Two double stone alignments, cairn and standing stone 700m south west of Laughter Hole Farm

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.

Despite some earlier robbing and restoration, the two double stone alignments, cairn and standing stone 700m south west of Laughter Hole Farm survive comparatively well and will contain information relating to the ritual use of this area during the prehistoric period. This ritual complex lies between broadly contemporary settlements and this group of monuments therefore together provide a valuable insight into the character of prehistoric funerary, ritual and agricultural exploitation of this area.

Details

The monument includes two double stone alignments, a cairn and standing stone situated on a south facing slope of Laughter Tor overlooking the valley of the East Dart River. The eastern alignment is orientated from north west to south east and includes a 164m long, double alignment of at least 23 upright stones, with an average height of 0.23m. The spacing of the stones is irregular and the distance between the rows is 1.7m. A small cairn with a tall standing stone built into its centre stands at the north west end of this stone alignment. The cairn measures 5.5m in diameter and 0.2m high, whilst the standing stone is 2.65m high, 0.7m wide by 0.52m thick. The standing stone was re-erected in 1893 and again in 1911. The cairn was excavated in 1903 by Robert Burnard who found considerable quantities of charcoal.

The second stone alignment lies to the south of the standing stone and is also orientated approximately north west to south east and includes a 10m long double row of at least ten upright stones with an average height of 0.05m. The spacing of the stones is irregular and the distance between the rows is 1m.

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.

Legacy

The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.

Legacy System number:

34459

Legacy System:

RSM

Sources

Books and journals
Butler, J, Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities, (1991), 58

Other
Title: Duchy Farms Survey - Brimpts Farm Source Date: 1988 Author: Publisher: Surveyor: 1:10000 plan

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