|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Fairy
Ring
(C)Guernsey Tourist Board |
 |
Les
Fouaillages
(C)Guernsey Tourist Board |
|
| |
Neolithic Sites on Guernsey |
| |
|
| |
Guernsey is renowned for its wealth
of Neolithic sites, including defensive earth works, menhirs
and passage tombs. Menhirs are large standing stones and
passage tombs or dolmens are stone burial chambers built above
ground. Many of the sites have survived in remarkably
good condition. |
| |
|
| |
La Longue
Rocque Le Route de Paysans, St Peter |
| |
This impressive menhir, measuring
3.5 meters, is the tallest on Guernsey. Traditional
folklore says that the fairies used to use the stone as a
cricket bat. It is also said to increase fertility if
touched.
|
| |
|
| |
Les Creux ès Faies (The Fairy
Grotto) Passage Tomb St Peter Port
|
| |
This ancient
burial site is set on a hillock opposite the island of Lihou
on Guernsey's west coast. The tomb dates to around 3,000
BC and was in use for successive burials until the late Bronze
Age, around 1,000 BC. Two original cap stones of the bottle-shaped
tomb survive. Traditonal folklore states that the tomb
was the entrance to fairyland and that every week the night
fairies would emerge to play near the Le Trépied
passage tomb. |
| |
|
| |
Le Déhus
Passage Tomb Vale |
| |
Le Déhus Passage Tomb, set near
Bordeaux Harbour in the parish of the Vale, was excavated in
1837 The tomb dates back to 3,500 BC. The passage grave
is 10 meters long and has a narrow entrance and broad chamber
and various side chamber. A capstone, thought originally
to be upright, has a mysterious carving representing a bearded
archer with his bow and arrows, known as Le Gardien du Tombeau
(the Guardian of the Tomb). |
| |
|
| |
Les Fouaillages
L'Ancresse, Vale |
| |
Discovered in 1977, this Neolithic
burial chamber stands on the golf course at Ladies Bay to
the far north of the island, nearby by are other ancient graves.
Dating back to 4,500 BC this tomb is one of the oldest structures
in Europe and decorated pottery was discovered inside the
tomb. The grave had a stone platform, cairn, double
open chamber and small enclosed chamber. Around 2,500 BC a
turf mound with a rectangular chamber was added and the structure
was surrounded by a ring of boulders.
|
| |
|
| |
Le Trépied Passage
Tomb St Saviour |
| |
No trace remains of the mound
which once covered this bottle-shaped chamber. Victor
Hugo claimed that this site was haunted by the cries of women
waiting for their lover, the Devil. From here there are breathtaking
views out to sea. |
| |
|
| |
La Varde Passage Tomb
Mont Cuet Road, Vale
|
| |
This impressive passage tomb was
discovered in 1811 during military manoevres and excavated in
1837. It now stands near the 17th green of L'Ancresse
golf course. The largest surviving mdgalithic structure
on Guernsey, the tomb measures 11 metres long by four metres
wide. It was built between 3,000 and 2,500 BC and successive
cremations and burials took place here until the late Bronze
age, around 1,000 BC. The bottle-shaped chamber is tall
enough to stand inside and has graduating upright stones from
front to rear. The capping stone, which measures five
metres long and one metre thick, weighs over 10 tons.
|
| |
|
|
| |
Search
The Site: 
|
| |
|
|
|
|
Book
online with TourUK's
HotelBooker |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
Le
Trépied
(C)Guernsey Tourist Board |
|
|
|
|
|
the internet holiday and travel guide to the UK
