They used to live in a forest, which is now submerged below the waters of Mount’s Bay, and began building the mount by carrying in huge loads of granite. This pair are husband and wife and are famously responsible for building the iconic Cornish landmark of St Michael’s Mount. These tales are not set in stone and many different versions exists in the popular imagination of times long ago, when giants once strode across Cornwall. Here are some of the best stories of Cornish giants for you to enjoy. Giants are most notably found in Norse mythology, playing a central role in their battles against the gods. Stories of giants are not confined to Cornwall by any means and feature heavily in Celtic mythology which has survived in Wales and Ireland. The answer is, of course, because a pair of giants spent their time lobbing the rocks at each other.Ī Norse giant, bemused at the bravery of the the god Thor Most commonly, they are used as a story to explain some natural phenomenon, such as why a hillside is littered with rocks. Tales of giants are associated with St Michael’s Mount, all over Penwith, Carn Brea, St Agnes, Portreath and Bedruthan. 'Dream find' at Tintagel dating from King Arthur time shows it was the seat of Cornish kingsĪnd they pop up - usually on hillsides - all over Cornwall the further west you go.They are often, but not always, depicted as lazy, fierce brutes who terrorise the lowly human population. However, you only have to scratch the surface and legends of giants dating back hundreds of years rise up in surprising numbers. You don’t often here of giants nowadays – think Cornish myths and images of King Arthur, piskies, knockers or mermaids spring more readily to mind. The tall tales of giants in Cornwall have captivated people for centuries with stories of terror, man-eating monsters and even captured princesses.

Jack the giant killer wall