Giant’s Castle

Nearest town:
Newlyn (57km ENE)
OS reference:
SV925100
OS sheet:
203
Latitude:
49° 54' 37.17 N
Longitude:
6° 17' 1.72 W
Added to TMA by

Images

Image of Giant’s Castle (Cliff Fort) by thesweetcheat

Giant’s Castle from the SW, as we paused to allow an aircraft to take off without running us over.

Image credit: A. Brookes (20.6.2014)
thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat Aug 15, 2014
Image of Giant’s Castle (Cliff Fort) by thesweetcheat

Immediately below the NE flank of the cliff fort is this rocky gully, called Tom Butt’s Bed, forming part of the natural defences of the site.

Image credit: A. Brookes (20.6.2014)
thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat Aug 15, 2014
Image of Giant’s Castle (Cliff Fort) by thesweetcheat

Looking across the lines of ramparts towards Porth Hellick.

Image credit: A. Brookes (22.6.2010)
thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat Jul 25, 2010
Image of Giant’s Castle (Cliff Fort) by thesweetcheat

Approaching the fort, the curving lines of defence run across the picture.

Image credit: A. Brookes (22.6.2010)
thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat Jul 25, 2010
Image of Giant’s Castle (Cliff Fort) by pure joy

Ok, so it’s not at all clear exactly what is what, but this long shot taken from the ferry towards Giant’s Castle Cliff castle is the best I could do… – St.Mary’s, Isles of Scilly – N. B. the 4 blobs of light are the lights at the end of St.Mary’s airstrip – 3rd October 2003

Image credit: Martin Bull
pure joy
pure joy Nov 15, 2003

Articles

Giant’s Castle

thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat Sep 5, 2010

It’s an odd sort of a fort, this. There are several (at least four) low lines of “defence” that cut the rocky headland off from Salakee Down. There are quite closely spaced, not much room between each line. And the interior is a small, exposed space, climbing up to a rocky promontory that has been sculpted by the elements into fantastic shapes. It’s hard to believe that this could have been big enough to warrant defending, let alone be possible to live inside. All of which may suggest status rather than practical defensive purpose. Still, I have fun clambering onto the topmost rocks, where a gusty wind does its best to send me back down again.

At the base of the fort, the low mound of another battery can be seen, perhaps evidence that the real need for defence would come a millennium and a half after the Iron Age construct.

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