188 RECENT ARCHAEOLOGICAL DISCOVERIES IN CORNWALL. 



For a long time it was thought that Cornwall contained no 

 such markings. 



Certain hard, rough, irregular stones, of handy size, but of 

 no particular shape* have been found in various parts of the 

 county, displaying on all their sides, pits, or hollows, circular or 

 nearly so, of cupped form, which do not appear to have been 

 cut, but to have been caused by the pounding upon them of ore, 

 or perhaps corn, with a smaller stone used as a pestle. 



One such rude muller, or tin-stone crusher, has been found 

 near Bodmin, where it now is, in Mr. Dennis's possession. On 

 its varied surfaces are many pits made smooth by a beater or 

 grinder. 



Another stone, very much like it, has lately been placed in 

 the Museum at Truro, and there are several in the Museum at 

 Penzance. Nothing is known as to when such stones ceased to 

 be used. 



The late Rev. Dr. Borlase sketched one of two tall stones 

 which he noticed, in 1753, standing near each other. It was 

 marked with incisions which he could not decipher.f His des- 

 cendant Mr. W. C. Borlase kindly sent me a fac-simile of the 

 drawing, together with descriptive notes from the Borlase 

 manuscripts, in the hope that the monument might prove to be 

 cup-marked. 



From the notes and copy of the drawing, I gather that the 

 stone stood about 7-ft. 3-in. above ground, and was 2-ft. .6-in. 

 wide at base. It was situate, according to Dr. Borlase, " about 

 a mile west of Camelford, in the high road," "adjoining to a 

 gateway on the right hand side as you come on to Wadebridge." 

 It was one of "two very large stones said to be landmarks or 

 bounds of fields," and he added: — "Probably the inscribed 

 stone stood at one end of the grave, and that by it, alike in shape 

 and size, at the other end." 



*Stone mullers more elaborately formed, circular within, and sometimes 

 externally square in plan — having the appearance of bowls of Norman design, — 

 are plentiful throughout Cornwall, and are often mistaken for fonts or stoups. 

 These, of course, do not belong to the rock-mark period. 



fBorlase MSS. Inscriptions, p. 89. 



