Gun Rith
Site details |
|
|---|---|
| Type of site: | Standing Stone / Menhir |
| Nearest town: | St Buryan |
| Map reference: | SW 4296 2443 (SW4324) |
| Coordinates: | 50.0643, -5.59298 |
Nearby sites |
|
| Bodrifty | Ancient Village / Settlement (11.1km) |
| Boscawen Un | Stone Circle (3.4km) |
| Zennor Quoit | Burial Chamber (Dolmen) (14.2km) |
| The Merry Maidens of Boleigh | Stone Circle (0.3km) |
| Men-An-Tol | Stone Circle (10.5km) |
| Pendeen Fogou / Pendeen Vau | Fogou (12.2km) |
| Sancreed Well | Holy Well (5km) |
| Madron Well | Holy Well (8.4km) |
| Chysauster | Ancient Village / Settlement (11.4km) |
| Lanyon Quoit | Burial Chamber (Dolmen) (9.3km) |
| Tregeseal East | Stone Circle (9km) |
| Chun Castle | Hillfort (9.9km) |
| Kenidjack Cliff Castle | Promontory Fort / Cliff Castle (11.1km) |
| Bosigran Castle | Promontory Fort / Cliff Castle (12.5km) |
| The Blind Fiddler | Standing Stone / Menhir (3.6km) |
| Boleigh Fogou | Fogou (1.1km) |
| Bosiliack Barrow | Barrow (9.7km) |
| Boswens Menhir | Standing Stone / Menhir (8.2km) |
| Brane - Entrance Grave | Burial Chamber (Dolmen) (4.6km) |
| Carn Euny Fogou & Village | Ancient Village / Settlement (5.2km) |
| Carfury | Standing Stone / Menhir (9.6km) |
| Ballowall Barrow (Carn Gloose) | Burial Chamber (Dolmen) (10km) |
| Chapel Carn Brea | Burial Chamber (Dolmen) (5.6km) |
| Chun Quoit | Burial Chamber (Dolmen) (9.9km) |
| The Drift Stones | Standing Stone / Menhir (3.9km) |
| Gun Rith | Standing Stone / Menhir (0km) |
| Gurnard's Head | Promontory Fort / Cliff Castle (14km) |
| Porthmeor Stone | Standing Stone / Menhir (12.7km) |
| Sancreed Beacon | Ancient Village / Settlement (5.2km) |
| The Selus Stone | Standing Stone / Menhir (9km) |
| Tregiffian Barrow | Burial Chamber (Dolmen) (0.1km) |
Gun Rith is a standing stone measuring three and a half meters tall, located across the road from the Tregiffian burial chamber, near the Merry Maidens stone circle. It is one of a high concentration of menhirs, or standing stones, in Penwith, some of which reach over five meters. Gun Rith, whose name translates as 'Red Dawn', has fallen a few times in recent years, which is why the base is now set in concrete. The purpose of Gun Rith remains unknown, although it was probably linked to the Merry Maidens in some way. William Borlase excavated around the stone at the end of the nineteenth century, but his only find was a beach pebble.
