96 



NOTES ON DULOE CIRCULAR ENCLOSURE. 

 (By Rev, W. lAGO, B.A., Oo-Bditor R.I.C.J., and a Past-President). 



In considering the character of the enclosure known as 

 Duloe circle, which is so very much smaller than the other stone 

 circles of Cornwall, it becomes specially necessary to study, in the 

 first place, the name of the locality — which may have reference 

 to the neighbouring water, or to a barrow, or to superstitious 

 fear. 



The Parish of Duloe does not appear to be so called from 

 its Patron Saint, for the Church is dedicated to St. Cuby or 

 Keby; Tonkin, however, has conjectured, that there may have 

 been a dedication (now obsolete) to St. Teilo, — whence the name 

 of Dulo ; — and St. Dilic, named as "one of the supposed 24 Welsh 

 Missionaries," has also been quoted (see Borlase's " Age of 

 the Saints," pp. 136, 149) ; but corroboration is lacking. 



Hals had suggested that Du-lo might signify " God's lake, 

 or water," i.e. the Looe river; and it is a fact that the Looe 

 river bounds the parish and descends to the sea between the 

 east and west towns also named Looe, and further south, flows 

 into Looe Bay, in which is situate Looe Island. 



Tonkin, in quoting Hals, preferred to consider that the name 

 signified not " God's-lake," but "Black-lake" (du-lo = Celtic for 

 " black-pool "), which he, too, explained as the pool of the Looe 

 river, to be seen when the tide is up between the towns. Why 

 the estuary should be called "black" is not very apparent. 

 Others, as shewn in Bannister's Glossary, have derived the 

 name from dehou-lo, "south-pool;" &c. 



Polsue is even more definite in his statement concerning the 

 rivers. He has written (see Lake's History of Cornwall, vol. i, 

 p. 309), — " The river Dulo, or Black Loo, rises in the parish of 

 St. Pinnock, and, coasting in a southerly direction, becomes 

 navigable at Trelawn Weir, about two miles from the sea. A 

 mile further on, it joins the Looe from St. Cleer, and they both 

 pass into Looe Creek : — The whole course of the Dulo being 

 ^.bout seven miles," Another "Loo Pool " is near Helston. 



