Cornwall is a land shaped by giants, or so local myths and legends would have us believe. And perhaps it’s not surprising that a place peppered with towering granite tours, rocky outcrops, and mysterious ancient monuments should have given rise to such stories.

Whether or not a race of Cornish giants did have a hand in the formation of St Michael’s Mount, Carn Brea, and St Agnes Beacon, they’ve certainly left their mark on Cornwall’s collective imagination. According to legend they guarded treasure, wielded strange magic, and caused mischief in their breaks from carving cliffs, raising rocks, and shaping shores.

Historian and writer Elizabeth Dale introduces us to some colossal characters from Cornish folk tradition in this short video.