Mên-an-Tol belongs to a type of megalithic structure that includes a horizontal stone with a circular hole in the center, surrounded by other upright stones. This ancient monument dates back to the Bronze Age and has a history spanning millennia. It was constructed between 3500 and 1500 BCE.
An iconic Cornish site. Part of a wider ancient landscape on the moors around Ding Dong mine. A circular walk is an ideal choice here as you can visit Mên-an-Tol, Nine Maidens stone circle, Ding Dong Mine, Lanyon Quoit and other neolithic sites all in one go pretty quickly.
In 1993, the Cornwall Historic Environment Service published a detailed report with the latest research results. They suggested that the standing stones originated from a stone circle which consisted of 18 to 20 stones. The holed stone, however, could be part of a nearby portal tomb. It also possible that the holed stone stood at the center of the stone circle and served to frame specific points on the horizon. Such a use of a holed stone is not known in other sites, although the nearby stone circle of Boscawen-Un does have a central standing stone.
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