From Ithell Colquhoun’s work at Tate St Ives, below, to new work by local artist Alice Kilpatrick at Newlyn from April, and a new exhibition, Echoes: Stone Circles, Community and Heritage, at Stonehenge Visitor Centre, we are fascinated by the stories and connections of neolithic stones across our landscapes.

Cornwall has a vast number of standing stones and stone circles but how to decide where to start, which ones to visit first, or how to find standing stones in Cornwall? I spoke to artists Lally MacBeth and Matthew Shaw, who together founded Stone Club, for the lowdown on their favourites, inspired by Ithell Colquhoun. Plus, how to find Cornwall’s stone circles and standing stones.

Stone Club aims to bring new perspectives to prehistory in a collaborative and inclusive way. Stone Club believes the journey is as important as the destination and encourages people to pause and think about place in new ways; connecting ancient sites through community and conversation.

The Merry Maidens

The Merry Maidens is a late Neolithic stone circle that sits on the road between St Buryan and Lamorna in West Penwith, Cornwall. It consists of 19 stones, and in Kernewek (Cornish) is known as Dawn’s Men or Dons Men translating as Stone Dance. This name relates to the popular legend that the stones are in fact maidens turned to stone for dancing on the sabbath.

How to find The Merry Maidens: Take the B3315 and then park in the lay-by (What Three Words – Duet.Pencils.Activism), and hop over the stile into the field.

Mên-an-Tol

One of Cornwall’s most famous ancient monuments, and rightly so, Mên-an-Tol is unique with its holed stone which is perfect for crawling through. Steeped in folklore it is thought to have healing properties in the curing of rickets and rheumatism – indeed Ithell Colquhoun herself is said to have passed through its hole in the hope of curing her rheumatism, she was not however impressed with the results stating that she saw no improvement in her symptoms. 

How to find Men-an-Tol: Take the B3306 from St Ives towards Pendeen, then turn left at Trevowhan and follow Trevowhan Hill. Park in the lay-by (What Three Words Cheaper.Lawfully.Retailing), go through the gate and follow the footpath, turning right into the field.

Sancreed Holy Well

Ithell Colquhoun is known to have spent time in Sancreed. She drew part of the ancient rood screen inside the church, the resulting image of a three sided face appears in her book The Living Stones. A little way from the church is Sancreed Holy Well, a place which is still actively used with clooties attached to the surrounding trees and tea lights often burning inside the well.

How to get there: Sancreed is between Penzance and St Just. Park by the church, cross over the road and follow the public footpath sign until you reach the well.

Boscawen-Un

This bronze age stone circle consists of 19 stones, all are made from granite bar one which is made of quartz. There is another large central stone that has a number of markings on it. Ithell Colquhoun wrote in The Living Stones about the first ever Gorsedh Kernow ceremony that took place in the circle in 1928.

How to find Boscawen-Un: Take the A30 out of Penzace, past Drift and then Park in the lay-by on the A30 (What Three Words Eager.Marble.Perfected), and walk along the trackway until you reach the gate.

St Buryan Church Cross 

In the graveyard that surrounds St Buryan Church is a Celtic cross set on an enormous stepped pedestal. Like the three sided face from Sancreed Church, Ithell Colquhoun, also drew this cross, and it appears as the first illustration in The Living Stones. The inside of the church is also worth noting – the elaborately carved rood screen has an incredible array of strange and wonderful creatures as well as remnants of very early paintwork.

How to get there: St Buryan is on the B3283 between Drift and Porthcurno in West Penwith. Park by the church, and go through the gate to the churchyard.

Founded by artists Lally MacBeth & Matthew Shaw, Stone Club was set up as a place for stone enthusiasts to congregate, to muse and most importantly to stomp to stones.

Want to win a copy of The Living Stones by Ithell Colquhoun? Head over to our IG page to enter.

Want more? Listen to Lally and Matthew on BBC Radio 3’s Sunday Feature: Hepworth and the Cornish Landscape.