Winter Solstice 2010

Castle-an-Dinas, Cornwall

Castle-an-Dinas is one of the largest and most impressive hillforts in Cornwall, sited in an imposing position on the summit of Castle Downs with extensive and panoramic views across central Cornwall to both north and south coasts. It features in Cornish legend as one of the seats of the Duke of Cornwall and folklore has it that Cador, Duke of Cornwall, and Ygraine, King Arthur’s mother were killed here.

That the site has attracted such mythic associations may be a reflection of its continued significance from its prehistoric beginnings into the Post-Roman and Early mediæval periods. This hill fort in the Parish of St.Columb Major is a scheduled monument of great importance.

It is 700 ft above sea level and commands extensive views, it occupies a strategic position overlooking trade routes through Cornwall, this was a natural site for an Iron Age fortress. It covers an area of 20 acres and is one of the largest of its kind in Cornwall. The defences comprise three massive circular stone and earth banks with outer ditches, together with traces of a slighter fourth bank. The site was occupied between 400 BC and 150 AD.
Within the fort are the remains of two Bronze Age round burial mounds (2000-1500 BC). The barrows, graves of local chieftains or nobles, would have been built around 1500 years before the hillfort, and appear to have been respected and revered by the Iron Age people and not damaged during their occupation of the hill.

Cornish legend speaks of Castle an Dinas as a seat of the Dark Ages Dukes (or petty kings) of Cornwall from the 5th to the 10th centuries.

My 'rods' crossed over the barrows and followed the circles of the ditches. As Raye was recovering from a foot operations she did very well on her crutches to get round, an enormous site!

Another journey to Roche Castle ...

The village gets its name from a granite outcrop east of the village. Today a dangerous winding track over broken rocksleads up to the remains of the tiny chapel at Roche Rock. The village is 6 miles from St Austell and about 8 miles from Bodmin.

Roche parish is located on high ground north of St Austell, surrounded by moorland wastes. It is 1,032 ft above sea level. The clay-mining villages of Stenalees and Bugle (also once known as Carn Rosemary) are to the south-east.

This rock with hermit's 'castle' is on at least one leyline but my rods didn't pick up any! What was surprising is that anywhere outside of the rocks wherever I moved the rods followed but as soon as I approached past the first big stone they always crossed (within the rock boundary).
Dave