The Ancient Stone, Over 1100 Years Old, Known As King Doniert's Stone

The stones in the photos may not look that exciting but I guess we wouldn't either if we were at least 1100 years old. They are known as King Doniert's Stone or Men Myghtern Doniert in the Cornish language.

We visited them on the same day as the Hurlers Stone Circles on Bodmin Moor - as per my last two posts.

The stones are recent compared to the Hurlers. They only date back to the 9th Century whereas the Hurlers Stone Circles go way back to around 3000 BC.

It is believed the two granite stones are actually bases for Celtic Crosses. Each stone has a rectangular socket in the top, which would have held a wooden cross.

The shortest stone carries a Latin inscription: 'Doniert Progavit Pro Anima' which translates as 'Doniert ordered (this cross) for (the good of) his soul'.

Doniert (or Dungarth) was probably a King of Cornwall who drowned in the year 875.

In the the 17th century local miners, prospecting close to the crosses, broke into an underground chamber beneath the stones. Since then there have been various theories suggesting that the chamber might represent a chapel or vault associated with the stones. Or there again they could be simply remnants of the old mining industry. As with lots of ancient things in Cornwall there is often a mystery attached to them.

The stones are near St.Cleer, about three miles north of Liskeard, by the side of a narrow road which leads to Bodmin Moor and the Hurlers Stone Circles.