The Hurlers Stone Circles
Hurlysi · The Hurlers — three circles
Early to Middle Bronze Age·Bodmin Moor Bronze Age·🇬🇧 Cornwall, England, United Kingdom
About
About The Hurlers Stone Circles
Three Bronze Age stone circles in line on Bodmin Moor near Minions, with two paired outlier stones: North Circle 35 m (16 stones), Central Circle 41.5 m (14 stones, slightly oval), South Circle 33 m (9 stones) — total 41 stones of granite up to 1.7 m, aligned NNE-SSW over 130 m. Folklore petrified hurlers for Sabbath breach. Adjacent is Rillaton Barrow (gold cup). Excavated 1935 yielding chiselled granite, interpreted as ceremonial avenue rather than isolated circles.
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Why three circles in strict line — sequential or unitary plan?
Theories
- 01Phased construction marking lineage monuments along processional route; adjacent gold cup burial suggests elite focus
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. 2150–1500 BCE
- Period
- Early to Middle Bronze Age
- Culture
- Bodmin Moor Bronze Age
- Purpose
- Ceremonial stone circles with processional alignment
- Abandoned
- Late Bronze Age
- Rediscovered
- Recorded 1584 (Norden); excavated 1935 (Radford)
- Excavation
- Excavated
c. 2150–1500 BCE
Initial construction
c. 1438 CE
Abandonment
On the ground
Structures & features
50.5188° N · 4.4584° W · 310 m · 3 mapped features
Central Circle
stone circleLargest 41.5 m circle with 14 granite orthostats
50.5183° N · 4.4584° WPaired outlying stones
standing stonesTwo granite pillars SW of Central Circle (The Pipers)
50.5175° N · 4.4590° WNorth Circle
stone circle35 m circle with 16 stones
50.5192° N · 4.4583° W
Gallery