Images
Looking through the inner doorway to the outer. The interior is filled with bluebells and must have looked spectacular a few weeks ago.
The doorway between the beehive chamber and the rectangular chamber. The corbelling can be seen above the doorway, as can the little alcove to the right.
The original outer doorway into the beehive chamber.
The beehive hut.
How did these two get here? Must have been brought all the way from the coast near Land’s End....not an easy job!
Gatepost at the NW courtyard houses.
Looking into the NW courtyard house. There are remains of a cobbled path very like those found at nearby Chysauster. The inner entrance with the fallen post (see previous image) can be seen beyond.
Entrance to the NW courtyard house. One of the posts has fallen and now lies half-buried.
NW courtyard houses.
NW courtyard houses. Looking southeast, with the Beehive Hut just visible, built into field walls on the far left. The Beacon is the hill beyond.
The best preserved of the courtyard houses are at the NW of the settlement. Although rather overgrown, the walls survive to a good height. Looking northeast.
Another view of the earlier hut circle, looking NW towards the Beehive Hut and courtyard settlement. Slopes of Hannibal’s Carn on the left.
Simple hut circle at approx SW438359, looking ENE.
Looking into the round chamber.
Beautiful veined orange granite block in the wall of the Beehive Hut.
Reverse of the previous image, looking from the round chamber into the rectangular one.
Looking through the original low entrance into the round chamber, from the rectangular chamber.
The “modern” entrance into the round chamber.
The Beehive Hut from the southern courtyard house field.
Surviving stonework of the southern courtyard house.
Inside the southern courtyard. The drystone courses in the centre of the site are the remains of a medieval shelter.
Fine courtyard house in the field immediately south of the Beehive Hut. A medieval structure (beyond the upright gate/door post) has been built inside the Iron Age remains.
Another shot of the low remains of the eastern part of the settlement, looking NW to the sea.
Two fields ENE of the beehive hut are low, overgrown remains of part of the settlement at approx SW437363.
Hut circle, Bosprennis.
Another shot from within the Bosporthennis settlement.
In the Borthporthennis settlement, east of the beehive hut.
A wee straw offering in the small portal within the hut.
The angle of our approach possibly made this place easier to find...
The beehive part of the structure from the north
The original entrance into the ‘beehive’ (left of centre), looking into the original passage (where the ‘new’ SW entrance is). The so-called ‘cupboard’ recess (right of centre) is a modern addition
‘New’ SW entrance to passage
Ocifant approaches the structure from the SW where it is built into fieldwalls
More ruins at Bosporthennis
Remains of an old settlement?
Beehive Hut from the south-west
Beehive Hut from (pretty much) the north
Articles
Visited in June 2002 on the way down from Carn Galva in the direction of Gurnard’s Head. The settlement consists of both courtyard houses and also scattered hut circles. We weren’t looking for this site, but came across two of the hut circles as we crossed the fields.
What a reet bugger to find! With two maps, a diagram AND ocifant’s GPS, we still spent over 40 minutes scouring about eight fields before we spotted it. But it was worth the hunt to see its ancient construction. There was other evidence of quite a large settlement here.
I’m confident that the remains I photographed in November aren’t those of the Bodrifty settlement, as I’m familiar with that site. The pictures I took are all of remains which lie within about 200 yards or so of the Beehive Hut – the Bodrifty village is the better part of a mile to the south-east.
What you found is the Bodrifty settlement and also the reconstruction of the “Beehive Hut” at Bodrifty Farm. You can find my posts on the sites attached to the Wheal Buller Menhir site.
Whilst looking for the remains of Bosporthennis Quoit (in completely the wrong place, it turned out!), I came across the Beehive Hut, and some scattered remains which I took to be remnants of the courtyard houses which are distributed around the area, although I wouldn’t want to put money on this. It was a bright late November day, after several days of heavy rainfall, and I was running out of time, so a few digital pictures were just about all I could manage. Any light that can be cast on the pictures I took is most welcome; hopefully I’ll be able to add some more meaningful ones in the near future.
...in half an hour we were hopelessly lost in an impenetrable jungle. Vainly we scanned the hillside for those beehive huts.
In the end I rebelled, and declaimed, with some warmth that, if we wished to see eight prehistoric things before nightfall we must be humble and seek a guide.
At a farmhouse half a mile away on the hill we explained our needs to the farmer. Turning to his wife, whose face was sunburnt the colour of a nut, he said ‘You take them to the huts‘
As we tramped over the moor I solicited her opinion of Cornish antiquities.
‘Bless you, my dear’ she said ‘people talk a lot about em, but they aint nothing at all, just old stones and things‘
from C Lewis Hind ‘Days in Cornwall’ 1907
In addition to the late Iron Age courtyard house settlement scattered around the Beehive Hut, there is a single, earlier hut circle of simple circular plan lying to the SE at approx SW438359 within a field system.
Craig Weatherhill believes that this is actually an aboveground fogou. In “Cornovia: Ancient Sites of Cornwall & Scilly” (Cornwall Books – 1985, revised 1997 & 2000) he writes of “a scattered settlement of at least three Iron Age/Romano-British courtyard houses and several round houses in a sheltered spot at the eastern base of Hannibal’s carn. In a central position within the settlement is the intriguing ‘beehive hut’, now regarded as an aboveground fogou from its strong resemblance to the Phase 1 structure at Carn Euny. It had a round, corbelled chamber 4.0m across (the lintelled entrance from the south-west is modern), connect by way of a low, heavily built portal to a small, oblong chamber 3.3m by 2.1m, which was its original entrance passage (the wall blocking the south-east end is also modern). Both chambers are now roofless. The best preserved of the courtyard houses, with an adjoining paddock and walls up to 1.5m high, lies 180m to the west of the fogou; another, 60m south of the fogou, has a medieval cowshouse built inside its courtyard.”
The info on this webpage comes from
“Two days in Cornwall with the Cambrian Archæological Association – 1862”
there are five diagrams of the beehive hut and some nearby sites.......
Fallen Cromlech, Bosphrennis
Plan of Hut, Bosullow
Plan of Chûn Castle
Chûn Cromlech
Mên-an-tol, Madron
Plan of St. Madron’s Well
This webpage is the work of Rick Parsons.
Topics
Sites within 20km of Bosporthennis 'Beehive Hut'
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Little Galva
photo 4 description 1 -
Bosporthennis Quoit
photo 17 forum 2 description 3 link 1 -
Hannibal’s Carn
photo 3 description 1 -
Boskednan Cairn
photo 31 description 4 -
The Beacon (Zennor)
photo 4 description 1 -
Nine Maidens of Boskednan
photo 119 forum 4 description 19 -
Porthmeor (Treen Common)
photo 17 description 2 -
The Four Parish Stone
photo 7 description 3 -
Bodrifty Barrows
photo 9 description 2 -
Bodrifty Iron Age Settlement
photo 22 description 2 link 1 -
Boskednan Southern Cairn
photo 15 description 2 -
Treen Entrance Graves
photo 26 forum 1 description 6 -
Venton Bebibell
photo 4 description 1 -
Carn Galva
photo 23 description 6 -
Porthmeor Fogou
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Porthmeor Roundhouses
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Men Scryfa
photo 48 description 13 link 1 -
Bodrifty Reconstruction
photo 2 forum 1 description 1 link 1 -
Porthmeor
photo 14 description 6 -
Mulfra Hill round barrows
photo 19 description 2 -
Men-An-Tol
photo 99 forum 3 description 44 link 3 -
Mulfra Quoit
photo 78 forum 1 description 16 -
Watch Croft
photo 35 forum 1 description 5 -
Watch Croft
photo 28 description 2 -
Mulfra Hill
photo 3 description 1 -
Burnt Downs Holed Stone
photo 2 description 1 -
Ding Dong lane
photo 9 description 1 -
Bosigran Settlement
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Lanyon
photo 6 description 1 -
Bosiliack Barrow
photo 38 description 5 -
Pennance
photo 15 description 3 -
Mulfra courtyard houses
photo 13 description 1 link 1 -
Kerrow
photo 2 description 1 -
Carfury
photo 15 description 5 -
Bosigran Cliff
photo 30 description 2 -
Lanyon Quoit
photo 114 forum 1 description 18 link 1 -
Kerrowe Menhir
photo 4 description 2 -
Trevean North
photo 5 -
Try
photo 8 description 3 link 1 -
Trevean Round
photo 7 description 1 -
Gurnard’s Head
photo 40 description 6 -
West Lanyon Quoit
photo 7 description 5 -
Trye
photo 1 description 1 -
Kerrow Bosullow
photo 2 description 1 -
Trevowhan
description 2 -
Crankan courtyard settlement
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Conquer Downs
photo 10 description 2 -
Bosullow Trehyllys Courtyard House Settlement
photo 16 description 4 -
Madron Holy Well
photo 18 description 13 -
Giant’s Rock
photo 8 description 3 -
The Giant’s Grave (Morvah)
photo 1 description 1 -
Crofto
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Chysauster Village
photo 81 description 6 link 1 -
Foage
photo 5 -
Zennor Quoit
photo 92 forum 3 description 14 -
Chûn
photo 2 -
Chun Castle
photo 47 description 4 -
Trewern Round
photo 7 description 2 link 2 -
Chûn Quoit
photo 97 forum 2 description 16 link 1 -
Trewern
photo 8 description 2 -
Sperris Quoit
photo 24 description 3 -
Sperris Croft
photo 12 description 3 -
Higher Downs
photo 2 -
Chypraze
photo 14 forum 1 description 1 -
Wicca Round
photo 1 description 1 -
Tonkins Downs
photo 9 -
Higher Bodinnar Fogou
description 3 -
Tremayne
photo 6 description 3 -
Noon Digery banjo enclosure
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Boswens Croft
photo 35 description 2 -
Castle-an-Dinas (Nancledra)
photo 26 description 3 -
Trendrine Hill
photo 18 description 3 -
Rosemorran
photo 3 description 2 -
Bosvenning Common
photo 10 description 1 -
Rosemorran Fogou
description 1 -
Portheras Common Barrow
photo 30 description 3 -
Chy-Gwidden Round
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Towednack Double Armed Cross
photo 2 description 2 -
Wheal Buller Menhir
photo 10 description 3 -
Boslow Stone
photo 17 description 2 -
Pendeen Vau
photo 26 forum 1 description 9 -
Carn Kenidjack
photo 14 description 4 link 2 -
Lesingey Round
photo 12 description 1 -
Botrea Barrows
photo 18 description 1 -
Tregeseal Holed Stones
photo 56 description 2 -
Truthwall Common
photo 42 description 2 -
Carn Bean barrow
photo 4 description 2 -
Lower Boscaswell Fogou
photo 15 description 4 -
Tregeseal
photo 104 forum 3 description 19 link 2 -
Lescudjack Castle
photo 10 forum 1 description 4 -
Higher Botallack
photo 3 description 2 -
Hailglower Farm
photo 1 description 1 -
Rosewall Hill
photo 6 description 3 -
Trink Hill
photo 5 description 4 -
Sancreed Beacon
photo 30 description 2 -
Tregeseal Entrance Grave
photo 11 description 1 -
Sancreed Holy Well
photo 18 description 13 -
Boswarthen Holed Stone
photo 3 description 1 -
Botallack
photo 1 forum 1 description 1 -
Caer Bran
photo 24 forum 1 description 3 -
Drift Stones
photo 36 description 10 link 1 -
Ennis Farm
description 1 -
Trencrom Hill Well
photo 3 description 1 -
Bartinne Castle Enclosure
photo 11 description 4 -
Faugan Round
photo 8 forum 1 description 1 link 1 -
The Blind Fiddler
photo 55 description 9 -
Carn Euny Fogou & Village
photo 118 forum 2 description 21 link 3 -
The Selus Stone
photo 5 description 1 -
St Euny’s Well
photo 22 description 5 -
Bosworlas Lehau
description 2 -
Trencrom Hill
photo 43 description 13 link 1 -
Tresvennack Pillar
photo 12 description 1 -
Goldherring
photo 9 description 1 -
Giant’s Well
photo 1 description 1 -
Boscawen-Un hedge
photo 11 description 6 -
Brane
photo 30 description 9 -
Numphra
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The Bowl Rock
photo 4 description 4 -
Chyenhal
photo 11 description 2 -
Kerris
photo 13 description 3 -
Boscawen Menhir
photo 13 description 2 -
Tom Thumb Rock
photo 3 description 2 link 1 -
Creeg Tol
photo 7 description 5 -
Brane Long Barrow
photo 7 description 3 -
Sheffield Menhir
photo 5 description 1 -
Tredinney Barrow
photo 19 description 1 -
Beersheba
photo 14 description 5 -
Kenidjack Castle
photo 29 description 4 -
Boscawen-Un (footpath)
photo 3 description 2 -
Boscawen-Ûn
photo 139 forum 6 description 33 link 4 -
Kenidjack Cairn Circle
photo 11 description 1 -
Changwens Menhir
photo 3 description 1 -
Trelew Menhir
photo 16 description 3 -
Little Brea
photo 2 -
Paul Celtic Cross
photo 2 description 1 -
Toldavas
photo 7 description 2 link 1 -
Chapel Carn Brea North
photo 13 -
Carn Gluze
photo 73 forum 2 description 9 -
Chapel Carn Brea
photo 57 description 8 link 1 -
Redhouse
photo 5 description 2 -
Chapel Carn Brea long cairn
photo 13 description 2 -
Carbis Bay Longstone
photo 5 description 4 -
Cape Cornwall
photo 14 description 2 -
Pridden
photo 2 description 2 -
St. Michael’s Mount
photo 17 forum 1 description 10 -
Letcha
photo 9 -
Trevelloe Carn
photo 1 description 2 link 1 -
Boscregan
photo 28 description 2 -
The Fairy Well
photo 6 description 3 -
Trevorgans Menhir
photo 17 forum 1 description 3 -
Nanjulian
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Tregiffian Vean
photo 14 forum 1 description 3 -
Merlin’s Rock and the Mousehole
description 1 -
Castallack
photo 7 description 2 -
Castallack Round
photo 5 description 3 -
Castallack Carn
photo 6 description 2 -
Castallack 2
photo 6 description 2 -
Boleigh Fogou
photo 48 forum 4 description 16 link 2 -
Swingate
photo 9 description 3 -
The Pipers (Boleigh)
photo 83 description 9 -
The Merry Maidens
photo 125 forum 2 description 30 link 1 -
Kemyel
photo 5 description 3 -
Escalls Cliff
photo 11 description 2 -
Tregiffian
photo 61 description 14 -
Gun Rith Menhir
photo 34 forum 2 description 10 -
Kemyel 2
photo 3 description 1 -
Choone
photo 6 description 4 -
Alsia Holy Well
photo 7 description 5 -
Carnsew
photo 9 -
St Erth Round
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Treveneague Fogou
forum 1 description 2 -
Boscawen-Ros
photo 24 description 4 -
Trevear
description 1 -
Treverven
photo 25 description 3 -
Table Mên
photo 1 description 2 -
Mayon Standing Stone
photo 3 description 1 -
Sennen
photo 2 description 3 -
Mayon Cliff
photo 28 description 4 -
Phillack Towans
photo 4 description 1 -
Maen Castle
photo 42 description 3 link 1 -
Cudden Point
photo 1 description 1 -
Treryn Dinas
photo 49 forum 1 description 15 link 1 -
Castle Kayle
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Pordenack Point
photo 18 description 2 -
St. Levan’s Stone
photo 9 description 5 -
St. Levan’s Well
photo 7 description 1 -
Carn Les Boel
photo 25 description 3 link 1 -
Roskestal West Cliff
description 1 -
Godrevy Barrow
photo 17 forum 1 description 3 -
Godolphin Hill
photo 6 description 1 link 1 -
Connor Downs
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Castle Pencaire
photo 25 forum 1 description 3 -
Tregonning Hill
photo 11 -
Gear Round
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Hudder Down
photo 10 description 1 -
Trewavas Cliff
photo 14 description 3 -
Camel Rock
photo 5 description 1 -
The Hood
photo 1 description 2 -
Drym Round