Landscape Inoculation Technology
Menhirs - Standing Stones
Originally West Penwith had around 200 menhirs, of which about half survive today.
A good many that are gone have been verified by fieldwork and studying records.
Every few years a new menhir is found and re-erected.
Menhirs are important, though they can be regarded as secondary sites.
They exist in a network context to support and enhance the power of other sites.
They have various purposes. Some mark energy points; some act as relays on alignments (Carfury, Boswens); some are proxies for bigger sites (The Pipers and Boskednan menhir); some are for seeing from other sites (Watch Croft); and some are terminal menhirs (where alignments end).
Menhirs can be looked on as connector points enhancing the megalithic system of Penwith. They play a role in climate regulation, being plugged into underground water vortices, acting as conductors to ease and regulate charge potentials between earth and sky.
They are often intervisible - especially in the south of Penwith - though not always. Perhaps the southern menhirs were erected in a relatively short time, since they form a system that people probably wanted to activate as a whole. Menhirs act like geomantic acupuncture needles.
The Pipers NE menhir. You can see Carn Galva and Watch Croft in the background. This is one of two, or possibly three, menhirs that act as proxy menhirs for the nearby Merry Maidens stone circle. Proxies collect and distribute energy for the stone circle complex as a whole
The Blind Fiddler, a classic menhir
Boswens menhir, a good example of a proxy menhir - it collects and distributes energy for the Tregeseal stone circle complex. It's also a relay menhir, as well as being astronomically positioned, as seen from Tregeseal. Interestingly, when it snows, the green area around the menhir remains free of snow - it's literally a hotspot
Cosmic energy of two kinds. Boswens menhir is on the side of Dry Carn, on top of which is a major air traffic control beacon communicating with transatlantic aircraft. Where truly lies the power? One thing is likely: the menhir preceded the beacon and will outlast it. It will probably be happier without it - after all, it was there first
One of the Kemyel menhirs
Trevean 1 menhir, near Carn Lês Boel. This is a newly discovered propped menhir. It aligns with several interesting sites -and that's how it was verified as a genuine menhir. I decided not to disturb the bull, and it decided not to disturb me
There's amazing variety to menhirs. All were carefully chosen. Most were locally sourced but they still had to be transported intact. About 30% of their length is socketed in the ground. Dowsers often observe a seven-spiral energy helix moving up menhirs.
This is the gap under the propped menhir at Trevean 1, Roskestal. It is propped up on four stones. The reason why is difficult to tell. There's a similar propped menhir not far away at the gateway to Carn Lês Boel
The Trevean 1 menhir from another angle, with two young peregrine falcons in residence
This bronze age menhir at Bosiliack has had a hedge (wall) built around it - this is not uncommon. The hedge itself is centuries old, but only about one fifth the age of the menhir
One of the Boscawen Rôs double menhirs. The Merry Maidens had two pairs of double menhirs, the Pipers and Boscawen Rôs, on opposite sides of the circle, and these pairs are aligned with each other through the circle. The Boscawen Rôs menhirs are an example of terminal menhirs, where alignments end
The newly discovered Seal Stone at Bosistow, pointing toward nearby seal caves between Carn Barra and Carn Lês Boel
St Michael's Mount from Carfury menhir
Carfury menhir, rather hidden away on the side of a hill at Bosiliack, yet it holds a key position as a hub in the overall Penwith energy system. It also marks the southern end of the complex of sites around the Nine Maidens and Carn Galva
Carfury is a major relay menhir with lots of alignments going through it. It might have been one of a double set of menhirs - that's uncertain. It has a view of distant St Michael's Mount, with Cudden Point and the Lizard behind.
Menhirs acted as subtle energy transducers spanning the land, linking earth and sky. Moderating energy surges, they reduced extremes of weather and energy-weather. Transmitting subtle microvolt energy, they were a key element in the peninsula-wide alignments system.
Boscawen menhir, near Boscawen-ûn stone circle - part of the stone circle's constellation or complex of sites
Mên Scryfa, an inscribed stone usually ascribed to the late iron age, but it looks and behaves like a classic bronze age menhir and it sits quite centrally and strategically in the complex of sites around Carn Galva and the Nine Maidens. Carn Galva is behind
Banns Farm menhir, with a later hedge built into it.
Banns Farm menhir
The recently re-erected menhir on Carn Eanes above Boscaswell, pinpoint-located by dowser Hamish Miller
The Drift double menhirs (at Drift, W of Penzance)
These are at Faugan Round. Generally regarded as a gateway at the round, and coming from the iron age, they resemble bronze age double menhirs. There are no other iron age menhirs like this
The Pipers menhirs - the largest surviving menhirs in Cornwall. Part of the Merry Maidens complex. The further, NE Piper, seems to take alignments from further afield while the nearer, SW menhir, seems mostly to take internal alignments within the Merry Maidens complex
Trevorgans menhir near St Buryan
Trevorgans menhir with Chapel Carn Brea behind
The Watch Croft menhir - the highest menhir in Penwith. My friend is standing on the stony summit cairn on Watch Croft. This menhir is built to be seen from the Nine Maidens and Mên an Tol
The Treryn Dinas menhir shortly after being unearthed and re-erected
Gûn Rith, a menhir close to the Merry Maidens. An internal alignment within the complex goes from this menhir through the Merry Maidens to the now-destroyed Tregurnow stone circle
The newly re-erected menhir close to Treryn Dinas. It sits on two major alignments, pre-existing the rediscovery and re-erection of this menhir - these verified that it was genuine and placed correctly
To find these sites on a detailed online map, click here: Map of the Ancient Sites of West Penwith
Rubbing Stones
Beware of cattle rubbing stones. In parts of Penwith, they sit in the middle of some fields. They are not menhirs. They are usually cow-height, not on alignments and lack dowseable energy. Don't be fooled!
For more on menhirs:
Not all menhirs are menhirs. Despite its excellent view of St Michael's Mount, this is a cattle rubbing stone. Usually these are cow-height, while menhirs are either higher or lower than this