Nine Stones
Three of the Nine Stones
Three of the Nine Stones
Nine Stones, Altarnun is located in Cornwall
Nine Stones, Altarnun
Shown within Cornwall
LocationBodmin Moor, Cornwall
Coordinates50°34′35″N 4°29′33″W / 50.576299°N 4.492585°W / 50.576299; -4.492585
TypeStone circle
History
PeriodsBronze Age

The Nine Stones (or Altarnun stone circle) is a stone circle 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) south southeast of Altarnun, 11 kilometres (6.8 mi) west of Launceston on Bodmin Moor in Cornwall, UK.[1][2]

Description

The Nine Stones is an English Heritage managed property. It was restored in 1889 when only two stones remained standing. The circle is the smallest on Bodmin Moor, only 49 feet (15 m) in diameter with eight granite stones forming the circle and one in the centre. A flat triangular-shaped stone also lies at the base of one of the stones. The stones are irregularly spaced with the tallest being 4.2 feet (1.3 m). A gap in the north suggests where a stone may have stood.[2] The central stone, a granite post 1.1 metres high, may have been moved from the north part of the circle to be used as a boundary stone for the parish boundary.[3]

Archaeology

There are hut circles 550 metres (1,800 ft) to the northeast and another to the south.[4]

Alignments

Alexander Thom proposed a lunar alignment with a nearby stone row which leads towards some cairns, although this has been considered doubtful as the row is likely of medieval construction.[5]

Literature

References

  1. ↑ William C. Lukis (1885). The prehistoric stone monuments of the British Isles: Cornwall. Printed for Nichols and Sons for the Society of Antiquaries. Retrieved 22 March 2011.
  2. 1 2 Alexander Thom; Archibald Stevenson Thom; Aubrey Burl (1980). Megalithic rings: plans and data for 229 monuments in Britain. British Archaeological Reports. pp. 81–. ISBN 978-0-86054-094-6. Retrieved 22 May 2011.
  3. ↑ Historic England. "Nine Stones Stone Circle (435365)". Research records (formerly PastScape). Retrieved 4 August 2015.
  4. ↑ Aubrey Burl (2005). A guide to the stone circles of Britain, Ireland and Brittany. Yale University Press. pp. 36–. ISBN 978-0-300-11406-5. Retrieved 23 May 2011.
  5. ↑ John Barnatt (1982). Prehistoric Cornwall: the ceremonial monuments. Turnstone Press. ISBN 978-0-85500-129-2. Retrieved 23 May 2011.
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