A major project to reveal the secrets of a unique prehistoric ritual site described by experts as “Cornwall’s ancient sacred heart” has been given the green light thanks to a £42,990 grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund, using money raised by National Lottery players.
Located just off the A30 near Bodmin, Castilly Henge is believed to have been built during the late Neolithic period (about 3000 to 2500 BCE). It is a substantial oval earthwork with an external bank and internal ditch, which would have formed an amphitheatre-like setting for gatherings and ritual activities. Its significance continued into the Early Bronze Age (c.2400-1500 BCE) when several high-status burial mounds or barrows were built close by.
Previous researchers have suggested that the site might have been used as a medieval open-air theatre known as a plen-an-gwari and then as a battery during the English Civil War.
Partnership Working
The project is a collaboration between the Cornwall Archaeological Society, the Cornwall Heritage Trust and Historic England. It will involve a four-week archaeological excavation in September and October 2025 to target important questions about the monument’s character, date and potential later reuse.
The dig is informed by earthwork and geophysical surveys undertaken by Historic England’s Archaeological Investigation Team as part of a previous project in 2022. This found traces of a now-removed possible stone circle in the middle of the henge. Not all henges contain stone circles, and there is only one other known to survive in Cornwall.
Community Involvement
There will be opportunities for a significant number of volunteers to be directly involved in the dig and work alongside seasoned excavators, as well as a wide range of outreach activities, tours and educational workshops to involve local communities in the project as much as possible. The works will be rounded off with a celebration and public open day. Historic England is also making a contribution towards the community outreach element of the project through a £10,000 grant.
Heritage at Risk
The henge is currently at risk due to the threat posed by invasive vegetation. Modern development of the nearby road infrastructure and local service network, which lie within metres of the site, also pose potential risks.
In order to combat these risk factors, the final stage of the project will see the creation of management plans aimed at improving the biodiversity of the field and the condition of the monument, as well as ensuring future sustainable management.
Copyright: Historic England
Cathy Woolcock, Cornwall Heritage Trust CEO, said: “This is such an exciting opportunity for the local community to be directly involved in discovering more about one of Cornwall’s most important ancient sites and we’re so honoured to be involved.”
“The henge has been at risk for some time – a threat which urgently needs to be addressed before this special place and the secrets it holds are potentially lost. This project is an exciting step forward in making that possible, firstly by uncovering Castilly’s story and then creating management plans to improve the biodiversity of the field and the condition of the monument so that it can be protected and sustainably managed for many years to come. We’re delighted that the National Lottery Heritage Fund sees the impact that this project will have and are hugely grateful to National Lottery players for making this funding possible!”
Dr Olaf Bayer, Senior Archaeological Investigator at Historic England, said: “We’re delighted to be working with partners at Castilly Henge to grow our collective understanding of this special prehistoric site. Following our discovery of the remains of a previously unknown possible stone circle in 2022, we’re back to carry out the first excavation on the site in over 60 years. The technology available to us today will enable us to take a closer look at the evidence and hopefully find out more about how and exactly when the site was used. We’re excited that volunteers and the local community will have the opportunity to get involved in the project.”
Pete Herring, President of the Cornwall Archaeological Society, said: “We are thrilled to be closely involved in this exciting project. Castilly may hold the key to understanding how this area of Cornwall became a major focus for ritual and ceremonial activity in the Neolithic and Bronze Age periods, and why it was still an important place in the medieval era.”
“The Cornwall Archaeological Society has been involved in work at Castilly for many years. Our members first excavated it in 1962, and recently we have been helping to clear the area of scrub in readiness for the latest investigations.
“We are looking forward to working with Historic England and Cornwall Heritage Trust as well as local people and local schools and are very grateful to The National Lottery Heritage Fund for their support. Together we’ll be staging an open day towards the end of the dig, at which locals and those from all over Cornwall will be able to discover what’s been found – and what it means.”
