The Gatehouse website record for Lesingey Round, Penzance

In the civil parish of Penzance. In the historic county of Cornwall (Modern Authority of Cornwall, 1974 county of Cornwall).

Castle Horneck, (commonly called Lezingy Round) on the hill top... about a mile west of Penzance, is a circular inclosure of nearly an acre and a half..formed by a broad and high annular mound of earth, still in good preservation' (Edmunds). Lesingey Round is a 'small univallate earthwork of a type common in Cornwall. Rampart 12ft. - 15ft. high from bottom of ditch, c. 6ft. high in interior. Ditch remains without encroachment. Almost undisturbed. It is situated on the summit of a hill with a good all round view but the natural slopes are not very steep. The entrance could not be identified; the inner slope of the rampart is absent in places but the outer slope is continuous. A field wall has been erected round the outer perimeter of the ditch, and the whole of the area enclosed is wooded. There are no traces of occupation on the near level interior of the earthwork. No conclusions could be made regarding the date of this feature. Its situation and the strength of the bank indicates a defensive purpose. It seems possible that a mediaeval occupation of an earlier fortification may have taken place,and that it may have been the Castle Horneck referred to by Norden. In 1696 the field name was 'Castle Close' (see 6"). The present house called 'Castle Horneck' is 400.0m to the ESE (see Corn. 74 NW 55) (Field Investigators Comments–F1 JHP 29-SEP-60). Norden refers to Castle Horneck as an ancient ruined castle standing on a mount near Penzance. [Norden's survey of Cornwall took place c.1584.] (Lake). (PastScape)
From the situation, which is much like Restormel, traces of a medieval castle might be expected here, but none are known. (VCH)
This site is about 400m west of Castle Horneck (qv) and it is possible that this is the site of the C12 castle reported and that the place name has been utilised by a later building on a nearby but different site. Clearly there is some uncertain history of a medieval castle and this earthwork is of a form that has led to several interpretations. It would benefit from further archaeological investigation but its current overgrown state make this unlikely.

The Ordnance Survey Map Grid Reference is SW45343035

Sources of information, references and further reading

This site's English Heritage (PastScape) Defra or Monument number is 423945
Further information may be available from the holder of the county Historic Environment Record. In particular 'grey' literature, such as watching brief reports, held by H.E.R.s is often poorly referenced and is unlikely to be recorded in this website, or elsewhere.

Most of the sites or buildings recorded in this web site are NOT open to the public and permission to visit a site must always be sought from the landowner or tenant.

The information on this web page may be derived from information compiled by and/or copyright of English Heritage and other individuals and organisations. All the sources given should be consulted to identify the original copyright holder and permission obtained from them before use of the information on this site for commercial purposes. I do not receive any income from this site and I fund it myself.
The bibliography owes much to various bibliographies produced by John Kenyon for the Council for British Archaeology, the Castle Studies Group and others.
Suggestions for finding online and/or hard copies of bibliographical sources can be seen at this link.

It is an offence to disturb a Scheduled Monument without consent. It is a destruction of everyone's heritage to remove archaeological evidence from any site without proper recording and reporting. Don't use metal detectors on historic sites without authorisation.

Please help me to make this as useful a resource as possible by contacting me if you see errors or if you can add information.
I do acknowledge the help I get with this site.