Chysauster Iron Age Fort, Cornwall, England, UK
In the wilds of the far west of Cornwall, not far from the ancient settlement of Penzance, can be found the remarkable remains of Chysauster Iron Age Fort which despite the name, is actually a wonderfully preserved Iron Age Villiage.
Archaeological evidence indicates that the site of the village was first occupied almost 2,000 years ago and some nine houses survive today, along with their terraced gardens.
Although the site is windswept, abandoned and remote, there remains something uniquely powerful about it. The houses have an intimate feel, unlike the more numerous Iron Age burial sites and enough survives give an impression of the lives of its inhabitants in the ancient times.
The houses were built in pairs, and the outline of the stone walls clearly defines them even today. Each has a circular living room, in the centre of which was a stone with a hole that held the main timber roof post, in several of the houses this stone can still be seen as can the fireplaces, along with several examples of the grindstones used for grinding corn.
Archaeological evidence shows that the village continued to be occupied through the Roman period. many other Iron Age treasures found in this site can now be seen at the Royal Cornwall Museum, River Street, Truto.
