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Stowe's Hill

Photographs taken 2005 to 2008

Stowe's Hill is a tor in the south east corner of Bodmin Moor, not far from Minions. On the southern side of the hill, the Cheesewring Quarry has gouged a huge scar where the granite has been blasted out, and changed the profile of the hill for-ever. On the edge of the quarry is the famous "Cheesewring", a natural tor feature.

Stowe's Hill
Stowe's Hill viewed from the west in profile

Stowe's Pound

Bodmin Moor has many archaeological sites, both ancient and modern; from Neolithic settlements and stone circles, to nineteenth century mining and quarrying. The ancient enclosure of "Stowe’s Pound" is to be found just above the Cheesewring Quarry, and dates from sometime around the late Neolithic to the early Bronze Age - roughly 2,500 BC to 1,500 BC or 4,000 years ago. To realise that such an ancient structure - which is what it was - can only be pinned down to within a period of 1,000 years, gives you a feeling of real age when you stand among the stones. The hill-top enclosure and fortification consists of a fairly massive stonework enclosure (any earthwork banks are no longer so obvious), that is made up of a central "citadel" or strong point, and a larger less defended enclosure around the whole hilltop. The citadel ramparts were tied-in to the natural features of the Stowe's Hill tor, and they were in their time much taller - even approaching 25 to 30 feet high - but they have now collapsed down into what is essentially a massive rubble granite ring. Some stone hut circles can also be made out within the larger outer enclosure, but these would only be the outer base ring of stones that a timber hut structure, likely with a central hole or chimney at the apex, was built on.

Stowe's Pound
Stowe's Hill ~ the site of Stowe's Pound, a Neolithic hill fortification and enclosure

Stowe's Rampart
The eastern ramparts of Stowe's Pound ~ much collapsed over 4,000 years

Stowe's Rampart and Tor
Stowe's Pound ramparts integrated with the tor's natural features

Stowe's Hill
The Summit of Stowe's Hill - inside Stowe's Pound

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