Nearer is the narrow fir plantation leading down into the valley of the North Teign River, the trees leading right down to the location of the Tolmen Stone which is on our route shortly. The East Dartmoor National Nature Reserve and Bovey Valley holds many clues and can tell many stories about our ancestors' lives in the area. There are two massive megaliths one of which is on the north-western part of the circle. Newman (2011) refers to 12 circles with "some other doubtful examples" (presumably Shovel Down being considered a doubtful circle). I have never before, in my long and eclectic career, been gifted with such an abundance of natural beauty as I experienced filming War Horse on Dartmoor.Steven Spielberg. After signing off a boat in Dartmouth, they would trek across the peninsula to sign on with another boat at Bideford. Jones, Marchand, Sheridan, Straker, Quinnell Excavations at the Whitehorse Hill cist, Dartmoor PAST - the newsletter of the Prehistoric Society, Number 70 p.14-16 (April 2012) LEVEL: Strenuous - this walk requires a good level of fitness and is approximately 9 miles/14.5 km on open and hilly moorland terrain. The path takes you through the woods to an open clearing and vehicle turning area where the footpath sign indicates your way to a lane under some large Beech trees. Breton, Hugh Beautiful Dartmoor And Its Interesting Antiquities (Forest Publishing, 1990) 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. 14Bate (1872), see Report on the Prehistoric Antiquities of Dartmoor Until recently there had been no direct evidence of any tin working or mining on Dartmoor during the Bronze Age. Langstone circle was another impressive restored site until it was badly damaged by troops stationed nearby who used it for target practise during the Second World War. The later Neolithic period sees the transition from the use of stone tools through to the age of widespread metal working, first the Bronze Age and then the Iron Age. No. IV (1894), (2010, Kessinger Publishing reprint) Perfect. 37 pp. 2256 Meadow Oak Cir. Newman points out that specifying a precise time period is misleading since the practices that define the Neolithic period varies in "their occurence, intensity and chronology depending on what region of Britain, or indeed of europe, one examines". forestry walk, hiking, walking on dartmoor, walks on dartmoor, walks with dogs, summit or nothing, hiking routes dartmoor, dartmoor stone circles, dartmoor hiking, hiking uk, Dartmoor hike, walks on dartmoor . Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Baring-Gould, Sabine, Fourth Report of the Dartmoor Exploration Committee, T.D.A. This leads to the lane taking you to the ruinous Manga Farm, well worth a visit. Ancient Stone Row From the stone circle continue to walk uphill you will come to the first double stone row. These rows, some of which have little cairn-circles at their higher ends, are still an enigma: no one knows for sure why they were built. Worth (1953) lists 11 circles but this was prior to the discovery of the Sourton Tors circle in 1966 and does not include Mardon (perhaps not considered on the moor) or Shovel Down although he does refer to it as a "stone circle?" During the ice ages the region became unpopulated. . Just a brief walk from the town square lay the moor . It is 32m in diameter consisting of recumbent stones of a similiar size to those used in the Grey Wethers. These are all under a metre in height, and the ring measures about 8 metres in diameter. It's a double stone row separated by a leat which is 263 metres long. Walk through meadows, woodland and moorland, and take in the fascinating cultural heritage of ancient stone cairns, Bronze Age hut circles and submerged clapper bridges, while enjoying beautiful lakeside views. My walk starts from the Pork Hill car park on the B3357, and heads for Staple Tor with its rock towers, then nearby Roos Tor and across a wild stretch of moorland to the Langstone Moor stone circle. The other notable excavation was of the Cholwich town stone row and cairn circle carried out in 1964 by George Eogan. The path takes you down hill into the woods and continues downhill left at another signpost to the North Teign River, which you cross by way of a wooden footbridge SX671 875. Burl, Aubrey The Stone Circles of the British Isles (Yale University Press, 1976) All the stones are quite small but they have recently been excavated by one of the Dartmoor volunteers so they are all quite visible. In the 1970s a new dimension was added, with the recognition that the long-ignored reaves (ruined walls) are also prehistoric; Dartmoor now posed all sorts of questions about the . What3Words - https://w3w.co/broker.pigs.sandbags. 27-86 (1990) Park at Batworthy Corner by the bridge to Batworthy Farm taking care not to obstruct the turning circle for the local school bus. 17For a discussion of Down Tor and Merrivale and their solar alignments at the solstices, see Walker Dartmoor Sun and Brian Byng's Dartmoor's Mysterious Megaliths. Start point: Shaugh Bridge. Inside the pound are the remains of several walls connecting between the central hut and the outer wall. it's an English Heritage scheduled monument and also considered to be one of the most impressive stone circles on Dartmoor. 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 . In contrast to medieval boundaries, which tend to be higgledy-piggledy patchworks, reaves follow the contours, sometimes for miles, which must have involved a high degree of sophistication and technical skill in surveying and central planning. 9Gerrard (1997) p.61 measured from northeast to southwest and 18.0m from northwest to southeast. With these additions Worth's list agrees with Butler. We have found that circular walks are the most well-loved, so here we have a large number for you to choose from! Petit (1974) refers to 12 circles (his list presumably excluding Shovel Down & Mardon). Vol. White Tor Walk 6. Sorry we know it seems onerous but, given current government guidelines,these are currently being proposed by all guides.). carried out excavations, the following are the most notable cases related to Dartmoor stone circles. Kljune rijei: Summit Or Nothing, Gidleigh, Kestor Rock, Dartmoor Walks, Hiking on Dartmoor, dartmoor walk, scorhill stone circle, kestor rock dartmoor, dartmoor hike, summit or nothing dartmoor, short dartmoor walk, dartmoor walks, walking on dartmoor, dartmoor national park, short walks on dartmoor, north dartmoor The two close-set NE stones display smaller packing stones in the erosion hollows at their bases. It had only 4 stones standing and 3 prostrate, the remainder having been removed by new-take wall builders. "situated on a gentle north facing slope overlooking the valley of the River Dart. One of the stones, lying down, has some signs of an attempt to split it using the feather and tare method. Near the base of the Tor you will see a stone circle or cairn erected to surround a round burial barrow from the Bronze Age, or kistvaen, as they are named on Dartmoor. In addition there are the multiple cairn circles at Shovel Down and Yellowmead. Pettit, Paul Prehistoric Dartmoor (David & Charles, 1974) Today the circle is fairly dilapidated. Hiking to its summit offers unforgettable views and a rewarding king-of-the-mountain feeling. Rising like lonesome watchtowers, these distinctive landmarks are the goal of popular walks. Published April 4, 2022. In the West Country there are 25 stone circles in Cornwall, 17 in Devon (15 of these on Dartmoor), 5 or 6 in Somerset and 7 in Dorset4. (Blue route) Into the valley of the North Teign River to Gidleigh then to Scorhill Down and the Tolmen Stone and back to Batworthy Corner. 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. This is a hunter-gather period when the uplands were used as seasonal hunting grounds. The outer ring of Yellowmead is the largest by diameter of these examples with a diameter that approaches 20 metres. There are a large number of settlements consisting of "hut circles" which can be seen all over Dartmoor except on the highest moorland. This excludes the numerous cairn circles and hut circles on Dartmoor. For photos of this site, see: Megalithic Portal: Down Ridge - Stone CircleNearby sites: SX655127208, Prehistoric Dartmoor Walks: Dartmoor Site: Fernworthy Stone CircleOS Map: SX 65486 84126NMR record: SX 68 SE 56HER record: 6534Megalithic Portal: 530PMD: Fernworthy Stone CircleShort Name: SC FernworthTurner: G13DPD: 138Dimensions (m): 19.3Notes: The Fernworthy circle is part of a group of ceremonial monuments including 3 stone rows and 5 cairns that may once have rivalled Merrivale and Shovel Down as ceremonial centres. 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. Turn right down the lane towards Gidleigh. BC at 95.4% probability).19 There is no dating evidence for the stone circle itself and it seems most likely that the stone circle and stone rows were built much later in the Neolithic on a site that had been in use much earlier in the late Mesolithic. from the northeast side and 0.3m high, is angled towards the circle and may be quite unassociated". Vol. The circles were restored in 1909 by Burnard. Popular Dartmoor circular walks include the wonderful climb to High Willhays, the highest point in the national park. Some of the sites on Dartmoor consist of settlements with nearby complexes of multiple monuments; Merrivale and Shovel Down complexes both have menhirs, stone rows and a stone circle and Drizzlecombe has impressive menhirs, stone rows and associated cairn circles. Barn Hill/Pork Hill car park. 2Burl (1976) p.20-1 8Burl p344-5 & Turner pp.80-2 If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. Parking is limited on Dartmoor. After the Church continue along the lane to a T junction where you turn left signposted to Scorhill and Creaber. The original circle appears to have been c. 30m across, although no stones appear to the west of the old wall. It is clear that many settlements were built long after nearby stone rows, for example the enclosures known as Erme Pound Rings were built with total disregard for the Hook Lake double stone row which is partially incorporated into one of the enclosure walls19. The mild hospitable climate of the Bronze Age deteriorated after a few thousand years leaving these areas uninhabited and consequently relatively undisturbed to the present day. 7Worth (1953) On Shoveldown see p. 221, on stone circles see pp.248-264 The stone circle measures 25 meters in diameter and is denoted by five upright granite slabs, standing up to 1.45 meters high, which are confined to its south western sector. 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. Wistman's Wood Walk 2. The stone circles and many, if not most, of the stone rows would have been constructed long before this period of settlement. Both circles have 30 stones and diameters very close to 33 m and they are within 2 degrees of being on an exact north to south alignment. 24Eogan, George & Simmons, J.G. There was a rapid decrease in woodland cover at this time. 1014 Dartmoor Pl. The circle is 26.8m (88 feet) across. The County Gazetteer for Devon (p.344-5) includes 40 stone rings on Dartmoor most of which are cairn circles. Book the best deals of hotels to stay close to Fernworthy Stone Circle with the lowest price guaranteed by Trip.com! 117 January 2014. Some stiles and open moorland to cross. 1Burl (1976) p.11 After viewing the stone walk upstream and using the two bridges cross the Wallabrook and the North Teign river. Based on Redfin's Oceanside data, we estimate the home's value is $852,323. 12See for example; Worth, Petit, Gerrard, Butler, Newman No. There are hundreds of stone circles in the British Isles that have survived mostly in the highland areas.3 It is very likely that there were many more which have not survived due to clearance and there is evidence that in some areas such structures were constructed of wood. Park in the carpark opposite Belstone Village Hall - marked 'P' on the OS map at SX621938. CANCELLATION: The event will go ahead come rain or shine. 30 pp.97-115 (1898) Tough Dartmoor walk that needs careful navigation. These early farmers are thought to have used wooden shelters and no evidence remains of their settlements. These are thought to have been used as places of ritual or burial, and the largest of these is the Bronze Age stone circle at Merrivale. 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 It would seem that most major prehistoric settlements on Dartmoor would have had their own monuments just as most villages in the historic period would have a local church, a centre for religious, ceremonial and social gatherings. In poor visibility, especially on the Teignhead section of this walk a map and compass is essential. Directions will be forwarded closer to the date. 10Butler (1997) p.145 In Devon the earliest known site used by these people is at Kent's Cavern in Torquay. (2010). Click here for more information on cookies and our Privacy Notice. Baring-Gould in his A Book of Dartmoor (pp.53-55) published in 1900 gives a catalogue of sites that had been severely robbed in living memory. The Sittaford circle was found by Alan Endacott in 2007. The path takes you steeply up and out into less dense woodland, in season bluebells carpet the area. Moretonhampstead 1: Mardon Down Stone Circle & Cairns ROUTE: Short walk. Down Ridge (Hexworthy) was partially excavated in 1904 with charcoal being found "strewn on the floor". 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. These prehistoric stone circles form an approximate arc. Take the left fork where the modern standing stone . Dartmoor Walks & Experiences Dartmoor's Daughter - Walks & Nature Connection Experiences on Dartmoor, Devon We use cookies to help us improve, promote, and protect our services. Reaves cover vast expanses and were very carefully planned and constructed. to 0.5m. These early humans were not Homo sapiens but of the same genus Homo. See also Legendary Dartmoor: Dartmoor's Fernworthy Stone. In contrast the nearly complete Fernworthy circle consists of 27 stones averaging just over 0.5m in height with the largest being 1.1m tall. This could be by design or it could be a coincidence given the wide range of orientations of Dartmoor stone rows. So far we do not even have accurate dating evidence for these monuments although it seems that they are from the late Neolithic and early Bronze Age. The final descent of the day takes down clitter strewn slopes to reach the Tarka Trail near Nine Stones stone circle. Since the days of the Dartmoor Exploration Committee when hundreds of hut circles and other monuments were excavated in a decade or so of frantic activity only a few Dartmoor monuments have been excavated. Some of the stone circles seen on the moor are believed to have been for purely ceremonial purposes. 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". There are great views of the site from Hookney Tor and the high ground on Hameldown. "Nine of the original stones are still standing, plus one larger stone which is incorporated in the remains of the old wall which bisects the western extremity of the circle. WHAT TO WEAR/BRING: Sturdy hiking boots with gaiters if you have them (there are two wet/boggy areas to walk through); plenty of warm layers including hat and gloves; waterproof jacket and trousers (whatever the forecast); drinks/hot flask, snacks, picnic lunch; and head torch.Dogs - By arrangement only please. The circle consists of 23 granite slabs up to 2.5m high with a further 11 recumbent stones. Photo: Emily Woodhouse. The monuments were probably built over a long period of time in the Bronze Age, between 2500BC and 1000BC Length: 20km. Group size is limited so pre-booking is essential. 4 Beds. By continuing to use the site, you agree to cookies being used. The Merrivale circle consists of 11 stones which are smaller than those at Fernworthy. The Scorhill, Brisworthy circles are located near rivers but others such as the Mardon circle are nowhere near a river. Sit by the open fire and enjoy some renowned Dartmoor . The circle was first described by Dr Milles in 1772 who reported around 70 stones. Gerrard, Sandy, English Heritage Book of Dartmoor: Landscapes Through Time, (1997) These small sharp microliths were used in arrow heads and as cutting and boring tools to work bone, antlers and leather. The singular feature of this outer circle is that the three stones are of a fine elvan, entirely different from the nature of the stones in the inner circle, with the exception of one, which also is of elvan.". The path leads you to the left side of the drift lane and to the left wall corner as you go out onto the moors. 25, The location of the stone circles varies greatly. Hiking to its summit offers unforgettable views and a rewarding king-of-the-mountain feeling. An excavation trench was dug right across the circle and was found "strewn with small pieces of wood charcoal". The original survey by the Dartmoor Exploration Committee suggested that there might have originally been a secondary concentric circle consisting of elvan rather than granite stones although the evidence for this today is unclear (see Extract from the Second Report of the D.E.C. 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. The existence of groups of circles adds intrigue to the unknown purpose of stone circles. Suitable for all skill levels. No liability accepted for accidents or incidents. It is located 1km from the Grey Wethers and remarkably extends the arc pattern bringing the total to 8 stone circles in the apparent arc (see diagram above and Map of Dartmoor Stone Circles - Sittaford circle marked in blue). 16Baring-Gould, Fourth Report of the Dartmoor Exploration Committee, T.D.A. At the end of the plantation turn left and only a few hundred yards will bring you to Batworthy Corner and your vehicle. apart and from 0.3m. Breton, Henry Hugh, Beautiful Dartmoor And Its Interesting Antiquities, (1990) Normally it is submerged within the reservoir. For a photo, see Megalithic Portal: Shovel Down NW stone circle. Socket holes were found at Merrivale: "The outlying stone to the east of the circle and the two 0.3m deep pits survive in situ; they may represent the remains of a second, concentric, stone circle". There are two find examples of the slotted five bar gateposts at this farm. 13As late as 1902 Robert Burnard complained bitterly in the Transactions of the Devonshire Association that under the provisions of the Highways Act of William IV the road builders had the legal right to utilise any surface stone to repair roads and he claimed that Dartmoor monuments were still suffering as a consequence and that they had no real legal protection. Dewerstone to Ivybridge on the Dartmoor Way. Places to Visit near Haytor. This would suggest the figure for "true" stone circles is considerably smaller. Wessex Archaeology Time Team Report: Tottiford Reservoir, Archaeological Evaluation and Assessment of Results (2011) Gerrrad p. 24 uses c 4500-2300 BC. Approximately 14 miles/23 km through hilly moorland terrain. Welcome to Dartmoor walks Get to know Dartmoor's towns and villages and learn about the landscape and rich history of the surrounding areas with this series of introductory walking routes.. Flint tools found recently in Norfolk show that there were humans there around 900,000 years ago1. Gerrard, Sandy Dartmoor (Batsford & English Heritage, 1997) The evidence of human activity on Dartmoor during the Mesolithic is from flint scatters around the moors, including finds on Runnage and Ringhill near Postbridge5, Langstone Moor, East Week, Batworthy and Gidleigh Common6. Butler (1997) states that there are "thirteen fairly certain stone circles on the Moor"6 and includes a table listing 14 (this of course being prior to the discovery of the Tottiford circle). You will be able to transfer your booking to another walk. The Grey Wethers is the only example of a pair of stone circles on Dartmoor with two circles of approximately the same size separated by about 6m with centres forming an almost exact north-south axis, the stones all being over 1m in height. In large part this is due to the fact that excavation is an inherently destructive process and in modern times there have to be very good reasons to proceed with excavations.