The Cheesewring, a granite tor on the southern edge of Bodmin Moor (Photo by Mick Knapton)

The Cheesewring is an unusual geological formation on Bodmin Moor in Cornwall. The cheesewring is a pile of granite slabs that looks like a "cheesewring", a press-like device that previously was used to make cheese. The Cheeswring, a granite tor on the southern edge of Bodmin Moor (Photo by Mick Knapton) Bodmin Moor is a granite moorland in northeastern Cornwall, England, 208 km² in size, dating from the Carboniferous period of geological history. ... The Cheeswring, a granite tor on the southern edge of Bodmin Moor (Photo by Mick Knapton) Bodmin Moor is a granite moorland in northeastern Cornwall, England, 208 km² in size, dating from the Carboniferous period of geological history. ... Cornwall (Cornish: Kernow) is a county in South West England on the peninsula that lies to the west of the River Tamar. ...

A local legend about this rock formation is the result of a contest between a man and a giant. When Christianity had just been introduced to the British Islands, the giants who lived at the top of the mountains were not very happy about it. The Saints had invaded their land and were declaring their wells as sacred.

One of the larger giants, Uther was charged with the task of ridding their land of the Saints. He confronted the frail St Tue, who proposed a rock throwing contest. If the Uther won, the Saints would leave Cornwall, but if St. Tue won, then the giants would convert to Christianity.

Uther threw first and easily threw a small rock to the top of nearby Stowe's Hill. St. Tue prayed for assistance, and picking up a huge slab found it was very light. One after the other, they threw their rocks, stacking them up in perfect piles. When the score was 12 stones each, Uther threw a thirteenth stone, but it did not land properly and rolled down the hill. St. Tue picked up this fallen stone, and as he lifted it, an angel appeared to carry it to the top of the pile of rocks. Uther conceded and most of the giants decided to follow Christianity after that.

References

• Legends of Cornwall's Stones Gareth Evans, 2005