Gun Rith Menhir, a 12-foot, Bronze Age standing stone located close to the Merry Maidens Stone Circle near Land’s End (England), has been lifted back into place after falling over back in January.
     Investigations carried out by archaeologists on the stone revealed that it had been set less than a foot in the ground and had been leaning at an angle of 10 to 15 degrees, with estimations that it had been dangerously loose for the past 30 years.
     Senior archaeologist Ann Preston-Jones said, “Most of it was sticking out of the ground. Also we found that at the back of the hole there was a large tree root and we think this was what may have made it fall over, as well as the fact it was a very wet time of year.”
     Restoration of the stone into a six-tonne granite base created by local stonemasons took about half an hour, making it look exactly as it did before the accident, including the lean, as well as safe to visitors.
     Although its purpose remains unknown, it is believed that Gun Rith Menhir is connected to the nearby Merry Maidens, a large circle of 19 stones likely to have been used for religious rites.

Sources: Western Morning News (27 June 2003), Cornish Guardian (3 July 2003)