The Hurlers Stone Circles: A visit to Minions

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Places to see in Cornwall

The Hurlers Stone Circles are a set of prehistoric stone circles, older than Stonehenge in the Cornish village of Minions, on Bodmin Moor.

The village of Minions

As you drive along the Moorland road with stretching views to either side which is uncommon for Cornwall. You will eventually spot a battered, scratched village sign that is covered in those dungareed yellow characters the village has become known for: Minions.

But don’t be mistaken; the name has nothing to do with the small creatures from Despicable Me. Rather, it is named after the Cornish word for “mining”. A practise which turned this area from farmland to village just over a century ago.

But besides Despicable Me fans on a misguided pilgrimage, why would anyone come here?

Here’s why: you can have access to the whole 80 square miles of Bodmin Moor including jutting tors, cavernous quarries and mystic stone circles. Remember when you could just walk right up to the blocks at Stonehenge and trace your fingertips along the ancient stones? Not many do, since the barrier was erected there over a century ago.  

But at the moors which are best explored on foot—bicycles and horseback are banned (though still frequently seen)-you can have an up-close and personal experience with these attractions in ways that you could never have at Stonehenge.  

Open Bodmin Moor

Bodmin Moor is often shrouded in mist or pouring with rain. The Minion’s section of moor is the backdrop for the music video of ‘Why Does It Always Rain on Me’ by Travis.

It is privately owned by the form of a Commoners system. This means that there are no fences between people’s parcels of land. Therefore livestock has more choice over where to go.

Currently, the public are permitted to walk across this land and enjoy all Bodmin Moor has to offer. Dogs should be kept on leads as free-roaming animals—sheep, cattle and ponies—could appear at any moment! Up here you can taste the clear air and hear nothing but the gentle buzz of the animals around you.

The Hurlers Stone Circles

But what you came to see today in Minions are the Hurlers Stone Circles. These three stone circles are older than Stonehenge, but less known and crowded. Here you can, respectfully, walk up to the stones and feel what has fascinated humans for centuries about this very place.

From the people who created it, the farmers and miners. Miners who revered them enough to protect them whilst they dragged all the other goodness out of the Earth. Even more recently to the 2019 feature film The Kid Who Would Be King which features them (and the surrounding area predominantly throughout the film).

The Hurlers, so named as the story goes, were once men who angered God by playing the betting game of Hurling on Sunday. So God turned them to stone. Along with two pipers who stand separate from the circles as a pair.

There is a further stone across the road and angled away called ‘Long Tom’. Supposedly another player who saw what was happening and tried to run, but no luck!

Of course, the stones predate Christianity in England. In fact Long Tom, which is very different from the other Hurlers stones, features a carved Christian cross.

Why were the Hurlers Stone Circles created?

Minions is the highest village in Cornwall at roughly 300 metres high.

So perhaps it seems strange to lug stones up to create a stone circle at this point. It is also, if you choose to see the mysticism, a crossing point for multiple ley lines. More practically it is surrounded by valleys and water, the river Seaton which flows to the sea starts just slightly further up on Caradon hill.

All this means that villages would have been nearby for as long as humans have been in the area. However, it would have been unlikely to have a permanent settlement so high on such barren and unfertile land leaving this blank open space perfect for any ceremonies you may wish to conduct!

This seems to be the most likely reason the Hurlers Stone Circles were created. Even if how and when remains a mystery.

Other paths on Bodmin Moor

There are plenty of other things to explore on Bodmin Moor. Including from the Minions area. Such as the The Cheesewring Tor, Gold Diggings Quarry and Engine Houses.

The Cheesewring Tor

When you have had your fill of the Stone Circles you can continue to walk through them up to the Cheesewring Tor ahead of you.

It is not, as it may look, a pile of stones balanced precariously above a cliff, but instead a singular piece of stone eroded by wind to create the stacked shape. From here, on a good day, you have views of Dartmoor and Devon in the distance, the sea to both sides and Cornwall as far as the eye can see.

Down from the Cheesewring Tor lies Cheesewring Quarry. Now unused and water filled. Accessible only via old rail road tracks. I talk more about visiting the Cheesewring Tor in a separate post.

The Gold Diggings

 If you prefer you can back track to the path from the car park and follow it onwards to the Gold Diggings. The track takes you past the crossroads used in the first episode of the modern adaption of Poldark. It is the spot Poldark first alights from the carriage on return to his home county.

The Gold Diggings is another quarry now filled with water. Although swimming is not recommended here as the water’s depths are known to hide many things including buses, cars and, sadly, the bodies of foolish sheep. The cliffs of the Gold Diggings became the cliffs of the sea in Poldark due to modern age film trickery!

Engine Houses

Or another choice from the stone circles, is to head right to the large Housman’s Engine house. An Engine House-part of the mining process—which has been converted into a Heritage Centre with information boards about the area and its history.

You will see engine houses dotted all over the area in various states of decay. But this is the best maintained in the area and gives you a chance to go inside.

Facilities in Minions Village

Inside the village which can be accessed from either side. You will find all the modern trappings you need after a long (or short) walk. Including public toilets (these charge 20p for their cleaning/upkeep), a village shop and tearoom, a pub and a café as well. Perfect for a restorative pasty and cream tea!