Reasons for Designation
Dartmoor is the largest expanse of open moorland in southern Britain and,
because of exceptional conditions of preservation, it is also one of the most
complete examples of an upland relict landscape in the whole country. The
great wealth and diversity of archaeological remains provide direct evidence
for human exploitation of the Moor from the early prehistoric period onwards.
The well-preserved and often visible relationship between settlement sites,
major land boundaries, trackways, ceremonial and funerary monuments as well as
later industrial remains, gives significant insights into successive changes
in the pattern of land use through time. Stone alignments or stone rows
consist of upright stones set in single file or in avenues of two or more
parallel lines, up to several hundred metres in length. They are often
physically linked to burial monuments, such as small cairns, cists and
barrows, and are considered to have had an important ceremonial function. The
Dartmoor alignments mostly date from the Late Neolithic period (c.2400-2000
BC). Some eighty examples, most of them on the outer Moor, provide over half
the recorded national population. Due to their comparative rarity and
longevity as a monument type, all surviving examples are considered nationally
important, unless very badly damaged.
Details
This monument includes a double stone alignment and three round cairns
situated on the crest of a south-facing slope overlooking the valley of the
River Meavy. The stone alignment is orientated from north-east to south-west
and includes a 283.6m long, double row of at least eighty-one stones,
averaging in height between 0.5m and 0.8m. Sixty stones in the southern row
are visible, though more may be buried in the post-medieval field wall which
runs parallel and immediately next to the row. The northern row includes at
least twenty-one stones which are visible within the later field boundary. At
the north-eastern end of the row there is a blocking stone measuring 0.8m
high, 1.2m wide and 0.2m thick, which is partially buried beneath the field
wall.
At the south-western end of the stone alignment are three cairns. The
largest one lies 6m from the identified end of the stone alignment and
measures 9m long, 4m wide and 0.8m high and partially underlies the field
boundary.
The second cairn lies to the north-east of the first cairn and measures 5m in
diameter and 0.5m high. A hollow in the centre of the mound suggests partial
early excavation or robbing. The third cairn lies south-east of the second,
and measures 3.5m in diameter by 0.4m high.
A large number of cairns have been identified in the area south of the stone
alignment. These are not included in the scheduling because they are probably
associated with post-medieval field clearance.
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
Legacy System number:
22290
Legacy System:
RSM
Sources
Books and journals Other
Legal
This monument is scheduled under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979 as amended as it appears to the Secretary of State to be of national importance. This entry is a copy, the original is held by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.
End of official list entry
