Reasons for Designation
Lundy is a small,steep sided island in the Bristol Channel,16m north of Hartland Point,north Devon.Aligned north-south,it is 6km long by 1km wide and supports a predominately moorland vegetation.The 100m high cliffs and tabular form give it a striking appearance,visible in clear weather from parts of south west England and south Wales.Lundy's remoteness and(until the 19th century construction of the Beach Road)its inaccessibility,combined with a lack of shelter and cultivable soils,has meant that it has escaped more recent occupation or development.It therefore preserves a remarkable variety of archaeological sites from early prehistory(c.8000 BC)onwards,representing evidence for habitation,fortification,farming and Industry.There are also archaeological remains in the waters surrounding the island-over 150 shipwrecks are already recorded.Most of the island's archaeology is well documented from detailed survey in the 1980s and 1990s.Standing stones are prehistoric ritual or ceremonial monuments with dates ranging from the late Neolithic period to the end of the Bronze Age.They are often(as on Lundy)conspicuously sited and close to other contemporary monument classes;many,for example,are found on the edge of round cairns and barrows.Nine standing stones are recorded on Lundy,all believed to be still in their original positions and constituting an important group.Their survival in an environment virtually unchanged from prehistoric times means that they can be clearly seen in terms of the topographic setting in which they were constructed.A study of this group of stones concluded that,together,they represent evidence of a solar calendar.This standing stone on Ackland's Moor survives well in its original location and undisturbed by later antiquarian interest.The stone is unusual in being packed below and around the base with small stones to hold it upright;most stones of this type are earthfast.The stone and its surrounding soil will provide evidence for the construction and use of the monument,and of environmental conditions prevalent at the time.
Details
The monument includes a standing stone on Acklands Moor 170m north east of The Old Lighthouse,Lundy.It is one of nine such stones recorded on Lundy,all of which are to be found across the southern part of the island.The stone is of local granite and stands 1.4m high,2m wide and 0.75m thick.Its edge is aligned north east to south west.It is not earthfast but packed from below with small stones bedded in the ground to hold the stone in place.
MAP EXTRACT
The site of the monument is shown on the attached map extract.It includes a 2 metre boundary around the archaeological features,considered to be essential for the monument's support and preservation.
