Hingston Down

Hingston Down is a hill not far from Gunnislake in Cornwall in the United Kingdom.

Contents

History

This is possibly the Hingston Down mentioned in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle which says that in 835 (corrected by scholars to 838) Egbert king of the West Saxons defeated an army of Vikings and Cornish at Hengestdun = "Stallion Hill". A more likely site for this battle is now thought to be at Hingston Down near Moretonhampstead in Devon as mentioned in Cornish World Magazine in Oct 2007.[1] This is thought to be the more probable location as it was nearly a full century later in 936 when King Athelstan fixed the east bank of the River Tamar as the boundary between Anglo-Saxon Wessex and Celtic Cornwall.[2] Up until 927 the two peoples had lived together in Devon and Exeter "aequo jure" = "by equal law".[3][4]

Geology

There is a quarry there,[5] and the Hingston Downs Consols mine is the type locality for the mineral Arthurite,[6] which was discovered here.[7] The quarry forms the Hingston Down Quarry & Consols SSSI (Site of Special Scientific Interest), noted for its mineralisation.[8]

See also

References

  1. ^ Cornish World Magazine - Oct 2007 - Craig Weatherhill
  2. ^ Philip Payton. (1996). Cornwall. Fowey: Alexander Associates
  3. ^ William of Malmesbury - Gesta regum Anglorum about 1120
  4. ^ Professor Philip Payton 2004 - Cornwall: a History
  5. ^ Hingston Down Quarry, Gunnislake Area, Callington District, Cornwall, England, UK
  6. ^ Hingston Down Consols, Gunnislake Area, Callington District, Cornwall, England, UK
  7. ^ Embrey, P. G.; Symes, R. F.. "The mines and mining". Minerals of Cornwall and Devon. London: British Museum (Natural History). p. 58. ISBN 0565009893. 
  8. ^ "Hingston Down Quarry & Consols". Natural England. 1995. http://www.sssi.naturalengland.org.uk/citation/citation_photo/2000098.pdf. Retrieved 1 November 2011.