Round barrow on Bin Down

Summary

Beacon on Bin Down, 115m NNW of Bindown Golf Club House.

Reasons for Designation

Beacons were fires deliberately lit to give a warning, by means of smoke by day and flame by night, of the approach of hostile forces. They were always sited in prominent positions, usually as part of a group, chain or line which together made up a comprehensive early warning system covering most of the country. Beacons were extensively used during the medieval period. Their use was formalised by 1325 and although some were used later, for example at the time of Monmouth's Rebellion in 1685 or during the Napoleonic wars, the system was in decay by the mid-17th century. Beacons were initially bonfires of wood or furze, but later barrels of pitch or iron fire baskets mounted on poles were used. The poles were occasionally set on earthen mounds. Access to the fire basket was by way of rungs set in the pole, or by a stone ladder set against the beacon. More unusual beacon types include stone enclosures and towers, mainly found in the north and south west of England. Some beacon sites utilised existing buildings such as church towers. Beacons were built throughout England, with the greatest density along the south coast and the border with Scotland. Although approximately 500 are recorded nationally, few survive in the form of visible remains. Many sites are only known from place-name evidence. Despite being overgrown with scrubby vegetation and thus difficult to detect, the beacon on Bin Down 115m NNW of Bindown Golf Club House is known from documentary references and certainly occupies a prominent and likely location with far reaching views.

History

See Details.

Details

This record was the subject of a minor enhancement on 2 December 2015. This record has been generated from an "old county number" (OCN) scheduling record. These are monuments that were not reviewed under the Monuments Protection Programme and are some of our oldest designation records.

This monument includes a beacon situated close to the summit of the prominent hill Bin Down. The beacon survives at the summit of a knoll which measures approximately 7.6m high. ‘Bindon Beacon’ is shown on J Norden’s map of Cornwall (c.1584) and described as ‘a principal beacon in Morval parish’.

Legacy

The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.

Legacy System number:

CO 231

Legacy System:

RSM - OCN

Sources

Other
PastScape Monument No:-434797

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