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Summary

Cairn in middle of Merrival stone row B. The central cairn, at SX 5543 7477, is 3.0 metres in diameter and 0.2 metres high, with its stone content now turf covered. It has an off-centre cist, orientated north-south, of which the side slabs remain in place. The cist measures 0.7 metres by 0.4 metres and is 0.3 metres deep. Slightly beyond the perimeter of the mound six stones of a peristalith or cairn circle survive, two to a height of 0.5 metres.

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1013429: Three stone alignments, ten cairns, three stone hut circles and a length of the Great Western Reave on Longash Common

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX57SE12
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 440056
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX57SE/135/1
• Old SAM County Ref: 333
• Old SAM Ref: 24194
• Pastscape: 440056

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• CAIRN (Constructed, Early Neolithic to Late Bronze Age - 4000 BC (Between) to 701 BC (Between))
• CIST (Constructed, Early Neolithic to Late Bronze Age - 4000 BC to 701 BC)

Full description

Stephens, S. M., 1900, Untitled Source (Site Visit). SDV273150.

Circle of nine stones containing cairn with central hollow. Diameter 13 feet (around 4.0 metres).

Worth, R. H., 1941, Retaining Circles Associated with Stone Rows, Dartmoor, 235 (Article in Serial). SDV251083.

Other details: Figs 6-7.

Worth, R. H., 1946, The Stone Rows of Dartmoor. Part 1, 298 (Article in Serial). SDV251172.

Cairn in middle of row B of merrivale group. At a distance of 127.0 metres from the eastern end of the row, and 132.0 metres from the western end lies the centre of a retaining circle of 3.6 metre internal diameter. Within this circle is a small barrow. Other details: Plate 36.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1950, SX57SE12, Central cairn (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV273168.

(18/08/1950) The central cairn, at SX 5543 7477, is 3.0 metres in diameter and 0.2 metres high, with its stone content now turf covered. It has an off-centre cist, orientated north-south, of which the side slabs remain in place. The cist measures 0.7 metres by 0.4 metres and is 0.3 metres deep. Slightly beyond the perimeter of the mound six stones of a peristalith or cairn circle survive, two to a height of 0.5 metres. (See ground photograph). Stone rows and cairn surveyed at 1:10 000 on MSD at 1:2500 and at 1:500 (for which see illustrations).

Ordnance Survey, 1952, 25 inch map, OS 25" (Cartographic). SDV258807.

Grinsell, L. V., 1978, Dartmoor Barrows, 173 (Article in Serial). SDV273224.

Cairn with retaining circle of 4.7 metres in diameter and 0.3 metres high. May enclose the remains of a cist.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1980, SX57SE12 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV221084.

(11/01/1980) The central cairn, at SX 55437477, is 3.0m. in diameter and 0.2m. high, with its stone content now turf covered. It has an off-centre cist, orientated north-south, of which the side slabs remain in place. The cist measures 0.7m. by 0.4m. and is 0.3m. deep. Slightly beyond the perimeter of the mound six stones of a peristalith or cairn circle survive, two to a height of 0.5m. (See ground photograph)
Stone rows and cairn surveyed at 1:10 000 on MSD at 1:2500 and at 1:500 (for which see illustrations).

Worth, R. H., 1981, Dartmoor, 215-6 (Monograph). SDV231173.

Pearce, S. M., 1981, The Archaeology of South West Britain, 76-7, 98 (Monograph). SDV81689.

Royal Commission on the Historical Monuments of England, 1985, Aerial Photograph Project (Dartmoor) - Dartmoor Pre-NMP (Cartographic). SDV319854.

Not visible on National Monuments Record photograph.

Turner, J. R., 1990, Ring Cairns, Stone Circles and Related Monuments on Dartmoor, 54, 79 (Article in Serial). SDV229817.

Encircled cairn. Ring of orthostats 3.5 metres in diameter, around cairn 2.4 metres in diameter and 0.3 metres high with possible cist. Set central to double stone row. Other details: F 20.

Gerrard, S., 1990-2002, Monument Protection Programme. Archaeological Item Dataset., MPP 133482 (Report - Survey). SDV277946.

(11/08/1994) Cairn forming part of a cluster of Neolithic and Bronze Age ritual features including at least three stone alignments, a stone circle, 13 cairns and a standing stone. Cairn lies within the length of the southern of two double stone alignments. Mound measures 2.7 metres in diameter, stands up to 0.3 metres high and lies in the centre of a ring of seven upright stones forming a circle with an internal diameter of 3.6 metres. A central hollow, 0.8 metres by 0.7 metres by 0.6 meters deep may represent the site of partial excavation or robbing. Two large granite slabs visible within the base of this pit may be the remains of a cist.
According to Worth this is the only example on Dartmoor of a cairn being sited along the length of a stone alignment and he further suggests that its location exactly midway along its length supports the hypothesis that the alignment is more or less complete.

Butler, J., 1994, Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities: Volume Three - The South-West, 26-27 (Monograph). SDV137656.

Small cairn at SX55447478 of 3.3 metres diameter by 0.3 metres high with central cist located in the middle of the southern double stone alignment at Merrivale, excavated by the Reverand Bray in 1802 although nothing of interest was found. Seems to pre-date one half of the alignment as the dimensions of the stone rows differ around it. Butler presumes the western half is the earlier, as cairns on Dartmoor associated with stone rows were usually sited at the higher end.

Probert, S. A. J. + Newman, P., 1994, Merrivale Stone Rows: A New Survey by the Royal Commission on the Historical Monuments of England, Cairn (Report - Survey). SDV273202.

(December 1993) Centred SX 55457479. Two double stone rows lie in open moorland forming the gently sloping crest of Long Ash Hill south of B 3357. The rows lie at approximately 340m above OD and are oriented roughly east to west. They are almost parallel, being 25m between centres at their eastern ends increasing to 32m at the west. A leat still used to convey water to Hillside Stables separates the two monuments and flows to within 2.0m of the northern row. A single row (National Monuments Record SX 57 SE 115) runs roughly south-west from a small cairn at SX 55397476, some 4.75m south of the south row.
The stone rows were surveyed and recorded at 1:200 scale in advance of repair and conservation work on the leat which bisects them (RCHME Field Investigation, 05-JAN-1994, SAJ Probert & P Newman).

Department for Culture, Media and Sport, 1995, Scheduled Monument Consent Letter (Correspondence). SDV273155.

Scheduled Monument Consent granted for works concerning repairs to sections of the leat.

Probert, S. A. J. + Fletcher, M. J., 2000, The Merrivale Guardianship Area, Walkhampton, Devon, 5 (Report - Survey). SDV344969.

Dartmoor National Park + English Heritage, 2004, Merrivale: An Archaeological Landscape (Leaflet). SDV320201.

The southern stone row at Merrivale incorporates a circle of stones. The retaining cairn circle is set around a small burial cist about halfway along the row.

DCMS, 2004, Scheduled Monument Consent Letter (Correspondence). SDV320297.

Scheduled Monument Consent granted for works concerning a five year programme of management works including eriosion repairs.

Ordnance Survey, 2010, MasterMap (Cartographic). SDV344030.

Various, 2018-2020, PALs Condition Recording forms, MER-14 (Worksheet). SDV362781.

Visited 2/10/2019. Cairn covered with grass with bare earth patches round some stones. Overall condition very good. Photo taken.

Various, 2018-2020, PALs Condition Recording photographs, MER-14 (Photograph). SDV363073.

Photo looking 300° showing grass cover with bare earth patches around some stones.

Historic England, 2021-2022, NRHE to HER website, Accessed 15/10/2021 (Website). SDV364039.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV4830 - Survey of guardianship area, Merrivale
• EDV4829 - Survey of Merrivale stone rows prior to conservation work

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