A rare stone circle has been found in a prehistoric ritual site in Cornwall, with seven regularly located pits mapped by a team of archaeologists.
Bracken and shrubs were cleared during the winter at Castilla Henge near Bodmin to allow archaeologists to explore the site. They found the pits lying in a crooked formation with a horseshoe.
Experts believe that the pits may have once formed a full ring, but earth conditions during the study left archaeologists unable to gather clear data on the northern interior of Henge.
Some stones were removed and taken elsewhere, while others were probably pushed face down into the pits where they once stood.
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Castile Henge is believed to have been built during the Late Neolithic, around 3000-2500 BC. Defined by the outer shore and inner moat, the hedge creates an amphitheater-style setting for gatherings and ritual activities.
Volunteers stand on the seven pits found in Castilla Henge near Bodmin. Photo: Historic England / CAU / PA
Not all henji contain a stone circle, and there is only one other in Cornwall – Stripple stones on the slopes of Hawk’s Tor on Bodmin Moor. Archaeologists believe that heng sites were used for gatherings and rituals.
Research at Castilly Henge began in 2021, when it was included in Historic England’s scheme to preserve and repair monuments in its risk register.
Volunteers led by the Cornwall Archaeological Unit cleared the site of vegetation that threatened the site’s hidden features. This allowed teams from Historic England to conduct the first detailed topographic and geophysical surveys of Castilla Henge.
Peter Dudley, a senior archaeologist at the Cornwall Archaeological Unit, said the management of the “amazing archeological site” has been improved by re-fencing. “Now the monument looks much better.”
Ann Preston-Jones, Project Manager for Endangered Heritage in Historic England, said: “Research at Castilla Henge has given us a deeper understanding of the complexity of this site and its significance to Cornwall’s history over thousands of years. This will help us make decisions about how the monument is managed and presented so that future generations can enjoy it. ”
There is evidence to suggest that Castili Henge was used as a theater in the Middle Ages and a weapon position during the English Civil War.
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