đ On the rugged cliffs of Cornwall, England, lies one of the most fascinating rocks in historyâLogan Rock of Treen. This 80-ton balancing stone could once be rocked with just a gentle touch, and for centuries it was surrounded by myths, legends, and mystery.
From ancient Druid stories to the shocking event in 1824 when Lieutenant Hugh Goldsmith toppled it, this is the incredible story of the Logan Rock. Discover how locals reacted, how it was restored, and why it still captures the imagination of visitors today.
⨠In this video, youâll learn:
The legend of the rocking stone and its mystical powers
How one Navy officer caused outrage by knocking it down
The massive effort to restore it to its original place
Why Logan Rock remains a must-visit landmark in Cornwall
If you love history, travel, and mysterious places, this story is for you! Donât forget to subscribe for more amazing tales from around the world đ.
00:02We are going to travel to the rugged cliffs of Cornwall, England, where one of the most
00:07fascinating rocks in history stands, or should I say rocks back and forth.
00:12This is the tale of the Logan Rock of Tyrian, a story filled with mystery, legends and even
00:17a little scandal.
00:19So sit back and let's dive into this incredible journey.
00:22On the edge of the cliffs overlooking the English Channel, about a mile south of the
00:27small village of Tyrian, stands a massive stone weighing 80 tons, imagine that 80 tons.
00:34But here's the twist, this giant rock is so perfectly balanced on its base, that even
00:39a child could once move it with just a gentle push.
00:43The rock is called Logan Rock, and the names come from the old Cornish word logging, which
00:49simply means rocking.
00:51Cornwall has a few of these balancing stones, but Logan Rock is by far the most famous.
00:57Long ago, people did not believe that such rocks were a natural wonder.
01:02They thought they were placed there by humans, maybe even by the ancient Druids.
01:08According to old legends, Logan Rock was no ordinary stone.
01:12It was a kind of magical judge.
01:14The story went like this, if someone touched the rock with a pure heart, it would move easily.
01:20But if a person was guilty, even a giant's strength could not make it budge.
01:25In fact, poet William Mason wrote in the 18th century that it would move at the lightest
01:31touch of the innocent, but remain fixed for traitors, no matter how strong they were.
01:36So in the eyes of locals, Logan Rock was not just a stone, it was a sacred test of truth.
01:42The rock even caught the attention of scholars.
01:46In 1864, Dr. William Borliss described it in detail in his book Antiquities of Cornwall.
01:52He noted how huge it was, yet so finely balanced that it could be moved by hand.
01:58And he also explained why it was nearly impossible to knock it out of a place with levers or tools.
02:06In other words, this was not just a tourist attraction.
02:09It was a marvel of nature, respected and admired.
02:13Now comes the dramatic part of the story.
02:16Fast forward to the year 1824.
02:18A young Royal Navy officer named Lieutenant Hug Goldsmith, who by the way was the nephew
02:24of the famous poet Oliver Goldsmith, arrived in Cornwall.
02:28He was in command of a small ship called the HSM Nimble.
02:32After hearing about the mysterious Logan Rock, Goldsmith became curious, was it really immovable
02:38or was it all about just a local myth?
02:41So one evening, after finishing their naval duties, he gathered nine sailors and set off
02:46to test the stone.
02:47At first, Goldsmith and his men tried using hand spikes to lever the rock, but it did not
02:53budge.
02:54Then they began rocking it harder and harder.
02:56They pushed with such force that Goldsmith himself started to worry.
03:01It might actually topple.
03:02He shouted for them to stop, but it was too late.
03:06With the mighty lurch, the Logan Rock fell off its purse.
03:09Luckily it did not tumble into the sea, where it would have been lost forever.
03:14Instead it got stuck in a narrow crevices below.
03:17But still the damage was done.
03:19The legendary Logan Rock was no longer in its place.
03:23When word spread through Cornwell, the people were furious.
03:26Logan Rock was not just a wonder.
03:28It was a major tourist attraction.
03:31Families earned their living by guiding visitors to see it.
03:34And now because of Goldsmith's reckless stunt, it was gone.
03:38One local politician, Sir Richard Vivian, declared that Goldsmith should be prosecuted with full force.
03:45Many townspeople even demanded that the Royal Navy strip him off his commission unless he restored the rock at his own expense.
03:54Goldsmith was shocked in a letter to his mother.
03:57He admitted he had no idea how important the rock was.
04:01He wrote that the newspaper made him out to be worse than a murder.
04:06The whole town of Penzance was in uproar.
04:09Thankfully Goldsmith found an L.A.
04:11A well-known engineer and politician, Davis Gilbert, convicted the admiralty to help.
04:17They provided equipment for free and even donated money to the cause.
04:22But Goldsmith still had to pay most of the cost himself, around ÂŁ130, which was a huge amount at the time.
04:30After months of planning, the Great Operation began on October 29, 1824.
04:35More than 60 men worked together, using ropes, pulleys and sheer manpower.
04:40Finally, on November 2, in front of thousands of spectators, Logan Rock was hauled back up the cliff and carefully placed in its original spot.
04:50However, there was one problem, it never rocked quite the same again.
04:54For a while after its restoration, the rock was chained and paddled off, so no one could repeat Goldsmith's mistake.
05:02The anchor holes from that effort can still be seen around the side today.
05:06Although Logan Rock does not rock as easily as it once did, it still moves if you push it in just the right way.
05:14According to later historians, if you have the southwestern corner with a steady rhythm, the motion can continue with just one hand.
05:23As for Lieutenant Goldsmith, he never rose very high in the Navy.
05:27He kept commanding small ships until his death at the sea in 1841.
05:32He did, however, repay the debt for moving the rock before he died, perhaps as a way of clearing his conscience.
05:39And that's my friend is the tale of the Logan Rock of Tyrian, a story of nature's wonder, old legends and a mistake that nearly destroyed a famous landmark.
05:49Next time you visit Cornwall, stands by the cliffs of Tyrian, feel the sea breeze and the remember the story of the rock that once balanced so delicately it could be moved by a child.
06:01Thank you for joining me on this journey through history, if you enjoy this story, don't forget to like, share and subscribe for more fascinating tales from around the world.
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