NOTES AJSTD QTJERIES. 497 



No. 2. 

 Recent T)amage to the Stipple Stones. 



This is a large circle situated on the S. slope of Hawk's Tor^ 

 a hill which lies N. of Temple, and rises from the Hawk's Tor 

 Clay Works, on the Bodmin road, a short mile on the Bodmin side 

 of the Four-hole Cross. It was once a circle which did credit to 

 those "old men ' who loved megalithic erections. It was a perfect 

 circle^ consisting of huge upright granite blocks, with a fine central 

 member ; and close to the outside of the circle on the N. and W. sides 

 are a fosse and rampart. Many of these stones had fallen ; and from 

 the position they occupied it would seem that they had been pressed 

 down by stress of storms from the prevailing quarter, rather than 

 had been undermined by successive trampings of cattle. And if it 

 had been known that the circle was likely to be tampered with, 

 perhaps the lord would have been good enough to refuse his tenant 

 permission to meddle with it. But a " new take "' being in progress, 

 close by, and a hedge needed, some of the stones were split 

 up, and taken for the purpose, not long ago ; even the central 

 member being divided — and now but few stones of the circle remain, 

 to indicate its former outline. Such spoliation should not be per- 

 mitted ; but in most cases it is difficult to prevent it, in time. 



About a stone's-throw to the E. of the circle is an opened kist- 

 vean, but with walling, and covering-slab still remaining. 



About 200 yards S. of the circle is a curious little eminence, 

 with a narrow tunnel running through it, of which I cannot conceive 

 the use or intention. The tunnel is made by dry-walling, covered 

 by flat covering- stones ; it is about i 6 feet long, open at both ends, 

 and about large and high enough to admit a hare or cat to pass 

 through 5 but the walling appears to extend much below the ground- 

 level. Viewed at a short distance the eminence looks like a small 

 flattened barrow, with this narrow passage running right through ; 

 there is every indication of its being ancient. 



No. 3. 



Hut Circles below HawJc's Tor. 



Large groups of these will be found on the slopes on either 

 side of the Bodmin-road, when the bridge below Hawk's Tor 



