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Summary

A stone setting or alignment of three large stones spaced over 9.0m in a rough east-west line.

Protected Status: None recorded

Other References/Statuses

• OS No. (OS Quarter-sheet and OS No.): SX17SW 29
• Primary Record No. (1985-2009): 3618
• SHINE Candidate (Yes)
• SMR No. (OS Quarter-sheet and SMR No.): SX17SW 19

Monument Type(s):

• STONE SETTING (Bronze Age - 2500 BC to 801 BC)

Full description

A stone setting or alignment, located and surveyed by the OS in 1973 at 1:2500 (h1, h2), shown on the OS 1984 map (b1), surveyed at 1:2500 by RCHM in the 1980s (h3, h4, b2), and at 1:50 by CAU in 1988 (h5). It is in open moorland (well grazed grass), on a high, slightly undulating plateau. Three large stones are spaced over 9.0m in a rough east-west line. The west stone is near vertical, leaning approximately 20 degrees from vertical to the north. It is 1.9m high, 0.45m at the base and shoulder, going to a point at the top on the west side. It is 0.45m to 0.5m thick at the base, tapering to 0.25m. The central stone lies 5.0m to the east and leans to the north at approximately 70 degrees to the vertical. It has an overall length of at least 1.75m (0.4m under the turf), 0.57m wide at the turf line, and 0.72m at the top, the thickness at the turf line is 0.18m (east) and 0.37m (west), 0.25m top (east) and 0.37m (west). The stone 3.5m to the east is recumbent. It appears to have fallen to the south-east. A small hole under the west end seems to mark where it stood. The full length is exposed (1.7m). It is 0.64m wide at the centre with a pointed top 0.22m to 0.4m to the south-east. Each stone is surrounded by or adjoined by a hollow 0.25m to 0.35m deep, worn by animals and perhaps robbing for small stones. Several small, loose stones in the bottom of the hollow are presumably from a packing. The original position at which each stone stood can be identified with reasonable confidence, showing that the setting is an arc with an approximate diameter of 9.0m. The spacing is irregular (3.5m and 5.25m), though it is possible that the lower gap, between the central stones, was broken by a fourth stone. There is an extremely slight hollow at this point, but no animal hollow if there was a fourth stone, which is doubtful, then it must have been removed long ago. There is no evidence that the arc continued to form a complete circle. Immediately south of the arc, concentric to it and matching it in extent, is a slight turf covered bank of earth and stone, 1.8m wide and 0.2m to 0.4m high. Although there may be some dumping as a result of the robbing of small stones (for example the two small mounds east of the setting), the bank is a continuous and presumably original feature. In summary, in its original form the site would have consisted of a setting of three, possibly four, large stones in an arc, with a concentric arc of slight bank immediately outside it. Although superficially the stones roughly align on the cairn 30m to the east (3617), on slightly higher ground, it is clear that the setting is quite separate from the cairn and the outlying orthostat. Locally, the Trehudreth row (1672), menhir (1669), and Greenbarrow cairn (1634. 1) are visible, and orthostat 3619 is prominent on the near horizon. There are extensive views to Hensbarrow and Castle, and many of the Bodmin Moor tors can be seen, though the group rises slightly to the south (h5). (Further report in info file).

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Site history:
1: 1973. FLETCHER, MJ / OS
2: 1973. QUINNELL, NV / OS
4: 1984. FLETCHER, MJ / RCHM
5: 1988. PGR AND APJ / CAU 5/6/88
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<1> Ordnance Survey, 1970s, 1:10,000 OS Map (Cartographic materials). SCO4045.

<2> RCHM, 1980s, 1:2500 Air Photo Transcript, SX 1272 (Bibliographic reference). SCO4238.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

Related records: none recorded

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