The mystical portal stone of Mên-an-Tol

Standing near the Madron to Morvah road in Cornwall, United Kingdom, the Mên-an-Tol consists of three upright granite stones. But only one of them holds a peculiar secret - the holed stone, known to locals as the ‘Crick Stone’ and the ‘holed stone of Mên-an-Tol’. This stone, with its distinctive circular hole, is said to be a portal for fairies or piskies and to have the power to cure various ailments and even grant magical powers. The name Mên-an-Tol, meaning ‘the stone of the hole’ or ‘the holed stone’, comes from the Cornish language and refers to this unique stone.

It is unclear when the position of the stones was changed, but it is believed that the holed stone may have been part of a destroyed tomb. Local farmers were told that crawling through the holed stone could relieve back or limb pain, and it is said that babies were once passed through the stone to get the real child back. Many visitors still have their photograph taken whilst placing their heads through the central hole. While the changes in the position of the stones at Mên-an-Tol and the nearby Boscawen-Un stone circle are unclear, the holed stone at Mên-an-Tol is not known to be used in other sites.

Its mysterious powers and historical significance make Mên-an-Tol a unique historical site to visit, whether you believe in the legends or not.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons