Cornish monument discovered to be older and more unique than originally thought

Archaeologists have found that King Arthur’s Hall, a stone and turf structure on Bodmin Moor is much older than originally thought. It had been believed to be a medieval animal pen, but recent studies have discovered that the structure is actually Neolithic and is unique in Europe, with nothing similar being uncovered.

 The new research now means that King Arthur’s Hall’s original purpose is a mystery. The monument, which is on Bodmin Moor, close to Helstone, consists of a banked enclosure that measures around 49m x 21m and features 56 standing stones lining the inside. The new study was commissioned by Cornwall National Landscape, after initial investigations by locals called the medieval origins into question. The study, undertaken by the Cornwall Archaeological Unit and experts from the universities of Reading, St Andrews and Newcastle, has now found that the interior of the monument dates back to around 3000 BC.

Speaking about the find, lead archaeologist, James Gossip, told reporters: “There isn’t another one of these anywhere. There is nothing built at that time or subsequently in prehistory that is a rectangular earth and stone bank with a setting of stone orthostats around the interior. There is no other parallel.”

When asked about the reason for the structure, he told reporters he believed it functioned as a place for the community to gather. The middle Neolithic period, which King Arthur’s Hall dates back to, was a time where communities started to form and buildings began to appear. Gossip said: “The thinking is that these are meeting points for communities, perhaps to mark special occasions or to carry out ceremonies. It remains an enigma, but now we know a little more about it, and we can firmly place it in the prehistoric landscape context of Cornwall.”

Cornwall is important in the myths of King Arthur, though the structure didn’t receive its name until around the 1580s, so even if he did exist, it wasn’t built for him.  It is generally believed that people attributed ancient monuments and unexplained sites to King Arthur because of his association with something mythical and powerful.