Carn Brea Castle Cornwall

[Surfer]

Good Afternoon from a very Cold Cornwall, feels like we are going to have snow everything is white outside, got fed up with Being cooped up over the Christmas Holidays and went for a drive, took the trusted camera, here are a few pictures if anyone is coming to Cornwall this place is somewhere you must go and see.
Its off the Beaten track and not a lot of Tourists know about it, got a small restaurant which is open in the evening and you have to book,
The track leading up to Carn Brea Castle is a bit bumpy but you can leave the car and walk and the views are specular.
If you look at the large Boulders in the Picture the Castle is actually build on these.
Can you imagine a good day's bowling then back here for dinner, Brilliant.

Surfer:cool:

[snapper]

http://www.cornwall-calling.co.uk/castles/carn-brea-castle-2.jpg

Carn Brea (Cornish: Karnbre) is a hilltop site near Redruth, Cornwall, which has seen various human settlement over the years. Today Carn Brea medieval castle and a nineteenth century monument to Lord Francis Basset, Lord de Dunstanville. stand at the top of the ridge.
Carn Brea had a Neolithic settlement between 3700 and 3400 BC. A two acre inner enclosure was surrounded by a eleven acre outer area. The ramparts is made of stone walls with an earth bank and ditch. There are fourteen platforms on which Neolithic long houses would have stood. A population of 100 to 150 people would have lived here then.
The site was fairly fully excavated between 1970 and 1973. Nearby rock was used to make axes and edge grinding stones found on the site show that the people who lived here were capable turning stone into tools.
Later in the Iron Age the site was re-occupied. There is evidence of minerals mining in the immediate area. A hoard of gold gold that originated in Kent, showed they traded widely.
The Castle itself can be traced back to 1379. It is a stone twin towered fortress, built by the Bassett family and is inside the ramparts of the Iron Age hillfort. It was probably built has a hunting lodge, or as a chapel to St Michael. It has been restored and extended over the years, and today has the look of a modern folly, rather than a medieval fort.
Today the Castle operates as a restaurant, though I personally have never been able to find it actually open.
The granite monument, the Basset Memorial, is close to it on the top of the hill is 90 feet high, and was built in 1836. It is to Lord Francis Basset, who was one of the major mine owners in the Camborne-Redruth mining district at that time. The memorial stands at the summit of Carn Brea at about 730 feet above sea level. Lord Francis Basset later became Lord de Dunstanville.
Carn Brea now lies partly in the ownership of Kerrier District Council and Carn Brea Parish Council, with some parts in private hands.




Had a look on Goggle and thought everyone might like a bit of History on this Castle the main thing I can think of is when we went up last year the track leading up there was nearly underivable you either have to park and walk or have a four wheel drive but it is a magical place to spend an hour

[Peter Pan]

Hi Snapper,

Really interesting, you can tell there is a break in the Bowling season, Bowlers are going around taking fantastic photos!!!

I expect I could reaching the head if I bowled downhill from there.

Relay interesting Thanks,

Peter Pan:grin:

[Bigbear]

Morning Bowlers

Us bowlers have got to do something when we have no games on, the pictures are great, and if I am ever down in Cornwall will have a look, not a lover of theme parks and crowds, prefer a nice walk around the coast line,

[Sam]

Great Pictures reminds me of Summer I am so busy bowling I hardly ever get away will have to make more time for going on holiday, Cornwall looks great thanks ever so much Surfer, look forward to some more pictures:D:D

[John]

Hi All,

It looks fantastic, have found the location and everything on 'goggle',
my Club is going on a Bowling tour to Cornwall this summer.

At last nights tour meeting I took along some of the computer prints and a group of us are going to make a visit to this Castle on our day off!!!!

So thanks for the info Snapper, will let you know how we get on, Thanks.

Have you any tips for us.

John:p