THE KASSITEROS PROJECT

Primary source · AD 238 onward (composite evidence series)

Inscribed stones of Cornwall and the South-West

The inscribed-stone dossier connects literary geography to archaeology by placing named, datable texts in the physical landscape of Cornwall and western Britain. Roman milestones and post-Roman memorial inscriptions demonstrate literacy, movement, authority and named communities without requiring a literary intermediary.

The inscribed standing stone known as Mên Scryfa in Cornwall.
Mên Scryfa, Madron, Cornwall. Jim Champion / Geograph via Wikimedia Commons · source · CC BY-SA 2.0

Why this source matters

The inscribed-stone dossier connects literary geography to archaeology by placing named, datable texts in the physical landscape of Cornwall and western Britain. Roman milestones and post-Roman memorial inscriptions demonstrate literacy, movement, authority and named communities without requiring a literary intermediary.

Primary-source dossier

The excerpts below are reproduced from the Ictis Anthology — a working paper produced during research for the project. Some of the results were spun off into New Perspectives on the Ictis of Pytheas of Massalia.

Roman Milestones

After Thompson, I. (2013) Cornish Milestones. Twelveheads Press.

LocationLocation Date Inscription
Menheer Farm, Redruth AD 238-244 IMP CAES ANT GORDIANO PIO FEL
Trethevey Church, Tintagel AD 251-253 IMP C DOMI N GALLO ET VOLVS
Breage Church AD 260-268 IMP C DO NO MARC CASSI ANIO
St Hilary Church AD 306-337 IMP CAES FLAV VAL CONSTANTINO PIO NOB CAES DIVI CONSTANTINI PII FEL AUGUSTI FILIO
Tintagel Church AD 308-324 IMPC G VAL LIC LICIN

Post-Roman Inscribed Stones:

After Thomas, C. (1994) And Shall These Mute Stones Speak?: Post-Roman Inscriptions in Western Britain. University of Wales Press.

County Location Date Inscription
Cornwall Lancarffe, Bodmin DUNOCATI
Cornwall Cardinham Churchyard RANOCORI
Cornwall Welltown Crossroads, Cardinham VAILATHI
Cornwall Cuby Church NONNITA
Cornwall Bleu Bridge, Gulval QUENATAUCI
Cornwall Lanivet Church ANNICU
Cornwall Lewannick Churchyard INGENUI
Cornwall Lewannick Church ULCAGNI
Cornwall Men Scryfys, Madron RIALOBRANI
Cornwall Mawgan in Meneage Churchtown CNEGUMI
Cornwall Worthyvale, Forrabury & Minster LATINI
Cornwall Phillack Churchyard CLOTUALI
Cornwall Nanscow, St Breocke ULCAGNI
Cornwall St Clement Churchyard VITALI
Cornwall St Clement Churchyard IGNIOC
Cornwall Indian Queens Churchyard CRUARIGI
Cornwall St Columb Major Churchard … A … FILI
Cornwall Rialton, St Columb Minor TRIBUNI
Cornwall Cubert Church CONETOCI
Cornwall Doydon, St Endellion BROCAGNI
Cornwall Carnsew, Hayle CUNAIDE
Cornwall Lanhadron, St Ewe 11th c.? LURATECUS
Cornwall St Hilary Churchyard NOTI NOTI
Cornwall Treveneague, St Hilary NEMIANUS
Cornwall St Just in Penwith Church SENILUS (chi-rho)
Cornwall St Kew Church IUSTI
Scilly Tresco Abbey COLINI
Cornwall South Hill Churchyard CUMRECINI (chi-rho)
Cornwall Castle Dore Crossroads, Tywardreath DRUSTANUS
Devon Buckland Monachorum ENABARR
Devon Buckland Monachorum DOBUNNI1
Devon Fardel, Ivybridge FANONI
Devon Fardel, Ivybridge SAGRANUI
Devon Lustleigh Church DATUIDOCI
Devon Sourton, Okehampton PRINCIPI (chi-rho)
Devon Buckland Monachorum Churchtown SABINI
Devon Tavistock Vicarage Garden NEPRANI
Devon Yealmpton Churchyard GOREUS
Somerset Winsford Hill CARATACUS
Cornwall Fenton-Ia, Troon, Camborne Late 10th C.? LEUIUT
Cornwall St James, Treslothan 11th C.? AEGURED
Cornwall Cardinham Churchyard 10th-11th C. ARANI
Cornwall Roseworthy, Gwinear Late 10th C RUNHOL
Cornwall Madron Church 7th C. QONFAL
Cornwall Madron Church URITIN
Cornwall Waterpit Down, Minster 11th C.? MEUROC
Cornwall Market Cross, Penzance 11th C.? PROCUMBNT IN
Cornwall Biscovey, Par 11th C.? ALRORON
Cornwall St Cleer 9th C. DONIERT
Cornwall Boslow Common Crossroads, St Just 7th C. TAETUERA
Cornwall Sancreed Churchyard 6th C FILIUS IC
Cornwall Sancreed Churchyard RUNHOL
Cornwall Trevillet, Tintagel 11th C. AELRIAT
Devon Stowford Churchyard 7th C. GUNGLEI
Cornwall Porthgwarra, St Levan Pre-700 AD …IUS SPED
Cornwall Trevaylor Hill, Gulval Pre-700 AD …IUMI…
Cornwall Vellansagia, St Buryan Pre-700 AD EVOCATI
Cornwall Redruth Church Pre-700 AD MAVORI
Cornwall Bosworgy, St Columb Major Pre-700 AD DOVITHI
Devon East Ogwell Church Pre-700 AD CAOCI
Devon Bowden House, Totnes Pre-700 AD VALICI
Devon Beacon Hill, Lundy Pre-700 AD OPTIMI
Devon Beacon Hill, Lundy Pre-700 AD RESTEUTA
Devon Beacon Hill, Lundy Pre-700 AD POTITI
Devon Beacon Hill, Lundy Pre-700 AD …TIGERNI
Devon Caffin Cross, Lynton Pre-700 AD CAVUDI

  1. Perhaps a reference to the Dobunni tribe of the Gloucester/Cheshire area.

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Bibliography and editions

Critical editions and further reading

Rights boundary. Ancient texts and public-domain images are not relicensed by Kassiteros. Modern editions and translations retain their own rights. Only Kassiteros-authored commentary and original project metadata are intended to fall under the project’s CC BY 4.0 policy.