Maen Castle

Nearest town:
Newlyn (12km ENE)
OS reference:
SW348257
OS sheet:
203
Latitude:
50° 4' 17.41 N
Longitude:
5° 42' 24.33 W
Added to TMA by

Images

Image of Maen Castle (Cliff Fort) by GLADMAN

Looking southwest(ish) towards some place called Land’s End? Apparently.

Image credit: Robert Gladstone
GLADMAN
GLADMAN Jul 30, 2024
Image of Maen Castle (Cliff Fort) by GLADMAN

The pulverised wreck of the MV RMS Mulheim lies, unseen, below in Castle Zawn. Careful of that edge, now.

Image credit: Robert Gladstone
GLADMAN
GLADMAN Jul 30, 2024
Image of Maen Castle (Cliff Fort) by GLADMAN

Pretty impressive defences, it has to be said.

Image credit: Robert Gladstone
GLADMAN
GLADMAN Jul 30, 2024
Image of Maen Castle (Cliff Fort) by GLADMAN

The well-preserved entrance looking inwards.

Image credit: Robert Gladstone
GLADMAN
GLADMAN Jul 30, 2024
Image of Maen Castle (Cliff Fort) by GLADMAN

The powerful cross-bank with rock-cut ditch and counterscarp.

Image credit: Robert Gladstone
GLADMAN
GLADMAN Jul 30, 2024
Image of Maen Castle (Cliff Fort) by thesweetcheat

Contemporary field system to the southwest of the fort, built right up to the cliff edge.

Image credit: A. Brookes (17.6.2022)
thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat May 30, 2023
Image of Maen Castle (Cliff Fort) by thesweetcheat

Looking southwest towards Dr Syntax’s Head (Land’s End).

Image credit: A. Brookes (17.6.2022)
thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat May 30, 2023
Image of Maen Castle (Cliff Fort) by thesweetcheat

Looking over the sheer north flank to Castle Zawn (and wreck) far below.

Image credit: A. Brookes (17.6.2022)
thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat May 30, 2023
Image of Maen Castle (Cliff Fort) by thesweetcheat

Approaching through the mist from the north. Double ramparts on the left. The tip of Land’s End can be seen behind.

Image credit: A. Brookes (17.6.2022)
thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat May 30, 2023
Image of Maen Castle (Cliff Fort) by juamei

Open Source Environment agency LIDAR

Image credit: © Environment Agency copyright and/or database right 2015.
juamei
juamei Jan 24, 2016
Image of Maen Castle (Cliff Fort) by thesweetcheat

The curving double rampart, seen from the north. The silhouetted walker provides scale.

Image credit: A. Brookes (18.6.2013)
thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat Aug 5, 2013
Image of Maen Castle (Cliff Fort) by thesweetcheat

Looking back up the fort’s interior, from the seaward end. Note row of apparently placed boulders, far right.

Image credit: A. Brookes (18.6.2013)
thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat Aug 5, 2013
Image of Maen Castle (Cliff Fort) by thesweetcheat

Further impregnable approaches. Looking towards Land’s End and Longships.

Image credit: A. Brookes (18.6.2013)
thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat Aug 5, 2013
Image of Maen Castle (Cliff Fort) by thesweetcheat

Sea and sheer cliffs provide the defence needed from the west.

Image credit: A. Brookes (18.6.2013)
thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat Aug 5, 2013
Image of Maen Castle (Cliff Fort) by thesweetcheat

The interior of the fort contains a number of rocky outcrops.

Image credit: A. Brookes (18.6.2013)
thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat Aug 5, 2013
Image of Maen Castle (Cliff Fort) by thesweetcheat

Still-impressive stonework flanks the entrance to the fort.

Image credit: A. Brookes (18.6.2013)
thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat Aug 5, 2013
Image of Maen Castle (Cliff Fort) by formicaant

This feature is just to the south of the fort and appears to be a boundary.

Image credit: Mike Rowland 15/06/2007.
formicaant
formicaant Jun 16, 2007
Image of Maen Castle (Cliff Fort) by formicaant

The footpath next to the large rocks mark the ditch at the narrowest part of the promontory.

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

Articles

Maen Castle

formicaant
formicaant Jun 16, 2007

This must be the most westerly fortification in mainland Britain, lands end is only about a quarter of a mile away to the south. There is a definite entrance to the fort in stone. There is the vestige of a stone wall, I suspect it’s been robbed for other purposes.
The approaches to the fort appear to have been cleared of large boulders and the ditch can still be plainly seen. This is the oldest clif fort in Cornwall, dating from about 500 b.c.e. it has been excavated and nearby field systems are reckoned to be associated with the fort.

Maen Castle

stubob
stubob Aug 22, 2002

Iron Age hillfort next to the coastal path, entrance and some walls and ditches remain. Great views toward Lands End.

Folklore

Maen Castle
Cliff Fort
stubob
stubob Aug 22, 2002

The giant Myen Du was said to live at Maen Castle near Land’s End, and the fairy folk called Coopers banged stones together to warn the inhabitants of St. Ives that rich shoals of fish were approaching.

Sites within 20km of Maen Castle

Like all websites everywhere, we use cookies.