Chysauster Ancient Village, Iron Age settlement ruins in New Mill, England
Chysauster is an Iron Age settlement with eight stone-built houses arranged along a central street. Each dwelling has an open central courtyard and multiple rooms that reveal how residents lived nearly 2000 years ago.
The settlement began in the first century BCE and remained occupied for about 200 years during the Romano-British period in Cornwall. The site reflects a time when Iron Age communities blended traditional ways of living with new influences from southern Europe.
The residents farmed the surrounding fields and raised livestock to feed their families and maintain their community. The arrangement of homes around a central pathway shows how people organized their daily life together in one settlement.
The site welcomes visitors without advance booking and offers free access to explore the ruins. Wear sturdy shoes as the ground is uneven and the location sits in open countryside.
The village contains an underground passage system called a fogou, whose true purpose remains debated among researchers. Scholars suggest it may have served for food storage, ritual practices, or protection during troubled times.
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