King Arthur's Hall in Cornwall found to be 4,000 years older than previously thought

Recent archaeological discoveries reveal that King Arthur’s Hall on Bodmin Moor in Cornwall dates back to the Neolithic Period, approximately 5,000 to 5,500 years ago, making it much older than previously thought. The structure, originally considered a medieval animal pound, has been re-dated using cutting-edge scientific methods, fundamentally changing the understanding of its origins.

The Cornwall Archaeological Unit (CAU) led the project as part of Cornwall National Landscape’s "A Monumental Improvement" initiative, with funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund and additional support from Historic England and Cornwall Heritage Trust. The archaeological work involved collaboration with experts from the Universities of Reading, St Andrews, and Newcastle, and was supported by local volunteers.

Optically Stimulated Luminescence (OSL) and radiocarbon dating were key in determining the new age of the monument. Samples were collected to examine fossilised remains of plants, animals, and pollen within the monument’s sediments. "To have a definite date for King Arthur’s Hall in the later fourth millennium BC is a major revelation, necessitating a re-evaluation of the prehistoric landscape of Bodmin Moor," Dr. Tim Kinnaird of the University of St Andrews said.

King Arthur’s Hall is a unique rectangular enclosure of 56 standing stones, some partially over two meters high, forming a stone-lined structure whose original purpose remains a mystery. The monument was first documented in 1583 by the English cartographer John Norden, who wrote, "It is called Arthur's Hall, and it is traditionally believed that the famous King Arthur resided here."

"We have supported the investigations at King Arthur’s Hall with grant funding and specialist advice to ensure that the cutting-edge scientific methods used to analyse the monument had the best chance of producing results. The news that King Arthur’s Hall is Neolithic in origin is exciting and adds significant time depth to this enigmatic site, which has few parallels in England," stated Phil McMahon, Inspector of Ancient Monuments at Historic England.

The discovery has significant implications for the understanding of prehistoric Britain. Pete Herring, President of the Cornwall Archaeological Society, reflected, "While the site may have had sacred uses, it retains its mystery as there are no exact Neolithic parallels for a structure like this in the UK." The site's rectangular shape is unique in England, but similar Neolithic structures exist in regions like Brittany, suggesting a potential ritual or communal function.

"The King Arthur’s Hall project provided a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, using scientific dating to understand more about this unique and enigmatic monument—the main question being, when was King Arthur’s Hall built?" James Gossip, Senior Archaeologist from the Cornwall Archaeological Unit and fieldwork director for the project, said. "Knowing when King Arthur’s Hall was built will help us understand this unique monument form better, how it might have originally been used and how it could have been used over time," He added.

The archaeological team discovered that the stones likely came from within 250 meters of the site and were possibly dug out from the interior rather than from a distant tor. Core samples collected during the excavations allowed for reliable dating of the structure. Combining OSL with radiocarbon dating enabled scientists to achieve a precise date between 5,500 and 5,000 years ago, placing the monument in the Middle Neolithic period, around the same epoch as Stonehenge.

Investigations in 2013 and 2014 had suggested that the stones of King Arthur's Hall may have supported the surrounding bank and that the structure possibly represented a ritual basin. The recent findings support the idea of varied use across millennia. Evidence suggests that King Arthur’s Hall may have served as an animal pound or reservoir in later periods, including the medieval era.

Efforts are underway to preserve King Arthur’s Hall due to its heritage and environmental importance. Historic England, in partnership with Cornwall National Landscape, is developing a management plan to protect the site. The plan includes reinforcing fencing to guard against erosion from grazing cattle and creating educational resources to help visitors understand the site’s historical significance.

Sources: TheMoorlander, Der Standard, HuffPost Spain

This article was written in collaboration with generative AI company Alchemiq