Porth Hellick Downs

Nearest town:
Newlyn (56km ENE)
OS reference:
SV929107
OS sheet:
203
Latitude:
49° 55' 0.51 N
Longitude:
6° 16' 43.72 W
Added to TMA by

Images

Image of Porth Hellick Downs (Cairn(s)) by postman

The view from on top of C is really something, beautiful coastline and more chambered cairns than you can count.

Image credit: Chris Bickerton
postman
postman Aug 2, 2015
Image of Porth Hellick Downs (Cairn(s)) by postman

Chambered Cairn E.
Not sure what them white things in the sky are, an optical illusion maybe, never saw them again on Scilly, No stop it i’m being erm silly.

Image credit: Chris Bickerton
postman
postman Aug 2, 2015
Image of Porth Hellick Downs (Cairn(s)) by postman

Looking over the capstone of cairn G north along the enticing coastline.

Image credit: Chris Bickerton
postman
postman Aug 2, 2015
Image of Porth Hellick Downs (Cairn(s)) by postman

Cairn G, as in Gee whiz I like it here.

Image credit: Chris Bickerton
postman
postman Aug 2, 2015
Image of Porth Hellick Downs (Cairn(s)) by thesweetcheat

Capstones on top of ‘E’. It might be ‘D’ in the background? (I didn’t go and look at that one).

Image credit: A. Brookes (22.6.2010)
thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat Jul 25, 2010
Image of Porth Hellick Downs (Cairn(s)) by thesweetcheat

The impressive Porth Hellick Downs ‘E’. There is another tomb behind to the right (looking SW – might be ‘F’?).

Image credit: A. Brookes (22.6.2010)
thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat Jul 25, 2010
Image of Porth Hellick Downs (Cairn(s)) by thesweetcheat

Slipped capstone slabs on top of Porth Hellick Downs ‘C’.

Image credit: A. Brookes (22.6.2010)
thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat Jul 25, 2010
Image of Porth Hellick Downs (Cairn(s)) by Moth

The fifth ‘grave’ we spotted on Porth Hellick Down

Image credit: Tim Clark
Moth
Moth Apr 13, 2004
Image of Porth Hellick Downs (Cairn(s)) by Moth

The mound of the fourth grave we found – this one’s right by the main path

Image credit: Tim Clark
Moth
Moth Apr 13, 2004
Image of Porth Hellick Downs (Cairn(s)) by Moth

Approaching the third grave we found

Image credit: Tim Clark
Moth
Moth Apr 13, 2004
Image of Porth Hellick Downs (Cairn(s)) by Moth

Second grave we found looking back from sea – capstone is in centre of shot – huge (what appear to be) kerbstones!

Image credit: Tim Clark
Moth
Moth Apr 13, 2004
Image of Porth Hellick Downs (Cairn(s)) by Moth

First Porth Hellick grave we found in foreground, second towards sea

Image credit: Tim Clark
Moth
Moth Apr 13, 2004
Image of Porth Hellick Downs (Cairn(s)) by Jane

On the horizon just right of the tree is The Great Tomb. You can also just make out the bumps of other cairns.

This shot taken from Salakee Downs.

Image credit: Jane Tomlinson
Jane
Jane Mar 18, 2004

Articles

Porth Hellick Downs

thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat Sep 5, 2010

The “Great Tomb” is a huge, reconstructed circular passage grave, which includes an unusual blocking-slab separating the roofless passage from the central chamber itself. From here many of the other chambered tombs on the Down can be seen, as can the Deep Point tombs on the headland to the north.

All these tombs are thought to be part of a Bronze Age continuation of a chambered tomb style that begun during the Neolithic, on the mainland in West Penwith. Whether they actually pre- or post-date similar mainland tombs, the Scillonian ones are preserved in much greater numbers, usually in concentrations like this (or at least pairs). All in all, this makes for a hugely rewarding place for the stonehead to visit, particularly when coupled with such lovely surroundings. We confine ourselves to a few of the more obvious tombs (’B’, ‘C’, ‘E’ and ‘G’ are all well worth a look) before we head off the Down.

Porth Hellick Downs

Jane
Jane Mar 14, 2004

Walk south just beyond the ‘show’ site, the much-restored Great Tomb on Porth Hellick Down, and you stumble across more lovely chambered cairns in various states of disrepair and size. Moth and me found another four without even trying, though it helped that the gorse and heather was not high. The cairns up here are clear to see along the ridge of the Downs from the vantage point of Salakee Downs, a few 100 metres to the west.

Sites within 20km of Porth Hellick Downs

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