Title
Possible fogou at Boskednan
Subject
Miscellaneous
Description
"Ancient British Huts" at Boskednan. Identified by Cedric Appleby from photos in Cornish Fogous by Evelyn Clark (Methuen, 1961, pp.103-104 - extract below).
This is questioned as to whether or not it is a fogou.
"One of the most remarkable examples is at Boskednan in Gulval parish (Plate 14) adjoining Boskednan Farm, lying under a great mound some distance from Ding Dong Mine, scene of extensive tin-mining operations of a past day. Henderson describes it in great detail, and remarks that Copeland Borlase mentions the structure as cyclopean, but neither writer indicates that he is aware of the period to which it belongs, or the purpose of its plan. Under the same mound, and adjacent to the first, is a second cave resembling a long fogou passage, the whole complex lying west of Tredennack on the side of the road to Penzance via Hea Moor. Henderson notes that at the northern end of the field, a great semi-circular wall apparently holds back 'an overgrown heap of earth and stones from sliding into the field'. Two entrances, one a little west of the centre of the great wall, and another to the east, both have 'rough stone jambs and lintels, and are roughly 2ft. 6 in. high, the first opening into a spacious oblong chamber with a roof of enormous granite slabs in the beehive fashion' - the other into a subterranean passage about 15 ft. in length, 'roofed in a similar manner'. As a matter of fact, this second gallery is roofed with horizontal lintels in the usual manner. He adds that it is impossible to estimate the original length of the passage, a fall of earth having necessitated its blocking-up at the end, a shaft lying below. This, as will be shown later, is not a correct assumption."
This is questioned as to whether or not it is a fogou.
"One of the most remarkable examples is at Boskednan in Gulval parish (Plate 14) adjoining Boskednan Farm, lying under a great mound some distance from Ding Dong Mine, scene of extensive tin-mining operations of a past day. Henderson describes it in great detail, and remarks that Copeland Borlase mentions the structure as cyclopean, but neither writer indicates that he is aware of the period to which it belongs, or the purpose of its plan. Under the same mound, and adjacent to the first, is a second cave resembling a long fogou passage, the whole complex lying west of Tredennack on the side of the road to Penzance via Hea Moor. Henderson notes that at the northern end of the field, a great semi-circular wall apparently holds back 'an overgrown heap of earth and stones from sliding into the field'. Two entrances, one a little west of the centre of the great wall, and another to the east, both have 'rough stone jambs and lintels, and are roughly 2ft. 6 in. high, the first opening into a spacious oblong chamber with a roof of enormous granite slabs in the beehive fashion' - the other into a subterranean passage about 15 ft. in length, 'roofed in a similar manner'. As a matter of fact, this second gallery is roofed with horizontal lintels in the usual manner. He adds that it is impossible to estimate the original length of the passage, a fall of earth having necessitated its blocking-up at the end, a shaft lying below. This, as will be shown later, is not a correct assumption."
Creator
Gibson
Publisher
Morrab Library
Date
c. 1900
Rights
© Morrab Library
Format
Print
Type
Photograph
Identifier
M.0256
Coverage
Penwith, Cornwall