dartmoor stone circle walkdartmoor stone circle walk
Scorhill Stone Circle. 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. This has some similarity with the Shovel Down Ceremonial Complex which has stone rows and a stone circle which are thought to date to the late Neolithic or early Bronze Age (approx 2500-1300 B.C.). 15The precise date range for the Neolithic period varies according to different authors. 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. Dewerstone Rock from the opposite valley on the Dartmoor Way. A deserted Scorhill stone circle on - Dartmoor Magazine - Facebook The distribution of flints found from this period excludes areas of deep peat but this probably is a simple reflection of the fact that modern ploughing tends to bring them to the surface7. Telegraph: Ancient stones older than Stonehenge discovered on Dartmoor and BBC: Stone row sheds new light on Dartmoor prehistoric life. Before You Go. 1014 Dartmoor Pl. Six Stone Circles Circular Walk, Chagford, Dartmoor National Park Butler suggests that they are "apparently in a planned configuration".5. In addition three pits were also dug; "the whole of these gave the same indications of charcoal - the remnants of fires of wood; in fact, fires seem to have been kindled all over the circle, for every scoop of the pick and shovel displayed charcoal.". 86 (1953) Parking is limited on Dartmoor. They are known as Grey Wethers as, it is said. 11Gerrard p.25 Thank you. The East Dartmoor National Nature Reserve and Bovey Valley holds many clues and can tell many stories about our ancestors' lives in the area. Walk: White Tor, Dartmoor National Park | Countryfile.com 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. Use the menu above or the walks bar on the right to navigate around the site. Dartmoor Walks This wonderful National Park in south Devon is a haven for walkers with miles waymarked trails. SITES OF INTEREST: Mardon Down Stone Circle & Cairns PUBLIC TRANSPORT: Exeter to Moretonhampstead via Dunsford (Country Bus 359) runs Monday to Saturday. The biggest finds so far of Mesolithic remains on Dartmoor are the thousands of Mesolithic flints found at Gidleigh and Batworthy corner near Shovel Down.20 It is not known whether these sites were continually occupied over the millennia between the late Mesolithic and the early Bronze Age (or late Neolithic) or whether they were vacated and re-occupied at various times. Haytor is the most famous of these rocks. Creaber moor gate in Gidleigh. Without a doubt the most impressive stone circle on Dartmoor. There are theories that they have an astronomical connection but the evidence to support this is lacking, indeed most of the circles are, much like most of the stone rows, only very roughly constructed. Both circles have 30 stones. 25The most convincing evidence for an astronomical alignment at a Dartmoor stone row is at Down Tor (Hingstone Hill). Newman (2011) refers to 12 circles with "some other doubtful examples" (presumably Shovel Down being considered a doubtful circle). This is discussed in detail in the article 'Dartmoor Site: Brisworthy Stone Circle' linked above in this listing. Stones of England - Merrivale stone rows - Stone Pages This site was excavated prior to being buried underneath the clay workings at Cholwich town. There was a rapid decrease in woodland cover at this time. These early humans were not Homo sapiens but of the same genus Homo. Mardon Down. 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. Leave nothing of value in your vehicle to tempt any opportunist thieves. 1,652 Sq. Once through the wall carry on with the forest on your right side along the wide well defined bridle path running parallel with the forest but a hundred yards from it. In the case of Shovel Down the excavation of the nearby Roundy Pound showed evidence of iron working and the extensive reave and field system in the area between Shovel Down and Kestor would suggest the area was occupied during the late Bronze Age and through to the Iron Age.21, Whilst specific dating evidence of Dartmoor Stone Circles is lacking there is evidence from other archaeological excavations which might throw some light on the context of the stone circles. Breton, Hugh Beautiful Dartmoor And Its Interesting Antiquities (Forest Publishing, 1990) 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. FEE: 35 per adult including a coffee and pastry for breakfast to encourage an early start! Also there is useful coverage on the Legendary Dartmoor website, see: The Legendary Cut Hill of Dartmoor Directions will be forwarded closer to the date. For a photo of this site, see: Megalithic Portal: Sherberton circle. 1Stringer 2006, see also First humans arrived in Britain 250,000 years earlier than thought and The first Britons 27-86 (1990) Fleming, Andrew The Dartmoor Reaves (Batsford, 1988) By continuing to use the site, you agree to cookies being used. Here we'll spend a short period of time in silence exploring the circle and then talk about the various archaeological and phenomenological theories of circles. The hills to our right include the distinctive Hound Tor and to our left the closest hill is Meldon Hill above Chagford. A recently discovered stone row on Cut Hill has been found to be embedded in peat that has been accurately carbon dated to 3500 BC, around a 1000 years before Stonehenge13. Pub Stop: Converted into a tavern in 1832 and named in honour of a local logan stone, The Rugglestone Inn is the perfect journey's end for a weary wayfarer. 1 miles (1.8 km) This walk visits the Scorhill Stone Circle and the Wallabrook Clapper Bridge in the Teign Valley of Dartmoor . Most of this four-and-a-half-mile walk is on open moorland and sometimes the 'track' disappears and then re-appears again, but the landmarks are very prominent. The Neolithic period (c. 4500 - 2300 BC)15 is defined as when crop cultivation and farming start to become a central feature of life and culture. No liability accepted for accidents or incidents. A six-mile walking route to the summit of White Tor in Dartmoor National Park. The site would have been impressive in its day and is one of the only ones sited on the top of high ground and has a fine view of the surrounding area. Dartmoor is home to an impressive number of stone circles and rows. At the time only 4 stones remained standing whilst another 21 were lying roughly in place. White Moor (Little Hound Tor) circle was restored in 1896. Easily-accessible paths. 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 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. 2. No dating evidence was found but pollen analysis suggested the row and accompanying cairn circle had been built in a forest clearing.24, The exact purpose of stone circles remains unknown. Later Neolithic farmers were more proficient in agriculture and started deliberately clearing large areas of forest for agricultural use. Since this article was first written a newly discovered stone circle was announced in the January 2014 edition of the Devon Archaelogical Society Newsletter No.117. Scorhill Circle is arguably the most impressive stone circle having the largest stones, one of which is over 8 feet in height. Nine Maidens Stone Circle, Belstone, Dartmoor - Britain Express These settlers were responsible for the remarkable construction of the widespread and systematic field boundaries known as reaves. It's a double stone row separated by a leat which is 263 metres long. (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. Fernworthy, Devon | South West Lakes Trust It is reputed that any adult who passed through the hole would be cured of rheumatism. 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. 18Breton (1990) Part 1, pp.51-2 "situated on a gentle north facing slope overlooking the valley of the River Dart. CANCELLATION: The event will go ahead come rain or shine. Crossing, William Guide to Dartmoor (Peninsula Press, 2001) 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)
