More information : Leskernick stone circle.
Notes on stones. All are granite. All measurements are metric.
Stone No.
1. Orthostat. Erosion of ground to south east, 0.65 long,
0.25 wide, 0.6 high.
2. Stone. Visible. 0.1 high.
3. Stone. Possibly fallen inwards? 1.0 long.
4. Natural? Earthfast.
5. Natural? Earthfast.
6. Orthostat? (rocks slightly). 0.65 long, 0.3 wide, 0.4m high.
7. Stone. At least 0.8 long.
8. Natural? Earthfast?
9. Natural? Earthfast?
10. Natural? Earthfast?
11. Stone. 1.1 long.
12. Orthostat. 0.8 long, 0.35 wide, 0.65 high.
13. Stone. 0.5 long.
14. Fallen? 0.7 long.
15. Buried beneath vegatation hump. Probed to find stone.
16-18. Three small stones. A split stone?
19. Stone. 0.35 long.
20. Stone?/Natural. 0.7 long.
21. Natural. Earthfast.
22. Stone?/Natural? 0.6 long.
23. Hump. Probed to find stone.
24. Stump? 0.1 high.
25. Long-stone. Fallen, presumably once erect. 3.8 long, 0.7
wide, 0.4 thick.
26. Small stone, loose.
27. Small stone, loose.
28-30. Small stones, loose.
31. Hump.
32-34. Small stones, loose.
The stone circle is just downhill from the main area of clitter on
Leskernick Hill.
There are just 3 uprights but there has been extensive peat cutting in the area, therefore probable undermining of supports. Central stone (25) assumed to have originally been erect, (slightly eccentric position). All the other smaller stone within the circle are small
and loose and were revealed, presumably, only after peat-cutting or erosion.
A number of stones just beyond the circle (stones 4, 8-10, 21) and two (5, 22) more or less on the line of the circle have been
considered 'natural' or moorstones. Probing (with ranging-pole)
showed them to be "tips of icebergs".
'Stones' are those which seem more likely to be either natural surface stones or stones brought to the site by people. That they lie on a reasonable circle with a diameter of c.22 m (Barnatt's group 5) and have 3 uprights still in situ suggest the site is indeed at stone circle although it has to be admitted that preservation is poor.
The Boscawen Un stone circle has much in common with this circle:
a. Eccentricly positioned large stone (2.4m high) within circle.
b. Diameter 22.1 - 24.9m.
c. Similar no of stones (20). Leskernick would have had c. 20. (1)
SX 18587992. Probable remains of a stone circle in good condition,
situated on a slight east-facing slope in open, boulder-covered
moorland at 296m OD.
The group of three upright stones and the massive 4.2m long recumbent
slab are as described by Herring who discovered the site in 1983.
The surrounding ground surface is disturbed and a layer of peat has
been cut away at some unknown date; the tips and tops of many stones
are exposed in the sub-surface peat layer. A selection of those
partially buried stones along with a few earthfast slabs and the three upright stones form a rather crude circle. Clearly some of the stones are part of the light clitter spread which covers the hillslope.
It is probably the remains of a ruined stone circle although the
surviving evidence is not entirely convincing.
Surveyed at 1:2500. (2)
A plan and discussion (Liskernick II) can be found in the published report of the Bodmon Moor project. (3) |