October 27 - Pictures From Cornwall (Part 2)

There are many reminders of the past in England and we came across several of these ancient sites in our travels around the Cornwall peninsula.  Some of these sites pose more questions about the past than they do provide answers.

There are three pictures with this post. The first shows me standing beside a partial stone structure from an ancient village near Chysauster.  We were amazed at the size of the stone boulders that had been put together in the construction of the buildings. The second picture is a broader view of the stone remnants and some of the surrounding countryside. How did the people of two thousand years ago move these stones into place?  Why did the ancient Celts choose this particular isolated hill as the site for the village?  What was the significance of the circular design of both the village and its houses?  Why after two or three hundred years did the inhabitants abandon their village, and where did they go when they left?

Sue with partial stone structure

Sue at ancient village near Chysauter

The third picture is of the Merry Maidens. The picture shows the circular area of nineteen large stones. (It is possible there were originally twenty stones as there is one large gap in the ring.)  Legend has it that an angry god changed the maidens into stone because they were dancing on the Sabbath.  Of course, the question remains, is there any truth behind the legend.  There is no written documentation to answer the question – only speculation. 

Sue with Merry Maidens