A HISTORY OF CORNWALL 



handsome volume a plan, sketches and description, 1 though they over- 

 looked some of the buried stones. 



It is much to be regretted that this circle, which Mr. Lukis 

 described as ' the most interesting and remarkable monument in the 

 county,' should have been allowed to reach such a state of ruin and to 

 run the risk of more complete dilapidation, since the stones now standing 

 will certainly fall unless protected in time, and the outline of the bank 

 will disappear. On the landowners must necessarily rest the responsi- 

 bility for the neglect of the prehistoric monuments on their land, and it 

 is to the landlords that the public looks for the protection of these relics of 

 a dim past. 



LEAZE 



Leaze Circle is picturesquely situated on a farm of the same name, 

 overlooking the De Lank river. It is in the parish of St. Breward, and 

 Mr. Reynolds of St. Breward is the landowner. Between it and Stripple 

 Stones interpose the mass of Hawk's Tor and the river aforesaid. It 

 stands on the side of a hill, a ruined hedge crosses it north-north-west 

 and south-south-east, and a furze-brake occupies the centre. This is a 

 comparatively small circle for the Bodmin moors, the diameter being 

 only 80 ft. ; the number of stones was perhaps twenty-two originally, but 

 only fifteen and a fragment are now to be seen, the missing stones being 

 doubtless used in constructing the hedge. Only ten stones are standing 

 and five have fallen ; most of the latter are covered by furze and one lies 

 in the hedge. All the stones are of granite, but none are large ; the 

 highest stand 3 ft. 9 in. out of the ground and the largest fallen one 

 measures 5 ft. ; they are particularly well cut, solid and regular in out- 

 line unlike those of any other circle in the county. 



On the farm are the remains of many hut-circles and barrows, and 

 near to the circle is a curious wide and deep trench, running down the 

 hillside, which may have been a tin stream-work. 



This circle has been generally overlooked by antiquaries. Lukis 

 and Borlase do not refer to it, and Mr. A. L. Lewis appears to be the only 

 one who has ever mentioned it, 8 but he has not published any plan. He 

 calls attention to the positions of three hills which rise to the eastward, 



1 Prehistoric Monuments, pp. 330, pis. viii., ix. 



1 Arch. Journ. (1892), xlix. 136 ; Journ. Anthrof. Inst. (Aug. 1895). 



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