Editing Carn Euny

{{Short description|Archaeological site in Cornwall, England}}
{{EngvarB|date=September 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2024}}
{{Infobox ancient site
  |name = Carn Euny
  |native_name = {{langx|kw|Chapeluni}}<ref name=maga/>
  |alternate_name =
  |image = CarnEuny1.jpg
  |alt = Fragments of stone round-houses
  |caption = Carn Euny ancient village
  |map_type = Southwest Cornwall
  |map_alt =
  |map_size =
  |location = [[Brane, Cornwall]]<br />{{gbmapping|SW402288}}
  |region =
  |coordinates = {{coord|50.10234|-5.63448|display=inline}}
  |type = Ancient village
  |part_of =
  |length =
  |width =
  |area =
  |height =
  |builder =
  |material =
  |built = c. 200 BC
  |abandoned = c. 400 AD
  |epochs = [[British Iron Age|Iron Age]]/[[Roman Britain|Roman]]
  |cultures = [[Romano-British culture|Romano-British]]
  |dependency_of =
  |occupants =
  |event =
  |excavations =
  |archaeologists =
  |condition = Ruins
  |ownership = Cornwall Heritage Trust
  |public_access = Yes
  |website =
  |notes =
}}

'''Carn Euny''' (from {{langx|kw|Karn Uni}})<ref name=maga>[http://www.magakernow.org.uk/default.aspx?page=520 Place-names in the Standard Written Form (SWF)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130515091028/http://www.magakernow.org.uk/default.aspx?page=520 |date=15 May 2013 }} : [http://www.magakernow.org.uk/idoc.ashx?docid=79ba408d-7c02-499e-8cd6-b18dd48de58d&version=-1 List of place-names agreed by the MAGA Signage Panel] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130515091028/http://www.magakernow.org.uk/idoc.ashx?docid=79ba408d-7c02-499e-8cd6-b18dd48de58d&version=-1 |date=15 May 2013 }}. [[Cornish Language Partnership]].</ref> is an archaeological site near [[Sancreed]], on the [[Penwith]] peninsula in [[Cornwall]], United Kingdom. It consists of evidence of both [[Iron Age]] and post-Iron Age settlement,<ref>Craig Weatherhill ''Cornovia: Ancient Sites of Cornwall & Scilly'' (Alison Hodge 1985; Halsgrove 1997, 2000)</ref> with excavation on the site showning activity at Carn Euny as early as the Neolithic period. The first timber huts there were built about 500 BC, and 400-500 years later were replaced by stone huts; the remains of which are still visible.

Carn Euny is best known for the well-preserved state of the large [[fogou]], an underground passageway, which is more than {{convert|65|ft|m|abbr=off}} long. This fogou runs just below the surface of the ground and is roofed with massive stone slabs.

The site was abandoned late in the [[Roman Britain|Roman]] period.

==Location==
[[File:Carn Euny ancient village - geograph.org.uk - 649875.jpg|thumb|View from the Fogou]]
Carn Euny lies in southwest [[Cornwall]] in the [[Penwith]] District, near the village of [[Sancreed]]. The archaeological site can be accessed at any time and the admission is free. Parking can be found in the nearby hamlet of [[Brane, Cornwall|Brane]].<ref>[https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/carn-euny-ancient-village/ Carn Euny Ancient Village] – English Heritage</ref> The site is overlooked by the Iron Age [[Hillforts in Britain|hill fort]] of [[Caer Bran]]. Another similar Romano-British settlement is [[Chysauster Ancient Village|Chysauster]] about 10&nbsp;km to the northeast. Carn Euny is managed by the [[Cornwall Heritage Trust]].

==Construction==
Traces of human activity in Carn Euny have been detected from the early [[Neolithic]] period. Iron Age [[Roundhouse (dwelling)|round house]]s of [[wattle and daub]], mud and wood were built around 500-400 BC,<ref name="EHH">{{Cite web |title=History of Carn Euny |url=https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/carn-euny-ancient-village/history/ |access-date=2024-03-07 |website=English Heritage}}</ref> and replaced by stone houses starting in the 1st century BC. Some of these stone houses were "replaced with larger, stone ‘courtyard’ houses" between 200-400 AD,<ref name="EHH" /> the remains of which are the ruins still visible above ground as the older roundhouses are only left as sub-surface ruins.<ref name="EHD">{{Cite web |title=Description of Carn Euny |url=https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/carn-euny-ancient-village/history/description/ |access-date=2024-03-07 |website=English Heritage}}</ref> Seven single-room stone houses, of both a round and oval form, and three courtyard houses are in evidence; courtyard houses only being found in Cornwall.<ref name="EHD" />

The most important structure of the site is the [[fogou]] (''Ogo'' being [[Cornish language|Cornish]] for cave),<ref name="EHD" /> a man-made underground passage which is covered with massive stone slabs. Fogous can be found in other places in the UK and Ireland, and are known more generally as [[souterrain]]s. Their purpose is unclear. The fogou at Carn Euny is in particularly good condition and consists of a 20 m long corridor, with a side passage that leads to a round stone chamber with a collapsed roof, and a small tunnel which may be a second entrance.<ref>[http://www.stonepages.com/england/carneuny.html ''Carn Euny''] at [http://www.stonepages.com/home.html Stone Pages]</ref>

At this time the people of Carn Euny lived from agriculture, livestock, trade, and perhaps [[Tin mining in Britain|tin mining]]. Evidence of farming here includes 40 acres enclosed within a field boundary, which is most likely the area farmed by this settlement.<ref name="EHH" /> The inhabitants likely grew oats, barley and rye, and kept sheep, [[British Primitive Goat|goat]]s and cattle.<ref name="EHH" /> The courtyard houses "may have been used for stabling livestock, crop processing and outdoor cooking."<ref name="EHD" />

==Excavations==
[[File:Carneuny.jpg|thumb|Drawing by John Thomas Blight, 1868]]
The site was discovered in the early 19th Century by prospectors searching for tin deposits. Between 1863 and 1868, the antiquarian [[William Copeland Borlase]] examined the archaeological site and exposed the fogou. The graphic artist [[John Thomas Blight]] made corresponding engravings for the excavation report. During the 1920s, Dr. Favell and Canon Taylor discovered the foundation walls of the houses with courtyards. Between 1964 and 1972, extensive excavations were carried out, in which nine hut foundations were discovered. The fogou and the circular chamber were investigated and restored. Four main occupation phases between the 5th century BC and the 4th century AD were found.<ref>[http://www.historic-cornwall.org.uk/a2m/rom_british/courtyard_house/carn_euny/carn_euny.htm ''Carn Euny''], Cornwall's Archaeological Heritage – Access to Monuments</ref>

==Chapel Euny Well==
[[File:Chapel Euny holy well - geograph.org.uk - 658601.jpg|thumb|Chapel Euny well]]
West of the settlement are a pair of ancient wells. One is mentioned in ''The Legendary Lore of the Holy Wells of England''<ref>{{cite book
 | last = Hope
 | first = Robert
 | title = The Legendary Lore of the Holy Wells of England including Rivers, Lakes, Fountains and Springs.
 | publisher = Elliot Stock
 | year = 1893
 | url = http://www.antipope.org/feorag/wells/hope/contents.html }}
</ref> of 1893 where [[William Borlase]]<ref>Dr. Borlase was the author of ''"The Natural History and Antiquities of Cornwall, and Observations of the Scilly Islands"'' and the vicar of [[Ludgvan]]. He died 31 August 1772 aged 77</ref> states (writing in the 1750s):<blockquote>''"I happened luckily to be at this well upon the last day of the year, on which, according to vulgar opinion, it exerts its principal and most salutary powers. Two women were here, who came from a neighbouring parish, and were busily employed in bathing a child. They both assured me that people who had a mind to receive any benefit from St. Euny's Well must come and wash upon the three first Wednesdays in May. Children suffering from mesenteric disease<ref>''Mesenteric disease'' is tuberculosis of lymph glands inside the abdomen. An illness of children caused by drinking milk from cows infected with tuberculosis. Now uncommon as milk is pasteurised</ref> should be dipped three times in Chapel Uny [[Widdershins|widderschynnes]], and widderschynnes dragged three times round the well."''</blockquote> It is also referred to as St. Eurinus' or Uny's Well (i.e. well of St [[Euny]]) and may be confused with Saint Euny's Well at [[Carn Brea, Redruth|Carn Brea]].

==See also==
{{Portal|Cornwall}}
*[[Chysauster]]
*[[Petrosomatoglyph]] Symbolism
*[[Ringfort]]

==References==
{{Reflist|colwidth=30em}}

== External links ==
{{Commons category|Carn Euny}}
* [https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/carn-euny-ancient-village/history/  History on Carn Euny: English Heritage]
*[https://my.matterport.com/show/?m=YCFQHFZymLP Digital tour of the Carn Euny fogou]
*{{oscoor gbx|SW402288}}

{{Authority control}}
{{Coord|50.10234|N|5.63448|W|region:GB_source:enwiki-osgb36(SW402288)|display=title}}<!-- Note: WGS84 lat/long, converted from OSGB36 grid ref -->

[[Category:Buildings and structures in Cornwall]]
[[Category:History of Cornwall]]
[[Category:Iron Age sites in Cornwall]]
[[Category:Prehistoric sites in Cornwall]]
[[Category:English Heritage sites in Cornwall]]
[[Category:Cornish courtyard houses]]
[[Category:Fogous]]