself. So 20 years after first walking past, and 10 years (less one day) to the previous failed attempt, I’m definitely not missing out this time. We walk from the main road at Botallack, round the coast path past the evocative decaying buildings of Botallack mine. It’s an easy walk to come here, and there are a fair few folks about in the glorious Summer sunshine.

I can’t believe I’ve missed this before. The site is completely clear, surrounded by cropped grass. The granite blocks making up the kerb are big, similar to several of the other kerbed cairns of West Penwith. The kerb appears to be mostly complete, although there’s no sign of any central mound that may once have filled the inside.

Although obscured a bit by the mine building, there is a fine view of Cape Cornwall with The Brisons beyond. Looking back inland, the most prominent feature is Carn Bean (with barrow) and Carn Kenidjack rock outcrop next to it. The ground drops very steeply to the south, down to the steep-sided valley of Nancherrow stream, which has wended its way from the edge of the moors and through Tregeseal.

From here we head down to the cliff fort for a revisit, then come back for a second look. An excellent monument, I can’t quite believe it’s taken me 20 years to come and see it.

Onwards to Cape Cornwall and Ballowall barrow.

Sites within 20km of Kenidjack Cairn Circle

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