Chûn Castle
Encyclopedia
Chûn Castle is a large Iron Age
hillfort near Penzance
in Cornwall
, United Kingdom
. The fort was built around two and a half thousand years ago, and fell into disuse until the 6th century AD when it was possibly reoccupied to protect the nearby tin
mine
s. It stands beside a prehistoric trackway that used to be known as the Old St. Ives Road.
and Madron
.
The fort was excavated in 1895, 1925, 1927 and 1930. Much pottery was uncovered, the earliest dating to the 4th century BC due to its similarity to known Breton pottery of that age. However, it is quite possible that the fort was built upon a much older structure. Chûn Quoit
, twenty metres neighbouring, is dated to around 2400BC.
The purpose of the fort is speculated to be for protection of tin and copper gathered in the tin-rich locality of what is now Pendeen
, with its famous Geevor Tin Mine
, and surrounding villages. Iron and tin slags were found within the castle, near the well. However, the castle is located at the top of a moor and so easily spotted, which would not be a wise place to put a hoard of precious metal. It overlooks many miles of ocean, the Celtic Sea
, to the north, and overlooks the only land route to this peninsula (west Penwith) to the south. Therefore not only its structure but its location suggest a much more actively militaristic function.
The well, within the inner walls, is of note as it once had a stairway leading to the water, water which remains to this day even during dry spells. Locals used the well water until the 1940s for domestic purposes and some for superstitious reasons, viz. the endowment of perpetual youth. Pagans still make pilgrimages to the site on religiously significant days.
It is believed that the fort fell into disuse around the first century AD but was reoccupied and modified several centuries later, until the 6th century. However, occupation may date to the later Roman period.
Iron Age
The Iron Age is the archaeological period generally occurring after the Bronze Age, marked by the prevalent use of iron. The early period of the age is characterized by the widespread use of iron or steel. The adoption of such material coincided with other changes in society, including differing...
hillfort near Penzance
Penzance
Penzance is a town, civil parish, and port in Cornwall, England, in the United Kingdom. It is the most westerly major town in Cornwall and is approximately 75 miles west of Plymouth and 300 miles west-southwest of London...
in Cornwall
Cornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
, United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. The fort was built around two and a half thousand years ago, and fell into disuse until the 6th century AD when it was possibly reoccupied to protect the nearby tin
Tin
Tin is a chemical element with the symbol Sn and atomic number 50. It is a main group metal in group 14 of the periodic table. Tin shows chemical similarity to both neighboring group 14 elements, germanium and lead and has two possible oxidation states, +2 and the slightly more stable +4...
mine
Mining
Mining is the extraction of valuable minerals or other geological materials from the earth, from an ore body, vein or seam. The term also includes the removal of soil. Materials recovered by mining include base metals, precious metals, iron, uranium, coal, diamonds, limestone, oil shale, rock...
s. It stands beside a prehistoric trackway that used to be known as the Old St. Ives Road.
Description
Edward Lluyd made a plan of this fort in around 1700 remarking that its structure and security showed, 'military knowledge superior to that of any other works of this kind which I have seen in Cornwall'. What is of note is the fact that the fort has a strategic inner and outer wall and ditch. The remains today are still breathtaking despite the fact that the once twenty-feet-odd walls now stand at around five feet due to its use in the nineteenth century as a quarry for buildings in PenzancePenzance
Penzance is a town, civil parish, and port in Cornwall, England, in the United Kingdom. It is the most westerly major town in Cornwall and is approximately 75 miles west of Plymouth and 300 miles west-southwest of London...
and Madron
Madron
Madron is a civil parish and village in west Cornwall, United Kingdom. It is a large rural parish on the Penwith peninsula north of Penzance.Madron village is situated approximately two miles northwest of Penzance town centre....
.
The fort was excavated in 1895, 1925, 1927 and 1930. Much pottery was uncovered, the earliest dating to the 4th century BC due to its similarity to known Breton pottery of that age. However, it is quite possible that the fort was built upon a much older structure. Chûn Quoit
Chûn Quoit
The best preserved of all quoits in Cornwall, UK is Chûn Quoit, located in open moorland near Pendeen and Morvah. The uphill walk is worthwhile because this is perhaps the most visually satisfying of all the quoits...
, twenty metres neighbouring, is dated to around 2400BC.
The purpose of the fort is speculated to be for protection of tin and copper gathered in the tin-rich locality of what is now Pendeen
Pendeen
Pendeen is a village on the Penwith peninsula in Cornwall, United Kingdom. It is north-northeast of St Just and west of Penzance.The village has a community centre, a shop, a post office, a primary school, and a few small businesses. Community activities include an art club, silver marching band...
, with its famous Geevor Tin Mine
Geevor Tin Mine
Geevor Tin Mine is a tin mine in the far west of Cornwall, England, United Kingdom, between the villages of Pendeen and Trewellard. It was operational between 1911 and 1990 during which time it produced about 50,000 tons of black tin. It is now a museum and heritage centre left as a living history...
, and surrounding villages. Iron and tin slags were found within the castle, near the well. However, the castle is located at the top of a moor and so easily spotted, which would not be a wise place to put a hoard of precious metal. It overlooks many miles of ocean, the Celtic Sea
Celtic Sea
The Celtic Sea is the area of the Atlantic Ocean off the south coast of Ireland bounded to the east by Saint George's Channel; other limits include the Bristol Channel, the English Channel, and the Bay of Biscay, as well as adjacent portions of Wales, Cornwall, Devon, and Brittany...
, to the north, and overlooks the only land route to this peninsula (west Penwith) to the south. Therefore not only its structure but its location suggest a much more actively militaristic function.
The well, within the inner walls, is of note as it once had a stairway leading to the water, water which remains to this day even during dry spells. Locals used the well water until the 1940s for domestic purposes and some for superstitious reasons, viz. the endowment of perpetual youth. Pagans still make pilgrimages to the site on religiously significant days.
It is believed that the fort fell into disuse around the first century AD but was reoccupied and modified several centuries later, until the 6th century. However, occupation may date to the later Roman period.