It is 20m in diameter and consists of 27 small stones. Walk through an ancient and ritual landscape on Dartmoor. Clustered under the shadow of Belstone Tor just outside the village is a stone circle with a Bronze Age cist - a stone-lined burial chamber known as a kistvaen on Dartmoor - at its centre. Take the left fork where the modern standing stone . Carry on down the other side of the hill along the wide grassy path until you reach a small bridge over a leat. Photo by Zoe Lester taken on 04/09/22. Haytor is the most famous of these rocks. Butler suggests that they are "apparently in a planned configuration".5. Dartmoor stone circles - Review of Dartmoor's Daughter, Dartmoor The Nine Stones (Stone Circle, Devon, England) 26Butler (1997) p.146, Baring-Gould, S, A Book of Dartmoor, (1900), (Halsgrove reprint 2002) Dartmoor Walk: Shovel Down and Scorhill Fernworthy, Devon | South West Lakes Trust National Grid Reference: SX5329 7512. Newman (2011) refers to 12 circles with "some other doubtful examples" (presumably Shovel Down being considered a doubtful circle). Grimspound | English Heritage Through open moorland and wooded valleys, taking in wild swimming rivers, ancient stone circles and monuments. During the drought of August 2022 the stones were exposed again for the first time for years. 2. Bate, C Spence, On the Prehistoric Antiquities of Dartmoor, T.D.A. Grid Ref: SX663868Nearest postcode is TQ138ET but Sat Nav is unlikely to get you to the exact location (it usually stops about 3/4 mile before the meeting point near the hamlet of Teigncombe) so please follow the directions which will be emailed to participants. 29 pp.145-65 (1897) With the notable exception of the Scorhill stone circle most of the stone circles were in a poor state of disrepair with most of the stones fallen and worse still the monuments had been robbed as a source of stone for newtake walls and gateposts and some Dartmoor monuments were still prone to being robbed by road builders.13 The Langstone Moor circle was one of the first to be restored for this reason (see Extract from Second Report of the Dartmoor Exploration Committee). Car Sharing - Please car share where possible. The stone circle stands near the confluence of the North Teign River with its tributary the Wallabrook. Without a doubt the most impressive stone circle on Dartmoor. Crossing, William Guide to Dartmoor (Peninsula Press, 2001) The excavations at Fernworthy, Grey Wethers and Merrivale all produced evidence of substantial fires at the sites. There are a large number of settlements consisting of "hut circles" which can be seen all over Dartmoor except on the highest moorland. Reproduced with kind permission - copyright remains with Zoe.Nearby sites: SX81108316, Dartmoor Resource: Guide to Dartmoor Cists, Extract from Second Report of the Dartmoor Exploration Committee, Monuments within 4km of Quintins Man Cairn, The Disappearing Stone Monuments of Dartmoor, Report on the Prehistoric Antiquities of Dartmoor, Fourth Report of the Dartmoor Exploration Committee, Fifth Report of the Dartmoor Exploration Committee, The date and context of a stone row: Cut Hill, Dartmoor, south-west England, Excavations at the Whitehorse Hill cist, Dartmoor, Legendary Dartmoor: Dartmoor's Brisworthy Circle, Megalithic Portal: Buttern E - Stone Circle, Megalithic Portal: Down Ridge - Stone Circle, Legendary Dartmoor: Dartmoor's Fernworthy Stone, Dartmoor Site: Grey Wethers Double Stone Circle, Dartmoor Site: Langstone Moor Stone Circle, Stone Row & Settlements. With small stones from the barely visible above the turf to only a little over 1 metre tall. Apparently "wether" is an old English name for sheep and legend has it that a drunken farmer leaving the Warren House Inn was persuaded that the Grey Wethers were a desirable flock for sale! It would seem likely that most circles were established near population centres and sited to ensure ease of access to the whole community, they probably acted as ritual centres and perhaps also a place for community gatherings much like a local church or town hall. Before You Go. The sites featured are archaeological treasures and most are protected by the law, please treat these sites with respect! 1. Pre-war photos give a sense of how spectacular this site used to be. Legendary Dartmoor: Dartmoor's Prehistoric Langstone Moor, Little Hound Tor (or White Moor) Stone Circle, Dartmoor Site: Little Hound Tor Stone Circle, Legendary Dartmoor: Dartmoor's Bronze Age Landscape of Whitmoor, Dartmoor Site: Mardon Down Stone Circle & Cairns, Dartmoor Site: Merrivale Ceremonial Complex [Photo Set 2], Legendary Dartmoor: Merrivale Ceremonial Complex, Legendary Dartmoor: Scorhill Stone Circle, Dartmoor Site: Shovel Down Ceremonial Complex, Megalithic Portal: Shovel Down NW stone circle, Megalithic Portal: Sourton Tors Stone Circle. Likewise at Hurston ridge the stone row is similarly partially incorporated into an enclosed settlement20. in a discussion about the rows on Shovel Down7. Consider visiting the reservoir which has some nice bits, then head north to Walla brook which has an interesting stone with a hole in it (50.66798440203852, -3.9058846436762638) and another stone circle. 48 pp. The Dartmoor Walks website suggests a few walks for those interested in visiting the ancient settlements and antiquities such as stone rows and stone circles on Dartmoor. With these additions Worth's list agrees with Butler. Korisniko ime: . Dartmoor Walks & Experiences - Dartmoor's Daughter The Palaeolithic (c. 350000 - 10000 BC) is essentially the "old" Stone Age and can be roughly described as a hunter-gather period of development with more than one Homo species. Over Great Staple Tor. . Sale, Richard Dartmoor the Official National Park Guide (Pevensey Press, 2000) The stone circle measures 24.8 metres in diameter and is denoted by five upright granite slabs standing up to 0.76 metres high. We will stop and spend time at each stone circle (as well as the Whitehorse Hill burial chamber of the Bronze Age Tin Priestess/Princess) for anywhere between 10-20 minutes each depending on our pace. No liability accepted for accidents or incidents. 8.15am for 8.30am walking start at the grassy car parking area near 'Roundy Pound' on the way to Batworthy-In-The-Moor above Chagford. Now continue over the hill walking parallel with the edge of the forest on your left using one of the well-defined paths. Click here to view our full cancellation Policy. Walk back along the lane you have just come along for about 400 metres with views to your right of Kes Tor Rock and over the valley to your left to Scorhill Down which you will be walking over a little later on your walk. Summer like heat to freezing snow. These are great books for anyone who enjoys a good walk, Dartmoor is one of the last wild places in the UK, and I highly recommend these books for anyone who . Fyfe, Ralph M. & Greeves, Tom The date and context of a stone row: Cut Hill, Dartmoor, south-west England Antiquity Vol 84, No. . Tap/mouse over a coloured circle (1-3 easy walks, 4-6 moderate walks, 7-9 hard walks) and click to select. Dartmoor National Park is in South West England in the county of Devon. See also: Legendary Dartmoor: Dartmoor's Brisworthy Circle. This gateway affords panoramic views across the valley to Kestor Rock. Vol. By continuing to use the site, you agree to cookies being used. Dartmoor sits upon a granite plateau, and occasionally bare granite "peaks" (called tors) break through the heather. Turner, J.R., Ring Cairns, stone circles and related monuments on Dartmoor, D.A.S.P. Further coverage can be found on Legendary Dartmoor: Dartmoor's Prehistoric Langstone Moor. 2See: Guardian: Humans ventured as far as Torquay more than 40,000 years ago and Nature: The earliest evidence for anatomically modern humans in northwestern Europe Use Ordnance Survey Map of Dartmoor OL 28 1:25,000. A micro-expedition of the very best of Dartmoor. Diagram p.34 site 1.Nearby sites: SX56476550, OS Map: SX 64949 88481NMR record: SX 68 NW 11HER record: 4371Megalithic Portal: 724PMD: Buttern Hill Stone CircleShort Name: SC ButternHillTurner: G7DPD: 147Dimensions (m): 24.8Notes: NNE of Scorhill about 2Km. Prijava. In some areas such as Gidleigh8 and Batworthy9 large numbers of flints have been found which range from the Mesolithic through the Neolithic on to the Bronze Age which shows that these locations were in use for millennia. Join us for a stunning walk to Langstone Moor stone circle. Browse the best walks in Dartmoor and see interactive maps of the top 20 hiking trails and routes. Some cairn circles are found terminating stone rows, good examples being those found at Down Tor and the 2 mile long double stone row on the Erme plain. At the time only 4 stones remained standing whilst another 21 were lying roughly in place. The walk is divided into six stages and is signed en route, apart from on the moorland itself, where the tramway is still visible and therefore self-evident. Approximately 14 miles/23 km through hilly moorland terrain. All the stones are quite small but they have recently been excavated by one of the Dartmoor volunteers so they are all quite visible. At sunrise around the summer solstice the shadows of the stones leading to the cairn circle are cast back from one stone to the next along the length of the row. The tallest of the stones is over 8 feet high. These are thought to mostly date from the Bronze Age although it is thought that some could be late Neolithic or built on earlier Neolithic sites. At the top of the hill you can see Fernworthy Forest ahead of you and to the right of the forest is the small group of trees at Teignhead Farm. These early farmers are thought to have used wooden shelters and no evidence remains of their settlements. There's fascinating geology, a variety of wildlife and a number of granite tors there's so much to see. At a point opposite the end of the plantation is found the Tolmen Stone. The lads of . There has been considerable interest, not only in Devon, in the announcement this year of a recently discovered stone circle high on Dartmoor. Sacred Crescent Walk - 8 Stone Circles to celebrate Summer Solstice Dartmoor's Daughter - Walks & Nature Connection Experiences on Dartmoor, Devon We use cookies to help us improve, promote, and protect our services. The circle was excavated by the Dartmoor Exploration Committee in 1897. New Two-Day Walk in June - Dartmoor Walks This Way In 2004 a previously unknown stone row was found on the remote Cut Hill, approximately 4km west of the Grey Wethers. 19Butler Vol. These hunter-gathers came and went with the successive ice ages during the Palaeolithic period. See also, Legendary Dartmoor: Dartmoor's Bronze Age Landscape of Whitmoor.Nearby sites: SX63298961, Prehistoric Dartmoor Walks: Dartmoor Site: Mardon Down Stone Circle & CairnsOS Map: SX 76764 87203NMR record: SX 78 NE 19HER record: 8289Megalithic Portal: 3376PMD: Mardon Down Stone CircleShort Name: SC Mardon DownButler Vol 5: p.148 & Fig.90Turner: G1DPD: 149Dimensions (m): 38.0Notes: Mardon Down stone circle is the biggest by circumference on Dartmoor with a diameter of 38m. April 23, 2022 OVERVIEW: A looped walk starting at Burrator Reservoir. LEVEL: Moderate - approximately 7 miles or 11 km in open and hilly moorland terrain. (Red route: 5-mile deviation) By turning off early and going straight to Oke Tor, returning the same way . Dartmoor is also home to many ancient settlements, including the Iron Age hillfort at Grimspound and the medieval village of Widecombe-in-the-Moor. Flickr photos, groups, and tags related to the "ringmoordown" Flickr tag. The lane follows the woods on your left and open farmland on your right until you reach a gateway leading out onto a tarmac lane. 10White p. 4 5. Continue up the steep hill passing a house on the right. In 2012 tin beads were discovered when the Whitehorse Hill cist was excavated which perhaps for the first time gives an indication of tin working on Dartmoor during the Bronze Age16. In spite of reckless drivers and narrow hedgerows, I had made it to Chagford and breathed a sigh of relief to see the open country before me. The Stone Age is seen as spanning the Palaeolithic, the Mesolithic and the early Neolithic periods. measured from northeast to southwest and 18.0m from northwest to southeast. Older children 16+ years are welcome if they have sufficient walking experience and fitness. The 8 stone circles form an approximate arc so, taking an archaeological as well as phenomenological approach, we will journey together - sometimes in silence and sometimes sharing our experiences - through this wild and beautiful landscape asking questions of the ancestors, stones, and land along the way. It is thought that the reconstruction is fairly accurate. The Legend of Grey Wethers On the south eastern slopes of Sittaford Tor, are two broken stone circles formed of thirty rough blocks of granite. $300,000 Last Sold Price. The other notable excavation was of the Cholwich town stone row and cairn circle carried out in 1964 by George Eogan. At Langstone: "Outside this circle appear to have been another concentric with it; of this, however, only two stones remain in situ, but the pit hole of another, and the broken top of the stone taken from it remain. 4 pp.491-5515 (1871) or Report on the Prehistoric Antiquities of Dartmoor, The Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland Vol. Three upright stones, between 0.3m and 0.75m high, are visible. For example, another recent excavation in August 2011 of a cist at Whitehorse Hill, just over 3km north-west of Grey Wethers, results in an estimated "date between the 19th and 17th century BC"23 which fits in more with the generally accepted time frame of Dartmoor monuments i.e. Behind you are fine views away to east Devon. The gate is locked but there is a stile here and as you climb it you will see, ahead of you over the fields, the tower of Gidleigh Church. In A Guide to the Stone Circles of Britain, Ireland and Brittany Aubrey Burl (1995) there are 368 stone circles listed in the British Isles with 21 listed for Dartmoor, 13 of which would be considered cairn circles. Ancient Stone Row From the stone circle continue to walk uphill you will come to the first double stone row. Two cart tracks run right through the ring, making its appearance even more impressive. Extract from the Second Report of the D.E.C. A new walking route, Hisley Heritage Walk, has been designed to encourage people to become historians as they follow a five kilometre trail through Hisley Wood. This home is currently off market - it last sold on December 12, 2002 for $410,000. Dartmoor Resource: Guide to Dartmoor Stone Circles Once you leave Round Pound continue north-east along the lane over the cattle grid and downhill along the wooded lane passing Brimstonedown on your left to the sharp right hand bend in the lane. A piece of Homo sapien upper jaw disovered in 1927 was recently dated to a short interglacial period around 44,200 and 41,500 years ago2. The hard part, I was sure, was over. The Dartmoor stone circles are mostly of a similar local character and do not include characteristics such as central pillars found in some of the circles in Cornwall such as Boscawen-Un. As soon as you enter the trees the path takes you up and slightly to the right past a large moss covered rock. The stone circle was partially excavated in 1904 by the Dartmoor Exploration Committee and their work revealed the original ground surface covered with charcoal. Fernworthy Forest | Forestry England 323 pp55-70. 9see also NMR SX 68 NE 29 No. 5727 Dartmoor Cir is a 2,136 square foot house on a 7,560 square foot lot with 4 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms. It is thought that the earliest Mesolithic farmers used slash and burn to create temporary clearings for hunting deer and for raising crops. The footpath is part of the Two Moors Way with the distinctive MW sign on the finger-post indicating the way to Gidleigh and the Mariners Way, another long distance path Mariners Way is an ancient trackway supposed to have taken its name from the sailors who founded it. This year's two-day walk is an almost entirely new route, this time going from north to south and covering some of the most interesting and atmospheric parts of the moor. . 3Burl (1976) (p.8, 11) states that there are over 900 stone circles. One of the stones, lying down, has some signs of an attempt to split it using the feather and tare method. SOUTH-WEST DARTMOOR: Yellowmead circles and Cuckoo Rock Find out where the piskies like to play, as well as a stunning stone circle. Newman, Phil The Field Archaeology of Dartmoor (English Heritage, 2011) Exploring Merrivale Standing Stones on Dartmoor - FlipFlops or Wellies Burnard, Robert Dartmoor Pictorial Records (Devon Books, 1986) This is a low, prehistoric structure close . Start point: Shaugh Bridge. According to Burnard, "all the stones, some of which are five to six feet long to the number of sixteen had fallen the whole of these have been set up in the pits in which they originally stood". 11Gerrard p.25 Click here for more information on cookies and our Privacy Notice. It gave way after the last ice age, around 12 thousand years ago, to a gradual move towards farming - the Mesolithic or middle stone age period. Taking an archaeological as well as phenomenological . Prehistoric Dartmoor Walks Walk alongside the Beadon Brook valley and take in the tranquility of the stream-side woodland. 01:42. Older children 16+ years are welcome if they have sufficient walking experience and fitness. Dartmoor is home to an impressive number of stone circles and rows. The Sourton Tors circle consists of 32 stones all but 6 of which remain were they have fallen. 5 Dartmoor Stone Circles You Should Visit Grey Wethers had a partial excavation in 1898 which uncovered remains of charcoal. Walk & Wild Camp Across Dartmoor Three days hiking and wild camping from the southern edge to the northern tip of Dartmoor National Park. . Today the circle is fairly dilapidated. It cannot be proved that these fires were caused by these early farmers but it would seem most likely. it's an English Heritage scheduled monument and also considered to be one of the most impressive stone circles on Dartmoor. 117 January 2014. Default listing is by Site Name, click here to order instead by: Site Name, OS, Prehistoric Dartmoor Walks: Dartmoor Site: Brisworthy Stone CircleOS Map: SX 56467 65495NMR record: SX 56 NE 64HER record: 3983Megalithic Portal: 542PMD: Brisworthy Stone CircleShort Name: SC BrisworthyTurner: G8DPD: 35Barrow Report: 29 35 Dimensions (m): 24.0 x 27.0Notes: The Brisworthy circle underwent major reconstruction carried out by Breton and the Barrow Committee in 1909.