Lanyon Quoit

West Cornwall


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.


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