Nine Maidens stone row
Encyclopedia
Nine Maidens stone row is an ancient monument in the parish of St Columb Major, Cornwall
, United Kingdom.
The Nine Maidens are also known in Cornish
as Naw-voz, or Naw-whoors meaning The nine sisters . This late neolithic
stone row
is located 2 miles (3 km) to the north of the town of St Columb Major
.
between St Columb Major and Wadebridge
. The row is approximately 262 feet (80 m) in length, with stones varying in height from 2 to 6 feet (0.6 - 2 metres). The stones are irregularly spaced and aligned in a north easterly direction. They are aligned towards a stone known as the Fiddler which stands approximately 800 yards (731.5 m) away. It has been suggested by William Collings Lukis that at one time the row may have originally extended to the fiddler.
function, perhaps relating to the agricultural year. There are no other rows of this type in Cornwall .
legends are often associated with stone circles, and is reflected in the folk names of some of the nearby sites, for example, Hurlers
and Pipers on Bodmin Moor. It is likely that these tales were encouraged by the early Christian
Church to prevent old pagan
habits continuing at the sites.
The stone row was first noted by historian Richard Carew in 1605. He said:-
Wade bridge delivereth you into waste ground, where 9 long and great stones called The sisters stand in a ranke together, and seem to have been so pitched, for continuing the memory of somewhat, whose notice is yet envied us by time.
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.
The Nine Maidens are also known in Cornish
Cornish language
Cornish is a Brythonic Celtic language and a recognised minority language of the United Kingdom. Along with Welsh and Breton, it is directly descended from the ancient British language spoken throughout much of Britain before the English language came to dominate...
as Naw-voz, or Naw-whoors meaning The nine sisters . This late neolithic
Neolithic
The Neolithic Age, Era, or Period, or New Stone Age, was a period in the development of human technology, beginning about 9500 BC in some parts of the Middle East, and later in other parts of the world. It is traditionally considered as the last part of the Stone Age...
stone row
Stone row
A stone row , is a linear arrangement of upright, parallel megalithic standing stones set at intervals along a common axis or series of axes, usually dating from the later Neolithic or Bronze Age. Rows may be individual or grouped, and three or more stones aligned can constitute a stone row...
is located 2 miles (3 km) to the north of the town of St Columb Major
St Columb Major
St Columb Major is a civil parish and town in Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. Often referred to locally as St Columb, it is situated approximately seven miles southwest of Wadebridge and six miles east of Newquay...
.
Site description
The row comprises nine stone megaliths and is situated in a field alongside the A39A39 road
The A39 is an A road in south west England. It runs south-west from Bath in Somerset through Wells, Glastonbury, Street and Bridgwater. It then follows the north coast of Somerset and Devon through Williton, Minehead, Porlock, Lynmouth, Barnstaple, Bideford, Stratton, Camelford, Wadebridge and St...
between St Columb Major and Wadebridge
Wadebridge
Wadebridge is a civil parish and town in north Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. The town straddles the River Camel five miles upstream from Padstow....
. The row is approximately 262 feet (80 m) in length, with stones varying in height from 2 to 6 feet (0.6 - 2 metres). The stones are irregularly spaced and aligned in a north easterly direction. They are aligned towards a stone known as the Fiddler which stands approximately 800 yards (731.5 m) away. It has been suggested by William Collings Lukis that at one time the row may have originally extended to the fiddler.
Interpretation
The standard interpretation of prehistoric rows is that they were used for ritual purposes, and the same applies to the Nine Maidens. This interpretation is based on lack of evidence for more mundane activities. That the stones are placed at the cardinal points of the compass might also suggest an astronomical or calendarCalendar
A calendar is a system of organizing days for social, religious, commercial, or administrative purposes. This is done by giving names to periods of time, typically days, weeks, months, and years. The name given to each day is known as a date. Periods in a calendar are usually, though not...
function, perhaps relating to the agricultural year. There are no other rows of this type in Cornwall .
Myth and legend
The local myth about the creation of the stones suggests that nine maidens were turned into stone as punishment for dancing on a Sunday. The fiddler, a megalith some distance north of the row, is said to be the petrified remains of the musician who played for the dancers. These petrifactionPetrifaction
In geology, petrifaction, petrification or silicification is the process by which organic material is converted into stone by impregnation with silica. It is a rare form of fossilization...
legends are often associated with stone circles, and is reflected in the folk names of some of the nearby sites, for example, Hurlers
The Hurlers (stone circles)
The Hurlers are a group of three stone circles in Cornwall, England, UK. The site is half-a-mile west of the village of Minions on the eastern flank of Bodmin Moor, and approximately four miles north of Liskeard at .-Location:The Hurlers are in the Caradon district north of Liskeard in the...
and Pipers on Bodmin Moor. It is likely that these tales were encouraged by the early Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
Church to prevent old pagan
Paganism
Paganism is a blanket term, typically used to refer to non-Abrahamic, indigenous polytheistic religious traditions....
habits continuing at the sites.
The stone row was first noted by historian Richard Carew in 1605. He said:-
Wade bridge delivereth you into waste ground, where 9 long and great stones called The sisters stand in a ranke together, and seem to have been so pitched, for continuing the memory of somewhat, whose notice is yet envied us by time.
External links
- Nine Maidens On The Modern Antiquarian website.
- Nine Maidens On The Megalithic Portal website.
- Horizontal photograph of the Nine Maidens