In the
Bronze Age (2,400 - 6,000 BC) many of the regions ceremonial and burial
monuments were constructed. These mainly took the form of stone circles, rows
and standing stones or menhirs, and the barrows. Again concentrated on and
around the moors of Penwith and Bodmin these structures include The Merry
Maidens of Boleigh, The Hurlers and Obadiah's Barrow on Gugh, Isles of Scilly
The Merry Maidens of Boleigh
This late Stone/early
Bronze Age (2500-1500BC) stone circle is renowned for both its beauty and the
stories connected to it. It lies in a gently sloping field between Lamorna and St Buryan, a stone’s
throw from Tregiffian barrow and a number of
other ancient sites, and its remarkable qualities were first recorded in the
C17th.
The regularity of spacing between stones and its truly
circular form make the Boleigh Merry Maidens unusual in Cornwall, however
restorations in the C19th (on the orders of the land owner Lord Falmouth who
wanted to avoid the fate which had befallen other nearby circles and stones,
namely field clearance and their use in construction) led to some stones being
put back slightly skewed. There are 19 stones in all, with a gap in the eastern
section which is common to almost all British stone circles. In addition to the
regular spacing, the stones were also obviously carefully chosen and positioned
as they gradually diminish in size from the southwest to the northeast; this
waxing and waning in size believed to mirror the cycle of the moon. Measuring
up to a maximum of 1.4m, the stones are dressed so as to be level on the top
and have their flattest side facing the interior of the circle, which in turn
has a diameter of around 78'.
The name is part of the
charm of this circle. It is quite likely that its origins lie in the Cornish 'Dans
Meyn', meaning dancing stone, which was the title given to all recorded
Cornish stone circles pre 1900, and has thus led to many being associated with
dancing rituals. However, it is also likely that 'Dans Meyn' is a
corruption of 'Zans Meyn', meaning simply sacred stone. In any case,
come Victorian times the story evolved that the Merry Maidens were local girls
who broke the rules on the Sabbath and were turned to stone for dancing, the
equally sinful musicians, now the large pillars known as the Pipers, being petrified in nearby fields. Such
moralistic folk stories are commonly attached to stone circles (the Nine Maidens, the Dancing
Stones at Tregeseal…) and it is thought that they may represent Christian methods of
trying to eliminate Pagan activity at these ancient ceremony sites.
The Hurlers
Here in Minions, high on Bodmin Moors, there is not one but
three stone circles - the Hurlers. Although not perfectly aligned, they all contain
similar stones with a smooth inner face and dressed so as to be graded to fit
the landscape and appear to be the same height. The central circle is slightly
elliptical, the largest of the three and believed to be the first constructed. Only
14 of its stones remain upright, though all three circles are thought to have
originally boasted over 20 components. It was once joined to the northern
circle by a granite pathway, this smaller circle retaining 15 stones and being
the most complete today. The third and smallest circle to the south is the most
damaged with only 9 stones remaining in situ. Some of the stones are straight
rectangular pillars, whereas others have a more bulbous diamond shape, leading
some to believe that they represent male and female respectively. The name The Hurlers derives from morally-loaded folk tale of people petrified for failing to observe the Lord’s Day, in this case local men playing the Celtic sport of hurling. The Merry Maidens and Nine Maidens are other Cornish megalithic sites with similar warnings attached. Furthermore, just to the west of the three circles, two large menhirs stand like gateposts and are known as The Pipers - yet more rebellious locals. However, it is likely that this Bronze Age site was of much more significance, being used for ritual and ceremony, in other words activities deemed Pagan and unacceptable to early Christians hence the cautionary tale.
The location of the
Hurlers is of relevance as they lie near the convergence of two rivers,
conveniently placing them where travellers and traders would have met. Such a
location is not uncommon for stone circles. The surrounding countryside is
also peppered with other ancient ceremonial remains in the shape of cists,
barrows and standing stones.
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