Giant's Quoit
| Giant's Quoit | |
|---|---|
 Giant's Quoit in 2010 | |
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| Alternate name | Carwynnen Quoit |
| Location | Cornwall |
| Coordinates | 50°11′18″N 5°17′38″W / 50.18835°N 5.29378°W |
| Type | Dolmen |
| History | |
| Periods | Neolithic |
The Giant's Quoit (grid reference SW650372) is one of an ancient and rare group of monuments and can be found at Carwynnen in Cornwall. The monument includes a portal dolmen, and is also known as the 'Carwynnen Quoit', 'The Giant's Quoit', 'The Giant's Frying Pan', 'Pendarvis Quoit' and 'Pendarves Quoit'[1] and is situated on a gentle west-facing slope between two small tributaries to the Red River.
The five acre site is currently owned by The Sustainable Trust. It is a megalith belonging to the Neolithic period, possibly 5000 years old, one of the few Cornish portal dolmens to be found outside the Penwith peninsula. The site was first recorded by the Welsh antiquarian Edward Lhuyd around 1700[2] and a symbol of the cromlech appeared on Martyn’s 1748 map of Cornwall.[3] These are early references to ancient sites. The first plan and elevation was by Cornish antiquarian William Borlase in 1769.[4] In 1840 the field was recorded as the Frying Pan Field on the Tithe Apportionment Schedule.[5]
The portal dolmen survives as a collapsed chamber originally formed by a capstone and three upright stones which stood to a height of 1.5m. It collapsed in the 19th century. The chamber was rebuilt by Lady Pendarves, but collapsed again in 1967. The capstone measures approximately 3.3m long by 2.5m wide and 0.3m thick, and weighs approximately 10 tons. Two of the former supports, up to 2.7m long, now rest on top of it with the third lying beneath. Further stones surrounding the portal dolmen are the result of field clearance. It was first described and sketched by Borlase in the 18th century.
In 1891 it was recorded that "curious marks" had been noticed some years previously, "on a stone under a thorn tree, on the site of what seems to be a walled barrow, about 100 yards north of Carwynnen Quoit. The OS found no trace of the supposed walled barrow or interesting stonework in this area in 1971.
Despite having collapsed and some disturbance by cultivation, the Giant's Quoit at Carwynnen is still one of a rare group of monuments. In September 2012 an archaeological dig took place after a preliminary investigation in July 2012. During the winter of 2012, the findings from the dig are getting collated, and it is hoped in 2013, from the results of the dig, the Quoit will be re-erected for future generations to study, explore and enjoy.
Troon Primary School in September 2012 was the first School to be involved in a pilot archaeological week based on an education pack drawn up in 2009. During this time there was also an Open Day for the community at large to learn about the monument and archeology. Findings from the dig were on display for all to see and the event was televised. A website called the Giant's Quoit is currently under construction and will showcase the finds, explain archaeological evidence and present the restoration process.