Project to Uncover Possible Hidden Stone Circle in Cornwall Awarded National Lottery Heritage Fund Grant
A major project to reveal the secrets of a unique prehistoric ritual site described by experts as "Cornwall's ancient sacred heart" has been given the green light thanks to a £42,990 grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund, using money raised by National Lottery players.
Located just off the A30 near Bodmin, Castilly Henge is believed to have been built during the late Neolithic period (about 3000 to 2500 BCE). It is a substantial oval earthwork with an external bank and internal ditch, which would have formed an amphitheatre-like setting for gatherings and ritual activities. Its significance continued into the Early Bronze Age (about 2400 to 1500 BCE) when several high-status burial mounds or barrows were built nearby.
Previous researchers have suggested that the site may have been used as a medieval open-air theatre, known as a plen-an-gwari, and later as a battery during the English Civil War.
Partnership working
The project is a collaboration between the Cornwall Archaeological Society, the Cornwall Heritage Trust and Historic England. It will involve a 4-week archaeological excavation in September and October 2025 to target important questions about the monument's character, date, and potential later reuse.
The dig is informed by earthwork and geophysical surveys undertaken by Historic England's Archaeological Investigation Team as part of a previous project in 2022. This found traces of a now-removed possible stone circle in the middle of the henge. Not all henges contain stone circles, and there is only 1 other known to survive in Cornwall.
Community involvement
There will be opportunities for a significant number of volunteers to be directly involved in the dig and work alongside seasoned excavators, as well as a wide range of outreach activities, tours, and educational workshops to involve local communities in the project as much as possible. The works will be rounded off with a celebration and public open day. Historic England is also making a contribution towards the community outreach element of the project through a £10,000 grant.
We're delighted to be working with partners at Castilly Henge to grow our collective understanding of this special prehistoric site. Following our discovery of the remains of a previously unknown possible stone circle in 2022, we're back to carry out the first excavation on the site in over 60 years. The technology available to us today will enable us to take a closer look at the evidence and hopefully find out more about how and exactly when the site was used. We're excited that volunteers and the local community will have the opportunity to get involved in the project.
Heritage at Risk
The henge is currently at risk due to the threat posed by invasive vegetation. Modern development of the nearby road infrastructure and local service network, which lie within metres of the site, also pose potential risks.
To combat these risk factors, the final stage of the project will involve the creation of management plans aimed at enhancing the biodiversity of the field and the condition of the monument, as well as ensuring sustainable management in the future.
Also of interest
