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The Queen's Pit is a preaching pit located in Cornwall, England, and forms part of the tradition of open-air religious gathering spaces that developed in the region during the early modern period. Preaching pits were natural or artificially created depressions in the landscape that served as amphitheatre-like venues for outdoor worship and sermons, particularly associated with Methodist and nonconformist religious movements from the eighteenth century onwards. The Queen's Pit represents a significant example of this distinctive Cornish heritage, reflecting the region's strong tradition of dissenting Christianity and the importance of accessible outdoor spaces for religious instruction and community gathering. Such sites demonstrate the material legacy of popular religious practice beyond conventional church buildings.
Preaching pit called the Queen's Pit is a scheduled monument protected by Historic England under reference 1007290. View the official record →
The Queen's Pit is a preaching pit located in Cornwall, England, and forms part of the tradition of open-air religious gathering spaces that developed in the region during the early modern period. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Historic England (NHLE) under reference 1007290.
Preaching pit called the Queen's Pit is a Scheduled Ancient Monument, legally protected by Historic England (NHLE) — the body responsible for designating and safeguarding heritage sites in England. The official designation reference is 1007290.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Three bowl barrows 670m and 775m north west of Homer Downs (5.7 km), Wayside cross and cross base in St Stephen's churchyard, 6m south of the church (6 km), Churchyard cross shaft and base in St Stephen's churchyard, 3m south of the church (6 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 15 strands of Preaching pit called the Queen's Pit's history, each drawn from the record and mapped to the exact spot:
Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.
Preaching pit called the Queen's Pit stands on Devonian Rocks (Undifferentiated), bedrock that formed in the Devonian. The rock here is limestone, mudstone and calcareous mudstone.