Giant's Quoit
OS grid ref:- SW 65037
The Giant's Quoit dolmen at is situated on a west-facing slope between two small tributaries to the Red River, at the hamlet of Carwynnen near Camborne. The monument is also known by the names Carwynnen Quoit and The Giant's Frying Pan. The dolmen collapsed in 1966 and was re-erected in 2014.
The Giant's Quoit is one of an ancient and rare group of monuments, it is a portal dolmen dating to the Neolithic era, making it possibly 5000 years old, it is one of the few Cornish portal dolmens to be found outside the Penwith peninsula.
The granite monument measures 1.5 metres in height, its capstone is around 3.3 metres long by 2.5 metres wide and and weighs about 10 tons.
The site was first recorded by the Welsh antiquarian Edward Lhuyd around 1700. The structure collapsed in the nineteenth century, but was rebuilt by Lady Pendarves. It collapsed for a second time following an earth tremor in 1966, after which it lay on the ground for the following 48 years, with two of the supports lying on top of the capstone with the third lying beneath. he Sustainable Trust raised funds to purchase the site in 2009 and in partnership with the Cornwall Heritage Trust they employed professional archaeologists to research the site prior to its reconstruction. Scheduled Monument Consent for works on the site was granted by English Heritage and The Heritage Lottery Fund helped with the funding
In September 2012 an archaeological excavation was carried out. Findings from the dig were displayed and the event was televised. The first stones were re-erected in May 2014. The two support stones were replaced in their original Neolithic footings but the third stone had to be adjusted to create a more stable structure. The capstone was lifted into position by a large crane watched by a crowd of more than 500 enthusiasts. The work was completed on summer solstice, June 2014.
Directions
Heading from Camborne to Praze-an Beeble on the B3303, turn left just before you reach Killivose Cemetery, signposted to Treslothan. Go past both entrances to Treslothan Church on your right. Take the next sharp right when you see a house in front of you. Follow the road until the woodland ends. The field is on the right side.
The nearest landmark and safe parking for Carwynnen Quoit is Treslothan Church. The monument is best approached by pedestrians, turning right along the footpath by the Treslothan well, just up from the church, along the field and through the Stennack woods, then right along a short stretch of lane to the site entrance, (approx. 15 minutes). There is limited parking here.