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Summary

Drizzlecombe Stone Row '1' This is the most north-westerly of the group of rows at Drizzlecombe. The row is orientated approximately north-east by south-west and includes a 150 metres long, single row of two recumbent and 69 upright stones with an average height of 0.24 metres, although the blocking stone at the south-west end is much larger and stands up to 2.4 metres high. The spacing of the stones along the row averages 1.2 metres. A cairn denotes the upper end of the row and two further cairns lie within close proximity.

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1014145: Three stone alignments, 15 cairns, a cist, a partially enclosed stone hut circle settlement and a small clapper bridge at Drizzle Combe

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX56NE43
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 438622
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX56NE/80
• Old SAM County Ref: 462
• Old SAM Ref: 24104

Monument Type(s) and Dates

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

Full description

Worth, R. N., 1892, The Stone Rows of Dartmoor, 400-401 (Article in Serial). SDV237176.

Crossing, W., 1912 (1965), Crossing's Guide to Dartmoor, 434-5 (Monograph). SDV320981.

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

This group of rows included in a discussion by Tyler on the orientation of stone rows.

Worth, R. H., 1940, The Dartmoor Menhirs, 194 (Article in Serial). SDV231163.

A single stone row extending 491 feet. At its south west end is a standing stone and at its north east end is a 29 feet diameter barrow with a cairn circle. The standing stone, recumbent in 1889, has since been raised and now stands 7 ft 9 ins high.

Worth, R. H., 1946, The Stone Rows of Dartmoor. Part 1, 292-294 plate 35, Row No.18 (Article in Serial). SDV251172.

The Drizzlecombe group is a planned group. Plan on plate 35, Worth, TDA Vol.78. Abreast of A on the plan is a standing stone. If a line be drawn from this stone to the northern most of the three barrows below the pound, one has a completely symmetrical collection of rows. There are three rows in the group each terminating in a barrow at its north-east end, and a menhir at its south-west end. Row B: a circled barrow is at the north-east end, and a menhir 2.87m long at the south-west end. Direction of length north 50 degrees - 30' east. The row is single throughout, except for one pair of stones next to the menhir. Row No.18.

Royal Air Force, 1948, RAF/CPE/UK/2494, 4128-9 (Aerial Photograph). SDV147533.

Cairn visible.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1950, SX56NE43 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV272588.

(31/05/1950) Stone row SX 5913 6698 to SX 5925 6708. Length 149.5m (centre of tumulus - menhir at south-western end). Average height of stone 0.5m. Correct as shown on the 6 inch Ordnance Survey mapping.

Grinsell, L. V., 1978, Dartmoor Barrows, 168 (Article in Serial). SDV273224.

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

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1979, SX56NE43, Row (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV232037.

(31/01/1979) This stone row, the north westerly of the three at Drizzlecombe, is 146.2m long overall, or 150.3m if measured to the centre of the cairn at the north-east end. In addition to the terminal standing stone, there are 80 stones in the row (including the blocking stone at the north-east end) of which four stones are recumbent. The blocking stone, which is offset from the line of the row, is 1.1m long and 0.9m high.
The direction of the row is 53 degrees east of grid north. The row is single except for an apparent pair, mentioned by Worth, immediately adjacent to the standing stone, but the north-west stone of this pair is more likely to be in that position by chance. Surveyed at 1:10 000 on PFD and at 1:625 for AO Records

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

Cocks, J. S. + Greeves, T. + Lady Sayer, 1983, A Dartmoor Century 1883-1983, 386-4-9 (Monograph). SDV351365.

Robinson, R., 1984, List of Field Monument Warden Visits 1984 (Un-published). SDV343082.

Visited 17/02/1984.

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

Not visible on the 1946 Royal Air Force vertical aerial photographs.

Quinnell, N. V., 1988, Plan of the Drizzlecombe Stone Rows and associated features, Row 18 (Plan - measured). SDV232055.

Fleming, A., 1988, The Dartmoor Reaves: Investigating Prehistoric Land Divisions, 97 105, figs 5, 60 (Monograph). SDV229071.

Gerrard, S., 1990-2002, Monument Protection Programme. Archaeological Item Dataset., MPP 133414, 12/03/1993 (Report - Survey). SDV277946.

This stone alignment forms part of a cluster of Neolithic and Bronze Age ritual and settlement features including three stone alignments, at least 22 cairns, 5 enclosures and a large number of associated stone hut circles.
This stone alignment is the northernmost of three examples lying in the triangle of land between Drizzle Combe and the River Plym and is situated on the lower slopes of a gentle south-west facing spur leading from Higher Hartor. The alignment is orientated approximately north-east by south-west and includes a 150m long, single row of two recumbent and 69 upright stones with an average height of 0.24m, although the blocking stone at the south-west end is much larger and stands up to 2.4m high. The spacing of the stones along the row averages 1.2m. A cairn denotes the upper end of the row and two further cairns lie within close proximity.

Devon Archaeological Society, 1995, The Drizzlecombe Stone Rows (Leaflet). SDV272662.

Department of National Heritage, 1996, Consent letter (Correspondence). SDV232057.

(10/4/1996) Consent granted for works concerning erosion repairs.

Gerrard, S., 1997, Book of Dartmoor: Landscapes Through Time, 35 (Monograph). SDV337813.

Butler, J., 1997, Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities - Vol 5 The Second Millennium B.C., 135-137, 205, Map 49, Figure 49.19 (Monograph). SDV320503.

Drizzlecombe Stone Row '3' of 149.5 metres long with the east end at SX5925670. As a complex, the Drizzlecombe stone rows are set apart from settlement evidence although cairns are sited across both. Each row originates on a cairn uphill and terminating with a tall standing stone at the lower end.

Fletcher, M. + Newman, P. + Probert, S., 1999, Drizzlecombe, Eylesbarrow, Ditsworthy and Hartor areas in the Plym Valley, West Devon (Report - Survey). SDV346268.

(21/08/1999) The stone row and the cairn are as described and depicted on a large scale plan by Quinnell (1995). In recent years a number of portable boulders have been inserted into some of the gaps in the row - presumably by visitors.

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

Visited 05/02/2020. Overall condition good. Photo x4 taken.

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

Alignment shown on survey.

Armstrong, K. + Cheetham, P., 2009, Archaeological Geophysical Survey in Peatland Environments: Case Study Survey at Drizzlecombe Stone Row Complex, Dartmoor, Devon: Preliminary Report (Report - Survey). SDV364048.

GeoInformation Group Ltd, 2010, 1:625 2010 Colour (12.5cm resolution) (Aerial Photograph). SDV346026.

Stone row visible on aerial photograph.

Various, 2018-2020, PALs Condition Recording forms, UP-DZ 21 (Worksheet). SDV362781.

Photo 1: View looking 220° showing animal scrapes at bases of the two stones at the NE end of the row. Photo 2: View looking 070° showing grass/moss cover with bracken against stones along NE part of row. Photo 3: View looking 250° showing grass/moss and tussocky grass cover along SW part of row. Photo 4: View looking 080° showing animal scrape and reeds round base of menhir.

Various, 2018-2020, PALs Condition Recording photographs, UP-DZ 21 (Photograph). SDV363073.

Historic England, 2021, National Heritage List for England, 1014145 (National Heritage List for England). SDV364016.

The northernmost stone alignment is also orientated approximately north-east to south-west and includes a 150 metres long, single row of 2 recumbent and 69 upright stones with an average height of 0.24 metres, although the blocking stone at the south western end is much larger and stands up to 2.4 metres high. The spacing of the stones along the row averages 1.2 metres. A cairn denotes the upper end of the row and this survives as a 9 metres diameter mound standing up to 1 metre high. A hollow in the centre of this mound also represents the site of a partial early excavation or robbing. Surrounding the cairn is a ring of seven upright stones set 0.5 metres from its periphery.

Historic England, 2021-2022, NRHE to HER website, Accessed 28/06/2021 (Website). SDV364039.

The stone row was surveyed in 1988 and again in 1995 after a drought ; the cairn was measured in 1995. N.V.Quinnell surveyed these monuments for the new DAS visitor leaflet. Records of the descriptions, plan and a table of measurements are in the NMR archive. Inf: Norman Quinnell (SMR Record Form 10/9/95)
The northernmost of the 3 stone alignments on Drizzle Combe includes a 150 metre long single row of 2 recumbent and 69 upright stones. The cairn which denotes the upper end of the row survives as a 9 metre diameter mound standing up to 1 metre high. A ring of 7 upright stones surrounds the cairn. (English Heritage Scheduling amendment, 09-MAR-2001)

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV8155 - Plym Valley Survey: EH Project (Feb 2001 - Dec 2002)
• EDV4966 - Survey of Drizzlecombe, Eylesbarrow, Ditsworthy and Hartor. The Eylesbarrow archaeological landscape
• EDV8387 - Geophysical survey at Drizzlecombe Stone Row Complex

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