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Summary

Double stone row running north-north-east by south-south-west south of Great Trowlesworthy Tor. Alignment measures over 120 metres and includes at least 103 stones in position, although more have fallen and others may be buried. Stones are up to 0.95 metres in height. Stone circle associated with the row at its northern end. Row is cut through by the Lee Moor China Clay Works Leat. The stone row is visible on digital images derived from aerial photographs of 2007 onwards.

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1012114: Double stone alignment with a terminal stone setting south of Great Trowlesworthy Tor

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX56SE38
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 439217
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX56SE/19
• Old SAM County Ref: 560A
• Old SAM Ref: 10664

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• STONE ALIGNMENT (Early Neolithic to Late Bronze Age - 4000 BC to 701 BC)

Full description

Coppard, W. J., 1860, Unknown, 70 (Article in Serial). SDV138972.

Wilkinson, J. G., 1862, On British Remains on Dartmoor, 26,35 (Article in Serial). SDV277122.

Wilkinson notes and maps Trowlesworthy circle and avenue. When entire, the avenue, or parallelithon, probably extended for over 150 meters. The stones are small, though larger than those in the avenues at castor. Other details: Plate 1.

Spence Bate, C., 1870-1871, On the Prehistoric Antiquities of Dartmoor, 506-7 (Article in Serial). SDV277110.

Ordnance Survey, 1880-1899, First Edition Ordnance 25 inch map (Cartographic). SDV336179.

'Stone Avenue (Remains of)' shown on 19th century map.

Worth, R. N., 1892, The Stone Rows of Dartmoor, 401 (Article in Serial). SDV237176.

Row consists of 118 stones, usually in pairs - some stand singly where stones removed. Spacing of stones about 2.0 metres, width about 2.0 metres. There is a curve to the east in the alignment at the middle.

Rowe, S., 1896, A Perambulation of the Forest of Dartmoor, 177 (Monograph). SDV249697.

Ordnance Survey, 1904 - 1906, Second Edition Ordnance Survey 25 inch Map (Cartographic). SDV325644.

Double 'Stone Row' shown on early 20th century map.

Tyler, F. C., 1930-1931, Kistvaens at Thornworthy and Stone Rows, 115-119 (Article in Serial). SDV251072.

The Trowlesworthy rows are included in a discussion by Tyler on the orientation of stone rows.

Brailsford, J. W., 1938, Bronze Age Stone Monuments of Dartmoor, 445-7 (Article in Serial). SDV304210.

Worth, R. H., 1941, Retaining Circles Associated with Stone Rows, Dartmoor, 231-232 (Article in Serial). SDV251083.

Site visited 17/5/1941. Plan of retaining circle with detailed measurements, showing alignment of row in relation to this. Suggests that tallest stone has been interfered with. Other details: Figure 3.

Worth, R. H., 1946, The Stone Rows of Dartmoor. Part 1, 291 (Article in Serial). SDV251172.

Stone row, length 130 metres, alignment 11 degrees 50". At the north end is a retaining circle. The row was disturbed by workmen in 1859.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1950/1977, SX56SE38 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV138977.

(23/05/1950) Worth's description and dimensions are accurate.
(02/06/1977) SX 57636392 A double stone row situated on a south-west facing slope, and orientated nearly north-south, with a stone circle at the uphill end. Both are in good condition.
The circle 6.5m. in diameter comprises eight orthostats from 0.7m. to 1.5m. high. In some cases the 'trig' stones are visible.
A quantity of small stones within the circle suggest the possibility of a former cairn.
The stone rows are 144.0m. long, though there is possibly a continuation of the rows to the south (see plan). The stones are up to 1.2m. high and on average 1.2m. apart.
For a standing stone to the south and off the line of the row see SX 56 SE 73.
Surveyed 1.10 000 on PFD.

Worth, R. H., 1953, Dartmoor, 209 (Monograph). SDV231148.

National Monuments Record, 1976, NMR SX5764, 2 (Aerial Photograph). SDV138979.

Grinsell, L. V., 1978, Dartmoor Barrows, 165 (Article in Serial). SDV273224.

(Site visited 07/05/1976) Retaining circle at higher end of stone row.

Emmett, D. D., 1979, Stone Rows: The Traditional View Reconsidered, 111 (Article in Serial). SDV251087.

Balaam, N. D. + Smith, K. + Wainwright, G. J., 1982, The Shaugh Moor Project: Fourth Report - Environment, Context and Conclusion, 254-5 (Article in Serial). SDV145845.

There is some doubt if the present downslope end is original. Other details: Figure 22.

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

Visible and recorded.

Pye, A., 1992, Archaeological Watching Brief on the ECC Lee Moor works leat corridor in the Upper Plym Valley, 7 (Report - Watching Brief). SDV165953.

Double stone row with stone circle at north-east end.

Butler, J., 1994, Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities: Volume Three - The South-West, 169-72, Map 51, Figure 51.10 (Monograph). SDV137656.

Trowlesworthy double stone row has lost about 10 stones throughout the present length of 127 metres. In 1859 the rows were rescued from destruction by the Rev. Coppard. A survey was made in 1862 since when several stones have gone with the construction of two leats. Another eleven have fallen including the largest slab of 2.4 metres long about midway along the west row. Space between the rows varies between 0.8 to 1.8 metres and between the stones from 1.1 to 2.1 metres.

Robertson, J. G., 1994, The Archaeology of the Upper Plym Valley (Post-Graduate Thesis). SDV139549.

Depicted and described by Robertson.

National Trust and English Heritage, 1994, The Upper Plym Valley: The Management of an Historic Landscape, 16 (Report - non-specific). SDV166309.

Site visited in 1987 (estimate). Row of orthostats set in pairs at an average of 0.96 meters apart, regularly spaced at intervals of, on average, 1.76 meters. 103 stones survive in situ, while a further three may have fallen sideways from their original position and others, now overgrown with heather, were revealed by probing. The row changes orientation slightly at its approximate mid-point. A leat bisects the row, 53,50 meters from south-west end. Downslope from the leat, the row is better preserved and stones survive to a greater height.

Quinnell, N. V., 1995, Trowlesworthy stone row (Personal Comment). SDV139195.

Trowlesworthy East. As above. Other details: Notes in SMR.

Bluesky International Ltd/Getmapping PLC, 1999-2017, Pan Government Agreement Aerial Photographs, Next Perspectives APGB Imagery SX5763 03-05-2007 (Aerial Photograph). SDV363087.

A row of paired stones is visible.

Hazell, E., 2001, The Decoding of Down Tor aka Hingston Hill (Unknown). SDV138973.

Probert, S. A. J. + Fletcher, M. J., 2002, Plym Valley survey (Report - Survey). SDV350782.

(12/02/2001) SX 5765 6399 to SX 5762 6385. A double stone row consisting of 99 upright and 8 recumbent stones runs south-south-west from a possible stone circle near the foot of the S flank of Little Trowlesworthy Tor.
The alleged cairn at the head of the row comprises a ring of eight stones a maximum of 1.2 meters high with no evidence of a cist and very little to suggest the former presence of a cairn. It would seem more likely to represent the remains of a small stone circle albeit only 6.0 to 6.5 meters in diameter.
The rows run for a maximum distance of 129 meters and the spacing between the stones varies between 1.0 and 2.1 meters with a gap between the rows of 0.9 to 1.8 meters.
The rows cannot be traced to the south of the small tributary of the Blacka Brook which occupies the floor of the small combe. The alleged standing stone to the south of the brook is a repositioned gatepost.

Department for Culture, Media and Sport, 2003, Stone setting at end of stone row (Schedule Document). SDV169100.

Scheduled Monument Consent granted for works subject to conditions recommended by English Heritage concerning the repair of broken stone.

English Heritage, 2005-2008, Prehistoric Survey Information (Cartographic). SDV345521.

Row depicted on digital survey.

Ordnance Survey, 2011, MasterMap (Cartographic). SDV346129.

Double 'Stone Row' is depicted on the modern mapping.

English Heritage, 2011, National Heritage List for England, 1012114 (National Heritage List for England). SDV347072.

This double stone alignment runs north/south down the slope south of Great Trowlesworthy Tor towards Blacka Brook. It is crossed by Lee Moor China Clay Works Leat 53.5 meters from its southern end. The alignment is 128 meters in length and changes orientation close to its mid-point, turning slightly to the south-west in its southern part. The stones are up to 0.95 meters in height and are set in opposing pairs of which at least forty-eight remain, 0.96 meters apart on average and spaced at an average interval of 1.75 meters. At least 103 stones remain in place, another three are fallen and others may lie under turf and heather. At its higher, northern end there is a circular stone setting 7.0 meters in diameter consisting of eight stones up to 1.3 meters in height. There is no trace of a cairn within the circle. There is another alignment c.100 meters to the west and occupation sites in the vicinity. The Lee Moor China Clay works Leat is not included in the scheduling (amended 1992). Other details: SAM ID: 10664.

Various, 2018-2020, PALs Condition Recording forms, UPTR-28 (Worksheet). SDV362781.

(22/03/2020) Site condition assessed as moderate. Environmental damage; stream running through stone row is causing erosion. Also some more minor livestock damage to stones.

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

Images taken on visit in March 2020.

Google, 2019, Google Earth Pro, EARTH.GOOGLE.COM 22-JUN-2018 ACCESSED 22-NOV-2019 (Aerial Photograph). SDV363088.

A row of paired stones is visible.

Hegarty, C., Knight, S. and Sims, R., 2019-2021, The South Devon Coast to Dartmoor Aerial Investigation and Mapping Survey. Area 2, Avon Valley to Plymouth (AI&M, formerly NMP) (Interpretation). SDV362982.

At least 80 individual stones within the double stone row are identifiable on digital images derived from aerial photographs of 2007.
The paired stones are 1 to 1.5m apart, defining a narrow avenue extending for approximately 119m in a roughly North-North-West to South-South-East alignment from, circa SX57646396 to SX57626385. The location of each identifiable stone has been schematically transcribed.
The stone row is bisected by the Lee Moor China Clay Leat at circa SX57636390.
The stone circle MDV49511 is clearly visible at the northern end of the avenue.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV7369 - Survey of Granite Loading Bays at Trowlesworthy, Devon
• EDV7380 - Watching brief on the Lee Moor China Clay Leat (Ref: 92.60)
• EDV8148 - The Upper Plym Valley: The Management of an Historic Landscape
• EDV8155 - Plym Valley Survey: EH Project (Feb 2001 - Dec 2002)
• EDV8098 - The South Devon Coast to Dartmoor Aerial Investigation and Mapping (formerly NMP) Survey, Area 2, Avon Valley to Plymouth (Ref: ACD2040)

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