Rillaton Barrow

Rillaton Barrow is a Bronze Age burial mound located near Linkinhorne that consists of an earthen mound constructed over a central stone burial chamber. The structure rises noticeably from the surrounding landscape and retains its original form to the present day.

The mound was built between 2900 and 800 BC, during a period when communities across Britain constructed such burial structures for their dead. This practice remained widespread over many centuries, reflecting stable burial traditions across extended periods.

The mound served as a burial place for community members of high standing, as evidenced by the valuable objects left with the dead. These grave goods reveal something about the crafts and trade networks that connected Bronze Age settlements across the region.

The site is a protected monument under English law and therefore strictly safeguarded. Anyone wishing to conduct research or excavation work must obtain permission from English Heritage beforehand.

The mound ranks among the most intact Bronze Age burial structures in Cornwall, having preserved its original form over thousands of years. This exceptional survival makes it a rare example of how these mounds originally appeared.