About Charlie Johns

Charlie is Cornish: he was born on Meneage Street in Helston and attended Helston Grammar School, and lived at The Lizard for many years. Charlie’s first dig was on the Lizard (the Romano-British saltworks at Trebarveth near Lowland Point) in 1969, before studying history at the University of Leicester and becoming a professional archaeologist in 1979. Charlie has worked for the Council since 1991, and has spent much time working on the Lizard, both with the Council and with the Lizard Ancient Sites Network (LAN), an active group of volunteers who protect and maintain archaeological sites on the peninsula. His main current areas of responsibility are projects in the Isles of Scilly and maritime-related projects.

Goo

nhilly

A WALK THROUGH HISTORYExploring the

rich archaeology

of Goonhilly

from the Early

Bronze Age until

World War Two

with Charlie

Johns, Senior

Archaeologist,

Cornwall Council

http://www.the-lizard.org Numbers in square brackets refer to the walk directions

Goonhilly: a walk through history Linking the Lizard Countryside Partnership

Theme Archaeology

The expert

Charlie Johns, Senior Archaeologist, Cornwall Council

What you will see

A menhir and barrows, part of a ceremonial landscape dating back to the Early Bronze Age

What you will see

A derelict croft that was once home to farmers in the early nineteenth century

What you will see

Abandoned buildings from World War Two that were part of the radar station at RAF Dry Tree, monitoring the skies for enemy aircraft

Grade Fairly flat with clear paths, but wear stout shoes as the paths can be uneven and muddy

Best time of year

This walk can be undertaken at any time of year

Facilities Free car parking is available. No toilets. Part of the route at RAF Dry Tree is accessible to wheelchairs

A 3-mile circular walk from the

Natural England free car park at

Goonhilly on the A3293

(SW728213), taking in Early

Bronze Age monuments, World

War Two buildings, and an old

croft

Dry Tree Menhir

Old hedge and meadow at Croft Noweth

MAP AND DIRECTIONS

5.Follow the path as it turns northwards, along a boardwalk and then through a gate and onto the track again. When you come to a track ‘T-junction’, turn west into a wooded area, and watch out on your right for the ruined buildings of Croft Noweth [E]. This smallholding dates back to the early nineteenth century, and Charlie explains more on PDF Sheet 2 (Farming). Feel free to leave the path to explore the old buildings and hedges, but do take care: the site is overgrown in places and uneven, and the buildings are now ruined.

2.Leave the car park and follow the path west until you arrive at a fairly large rectangular building, with steps up to its roof. This is the receiver block [B], one of the buildings associated with RAF Dry Tree, a radar station operating on Goonhilly during World War Two. On PDF Sheet 1 (Goonhilly: World War Two), Charlie Johns describes what went on at RAF Dry Tree, and what you can still see: a number of buildings and other structures remain dotted around the landscape. Do go up to the roof of the receiver block: the view over the Downs is tremendous, and some interpretation panels point out the main features.

1. The walk starts in the National Nature Reserve Car Park [A] for Goonhilly Downs (SW728213), signposted off the A3293 about half a mile before Traboe Cross as you head southwards. Take a moment to look north to admire ‘Arthur’, one of the aerial dishes of British Telecom’s now defunct Satellite Earth Station. Arthur is Grade II-listed, and dominates the landscape here.

If you pick up a copy of the Natural England leaflet from the car park dispenser, you will see there are various paths and routes across the Downs. This walk follows the recommended circular route, but there are other paths to explore. It’s hard to get lost with Arthur in view most of the time.

3.From the receiver block, head south towards Croft Pascoe Pool. Along the way, you’ll notice some regularly spaced mounds [C], covered in heather and other vegetation. These are what remains of an ingenious idea to stop enemy gliders landing. Charlie explains more on PDF Sheet 1.

4.Eventually the track turns west, just above Croft Pascoe Pool [D]. A wildlife haven for birds in all seasons and for dragonflies in the warmer months, this small pool has a hushed feel. A ghostly lugger boat is said to sail on Croft Pascoe on dark nights!

6.As you emerge from the woods and hedges of Croft Noweth, turn northwards again and follow the track as it bends northeast. To the left of the path see if you can spot rectangular, slightly raised, shapes of a few metres wide in the heath [F]. These are mediaeval turf stacks – find out more on PDF Sheet 2.

7.Follow the track, bearing to the left as you approach a wooded area. Just here to the right you will find Cruc Draenoc barrow [G], which dates back to the Early Bronze Age. One of several barrows on Goonhilly, this one is distinguished by bearing an Ordnance Survey ‘trig point’. It is in fact the highest point of Goonhilly Downs – find out more on PDF Sheet 3 (The Bronze Age).

8. A little further along the path, and within sight of Cruc Draenoc, is the Dry Tree menhir [H], which also dates back to the Early Bronze Age. Check out PDF Sheet 3 to find out from Charlie how this menhir nearly became part of a road, and the meaning of the name ‘Dry Tree’. Downs – find out more on PDF Sheet 3 (The Bronze Age).

9.From here, follow the path back to the car park.

http://www.the-lizard.org