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| Work begins on hidden Neolithic stone circle dig near Bodmin | Work begins on hidden Neolithic stone circle dig near Bodmin |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| Possible traces of a long-vanished stone circle at the site were discovered in 2022 | Possible traces of a long-vanished stone circle at the site were discovered in 2022 |
| Work has started on a project to unearth the secrets of a prehistoric ritual site in Cornwall. | |
| Described by experts as the county's "ancient sacred heart", Castilly Henge is believed to have been built during the late Neolithic period - about 3,000 to 2,500 BCE (Before Common Era). | Described by experts as the county's "ancient sacred heart", Castilly Henge is believed to have been built during the late Neolithic period - about 3,000 to 2,500 BCE (Before Common Era). |
| More than £40,000 of National Lottery funding was awarded to Cornwall Heritage Trust (CHT) to excavate a hidden stone circle at its centre earlier this year. | More than £40,000 of National Lottery funding was awarded to Cornwall Heritage Trust (CHT) to excavate a hidden stone circle at its centre earlier this year. |
| Carolyn Kennett, CHT's site project manager, said: "Neolithic henges are incredibly rare, so this is a really exciting moment." | Carolyn Kennett, CHT's site project manager, said: "Neolithic henges are incredibly rare, so this is a really exciting moment." |
| Located just off the A30 near Bodmin, the substantial oval embankment that makes up Castilly Henge is believed to have been once used as an amphitheatre-like setting for gatherings and ritual activities. | Located just off the A30 near Bodmin, the substantial oval embankment that makes up Castilly Henge is believed to have been once used as an amphitheatre-like setting for gatherings and ritual activities. |
| Its significance continued into the Early Bronze Age (circa 2,400 to 1,500 BCE) when several high-status burial mounds or barrows were built close by. | Its significance continued into the Early Bronze Age (circa 2,400 to 1,500 BCE) when several high-status burial mounds or barrows were built close by. |
| Previous researchers also suggested that the site might have been used as a medieval open-air theatre known as a plen-an-gwari, as well as fortified housing for cannons during the English Civil War. | Previous researchers also suggested that the site might have been used as a medieval open-air theatre known as a plen-an-gwari, as well as fortified housing for cannons during the English Civil War. |
| The four-week archaeological excavation, which is a collaboration between the CHT, Cornwall Archaeological Society and Historic England, aimed to delve deeper into the monument's backstory, project leaders said. | The four-week archaeological excavation, which is a collaboration between the CHT, Cornwall Archaeological Society and Historic England, aimed to delve deeper into the monument's backstory, project leaders said. |
| A large team of volunteers and experts are working to excavate the site | A large team of volunteers and experts are working to excavate the site |
| Possible traces of a long-vanished stone circle at the site were discovered in 2022, of which only one other example is known to survive in Cornwall. | Possible traces of a long-vanished stone circle at the site were discovered in 2022, of which only one other example is known to survive in Cornwall. |
| Ms Kennett said she hoped that the henge - which is at risk from invasive vegetation and nearby road infrastructure - could be saved for future generations. | Ms Kennett said she hoped that the henge - which is at risk from invasive vegetation and nearby road infrastructure - could be saved for future generations. |
| "Our goal is to fundraise to purchase this site and to open it up to public," she said, adding that more than £10,000 of an overall £50,000 target had already been raised. | "Our goal is to fundraise to purchase this site and to open it up to public," she said, adding that more than £10,000 of an overall £50,000 target had already been raised. |
| Dr Olaf Bayer, senior archaeological investigator for Historic England, described the henge as offering a "direct visceral connection" to our ancestors. | Dr Olaf Bayer, senior archaeological investigator for Historic England, described the henge as offering a "direct visceral connection" to our ancestors. |
| "To discover and hold in your own hands the very tools people of the past had used - it's the kind of stuff that makes the hair stand up on the back of your neck," he said. | "To discover and hold in your own hands the very tools people of the past had used - it's the kind of stuff that makes the hair stand up on the back of your neck," he said. |
| Follow BBC Cornwall on X, Facebook and Instagram. Send your story ideas to spotlight@bbc.co.uk. | Follow BBC Cornwall on X, Facebook and Instagram. Send your story ideas to spotlight@bbc.co.uk. |