Chûn Quoit, Penwith, United Kingdom

Chûn Quoit is one of the best preserved of all Neolithic quoits (also called dolmens or cromlechs) in western Cornwall. Like the other quoits, it was probably covered by a round barrow, of which much evidence abounds. It was a closed chamber and its mushroom-domed capstone measures 3.3 m by 3m. There is a cup mark on top of the capstone. It is supported about 2 m from the ground by four substantial slabs. There is evidence of an entrance passage to the south-east within the mound area. The site was examined in 1871 but no significant finds were made.

In the vicinity of Chûn Quoit there are many other megalithic and archaeological sites, such as Lanyon Quoit, Mulfra Quoit, Mên-an-Tol and Mên Scryfa. The rocky outline of Carn Kenidjack marks the position of midwinter sunset away to the south-west.

This is the only dolmen in West Penwith to retain its capstone 'in situ' – others have been re-settled. It is believed to have been built around 2400 BC, two millennia before the neighbouring Chûn Castle.

References:

Wikipedia

User Reviews

John Heckelmann (15 months ago)
Magnificent Dolmen with beautiful view Someone lost their key here.

Gyp Mckarthy (18 months ago)
Lush dolmen, one of the best, and good wild camping at Carne, just down the hill in Morvah Andsum ??️☮️

Geoff Harry (18 months ago)
A great walk from the little car park up through the gorse and heather. The quoit is small but well preserved with great views and huge sky. Lots of choices of tracks to make your own circular route. No information board means you'll need to do your own research but also means it feels genuine and not just another tourist site.

Chun (4 years ago)
An iconic Cornish monument set in beautiful moorland. Remains of the mound that once covered it can still be seen.

Julie Stevens (6 years ago)
Nice walk to the quoit, went during winter, it was a little wet but not too bad. Lovely place for a picnic. Not the largest quoit I've seen but still great to see.

Featured Historic Landmarks, Sites & Buildings

Photo from Flickr, copyright diannlroy.com

Historic Site of the week

Jan Hus Memorial

The Jan Hus Memorial stands at one end of Old Town Square. The huge monument depicts victorious Hussite warriors and Protestants who were forced into exile 200 years after Hus, and a young mother who symbolises national rebirth. The monument was so large that the sculptor designed and built his own villa and studio where the work could be carried out. It was unveiled in 1915 to commemorate the 500th anniversary of Jan Hus' martyrdom. The memorial was designed by Ladislav Šaloun and paid for solely by public donations.

Born in 1369, Hus became an influential religious thinker, philosopher, and reformer in Prague. He was a key predecessor to the Protestant movement of the sixteenth century. In his works he criticized religious moral decay of the Catholic Church. Accordingly, the Czech patriot Hus believed that mass should be given in the vernacular, or local language, rather than in Latin. He was inspired by the teachings of John Wycliffe.

Chûn Quoit

Address

Details

More Information

Rating

Interesting Sites Nearby

User Reviews

Featured Historic Landmarks, Sites & Buildings

Finest Norman castles in Italy

Exploring the History of Northern Poland

Discovering Slovenia's Historic Wonders

Historic Site of the week

Jan Hus Memorial