Lanyon Quoit
Lanyon Cromlech
Early Neolithic·Penwith Early Neolithic·🇬🇧 Cornwall, England, United Kingdom
About
About Lanyon Quoit
Neolithic portal dolmen on Penwith plateau between Madron and Morvah: three granite uprights 1.5 m high supporting 5.5 m long capstone (12 tonnes) originally 2 m higher before storm collapse 1815 and 1824 re-erection with reduced height. Capstone oriented north-south over 2.4 × 1.6 m chamber once within long mound. Built c.3500 BCE. Nothing surviving of mound after road straightening, leaving dolmen as landscape landmark beside road.
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Original height and mound plan lost to collapse
Theories
- 01Chamber within long cairn similar to Cotswold-Severn but truncated
Theories are interpretations, not findings. The seal above tells you how much scholarly weight the place carries.
History
How it came to be
- Built
- c. 3500 BCE
- Period
- Early Neolithic
- Culture
- Penwith Early Neolithic
- Purpose
- Portal dolmen chambered tomb
- Abandoned
- Late Neolithic
- Rediscovered
- Collapsed 1815; re-erected 1824
- Excavation
- Partially excavated
c. 3500 BCE
Initial construction
c. 1215 CE
Rediscovery
On the ground
Structures & features
50.1475° N · 5.5992° W · 180 m · 1 mapped feature
Capstone
capstone5.5 m long granite capstone 12 tonnes
50.1475° N · 5.5992° W
Gallery