Lanyon Quoit


Perhaps the most impressive of all of the ancient sites in this part of Penwith, this is a classic example of a quoit, or dolmen – a table-like structure consisting of several uprights and a capstone, which probably marked an ancient burial site. In the 18th century the monument was tall enough to shelter a man on horseback, but an 1815 storm blew the quoit down and broke one of the four uprights; it was re-erected nine years later.

It's in a field beside the road between Madron and Morvah, but it's easy to miss, so keep your eyes peeled.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby attractions

1. Mên-an-tol

0.88 MILES

This baffling monument is the only one of its kind in Cornwall, consisting of two upright menhirs flanking a hollow, ring-shaped stone. Squeezing through…

2. Madron Holy Well

0.97 MILES

Down a muddy track lined by hawthorn hedges, this natural spring has been revered since ancient times, and its waters are reputed to have magical and…

3. Nine Maidens

1.06 MILES

A small stone circle of nine upright stones. The name derives from maedn (later shortened to mên, as in menhir), meaning stone.

4. Tanglewood Wild Garden

1.36 MILES

This secret garden is the very definition of a labour of love. When the owners bought it in 2001, it was little more than a tangle of brambles and…

5. Chûn Castle

1.73 MILES

Little now remains of this Iron Age hillfort, but in its day, this man-made stronghold would have been one of the best fortified redoubts in Penwith. As…

6. Chûn Quoit

1.91 MILES

A well-preserved dolmen that probably marks the site of a burial tomb, and is likely to be associated with the original settlement that later developed…

7. Trengwainton

2.27 MILES

Two miles north of Penzance near Madron is the walled garden of Trengwainton, which has a subtropical collection of ferns, shrubs, magnolias and…

8. Chysauster

2.65 MILES

Penwith's moors would have been littered with Iron Age settlements 2000 years ago. Most have vanished, but a few remain – and Chysauster is the best…