Lanyon Quoit
Click on a photo to see a larger version. The quoit consists of one large stone supported upon three standing stones. It is likely the remains of a long barrow, or chambered tomb, and would have been covered with turf. It is difficult to draw conclusions about the purpose of the quoit, or even its original appearance; it was the victim of well-meaning attempts at restoration in the early 19th century. At that time the capstone was rotated, and the uprights altered to support it. In the process the quoit was lowered considerably. A commentator writing in the late 18th century claimed that at that time a horse and rider could pass comfortably beneath it! Despite these alterations the quoit is an imposing monument. The capstone alone weighs over 13 tons. The remains of the barrow can be seen, running for 27 feet on a roughly south-north axis. It may originally have been as long as 60 feet in length. A conservative estimate puts the time of the quoit's erection at 2500 BCE.
Another name for the quoit is Giant's Table, or Giant's Tomb. This relates to the local legend that a giant's bones were found in the tomb. The area is rich in standing stones and other prehistoric sites of interest. Men-an-Tol is close by.
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Lanyon Quoit
Madron
Cornwall
England
Location: Off a minor road 2 miles NW of Madron
OS SW430 337
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