Black and white

Acc.no: PEZPH : 2016.50.1624

Identification

Item: Mayon Castle, Land's End, Cornwall.

Description: Near to Land's End, this area projected farther into the sea when it formed a round settlement. The cliff castle survives as a roughly-rectangular enclosed area of approximately one hectare. It is defined by steep cliffs on two sides, a boulder strewn slope on the third and a rock-cut ditch measuring up to 2.4m deep with stone rampart and outer wall of up to 2m high on the fourth. The main rampart has a massive stone wall of up to 60m long, 3.7m wide and 1.5m high. There is a well preserved gateway lined with stone which contains a later post medieval shelter. The cliff castle defences partially overlie an earlier field system and kink to integrate an earlier lynchet (a ridge or ledge formed along the downhill side of a plot by ploughing in ancient times) into the defensive line. The outer ditch appears to have been built after the the inner defensive rampart wall and the up-cast material used instead to construct the counterscarp bank. The cliff castle was first described by Edmonds in 1845-50. Partial excavations between 1939 and 1949 by the West Cornwall Field Club produced evidence for the occupation of the interior including layers of charcoal and burnt material together with sherds of Iron Age pottery and medieval grass-marked wares. Their findings were re-interpreted by Quinnell who suggested the cliff castle was possibly in use not only in the Iron Age but throughout the Romano-British period and even into the medieval period having been built between 800 and 400 BC. Although not confirmed, later surveys suggest it may have Late Bronze Age or Neolithic origins. Sources: HER-PastScape Monument No.421208.

Condition: Good

Description

Material: Photographic paper

Production

Method: Printed

Category: Photography

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