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 in the northern part of Tent Field 200m west of St Helen's church survives well despite having fallen.In common with the other standing stones on Lundy it was not earthfast but packed from beneath and around the base with small stones.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 formerly standing stone and its packing stones,situated 20m south of the north wall of Tent Field 200m west of St Helen's Church.The stone is slab shaped and was originally oriented north to south.This can be judged from the void left by the stone when it fell.It was recorded as standing in 1930.The small stones used to pack the base from beneath and around it are still in position.The stone measures 2m long,1.4m wide and 0.5m thick.On the visible surface are two holes drilled part way into the stone and intended for use to blast the stone into fragments before removal.The standing stone is one of nine recorded on Lundy,all of which are to be found across the southern part of the island.
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.
