More information : (SW 710 495] ROMAN DYKE [G.S.] (1)
A trench and mound connecting two valleys, a distance of about
2 miles, on the land side of St. Agnes Beacon. The date and
purpose is unknown. (2,3)
"Bolster Bank" D.A. Earthwork. Faces south, ditch on south.
The name was given to Crawford (4) as a local one by the occupier
of the small farm called, doubtless after it, "Bolster"
[at SW 7155 4984], parish of St. Agnes. (4,5)
The feature can be seen as a large bank with a broad, shallow,
intermittent ditch on the east side. Its form and length suggest
an IA boundary feature; it is extremely unlikely to be Roman.
Resurveyed from SW 71665005 to SW 71084952. (6)
Dyke(NR) (7)
Bolster Bank is an univallate Earthwork 3.3 km in length and probably functioned as a landward defence of a territory 1200 acres in area. It defines an area of heath upland containing one settlement and rich tin-grounds. The precise starting point at the Western End (SW 64 NE 22) is not known. The clearest evidence is given by Borlase as starting at chapel coombes (SW 699 494). Traces of earthworks can be seen within the field boundaries between Wheal Freedom and Goonvrea Farm (SW 7036 4932-7133 4960). Between Goonvrea Farm and Bolster Farm (SW 7133 4960-7159 4988) the earthwork increases its height and survives to a maximum of 3.3 m. The best preserved section is between Bolster Farm and Cannonball Turning (SW 71595 49900-71645 50040). The route is difficult to trace through St Agnes but is probably present at SW 72040 50455 where a row of cottages is situated on the edge of a scarp which could be interpreted as the Earthwowrk. It is likely to be early mediaeval but a pre-Roman Iron Age date cannot be discounted. (8)
The earthwork is included on a distribution map and text of mediaevel sites in Cornwall. (9)
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