Brown Gelly
Hill, tor and ridge on Bodmin Moor, Cornwall, England
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Brown Gelly (Cornish: Bronn Gelliow)[1] is a tor, hill and ridge near Dozmary Pool on Bodmin Moor near Liskeard in Cornwall, UK.[2][3]
| Brown Gelly | |
|---|---|
Brown Gelly Cairn | |
| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 342 m (1,122 ft) |
| Prominence | 74 m (243 ft) |
| Parent peak | Brown Willy |
| Listing | Tump |
| Coordinates | 50°31′27.74″N 4°32′52.21″W |
| Naming | |
| Native name | Bronn Gelliow (Cornish) |
| Geography | |
  Brown Gelly Location within Cornwall | |
| Location | Bodmin Moor, Cornwall, England, UK |
| OS grid | SX196727 |
| Topo map | OS Landranger 201 |
At its foot lies Browngelly Downs, and the area has preserved various remains of hut circles, barrows and cairns.[4] Five cairns are located in a semi-circular arc along the ridge of Brown Gelly. They are prominent from a distance and Christopher Tilley suggests they were intended to be seen as a group from the west and the east in order to "analogically resemble or simulate tors".[5] The tor is made of a granitic rock that has less autogenic alteration than other areas of Bodmin Moor due to some type of local anomaly.[6] Archaeological aerial reconnaissance was carried out over the area in the 1980s which suggested the remains of a prehistoric settlement comprising several dispersed hut circles.[7] These structures have also been called a "barrow group" by John Barnatt[8] Evidence of flint production and tin streaming has also been found in the area that supports the suggestion of an ancient settlement.[9]
