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Summary

Standing stone at the west end of Drizzlecombe stone row '2' is thought to be the tallest on Dartmoor, standing up to 4.2 metres high. Was defaced with Chinese graffiti some time before 1963 but this is not obvious now

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: SX 56 NE 42
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX56NE/276/2
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX56NE/80/1
• Old SAM County Ref: 462
• Old SAM Ref: 24104
• Pastscape: 438619

Monument Type(s) and Dates

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

Full description

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

'Menhir' shown on early 20th century map at the west end of the north-eastern of the 'Stone Rows'.

Brailsford, J. W., 1938, Bronze Age Stone Monuments of Dartmoor, 444-5 (Article in Serial). SDV304210.

Worth, R. H., 1940, The Dartmoor Menhirs, 194-19, plates 5, 6 figs 1,2 (Article in Serial). SDV231163.

Recumbent in 1889; since raised and stands 14 foot high. Other details: Plate.

Worth, R. H., 1946, The Stone Rows of Dartmoor. Part 1, 293 (Article in Serial). SDV251172.

Drizzlecombe group. Menhir at south-west end of row approximately 5.4 meters as fallen, 4.2 meters as erected. The tallest menhir on Dartmoor.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1950, SX56NE42, Menhir (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV272597.

(31/05/1950) Description and measurements provided by Worth are accurate.

Unknown, 1963, More Dartmoor Damage (Article in Serial). SDV343482.

Report of bogus inscription carved on this stone.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1979, SX56NE42 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV272056.

(31/01/1979) Large standing stone at the south-west end of the row. The standing stone measures 1.1m by 0.3m and is 4.3m high. Surveyed at 1:10 000 on PFD and at 1:500 for AO Records.

Padel, O. J., 1983, Standing stone at Drzzlecombe (Correspondence). SDV272032.

One of the Drizzlecombe menhirs has been defaced with Chinese graffiti.

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

Not visible on 1946 Royal Air Force vertical aerial photographs.

Gerrard, S., 1990-2002, Monument Protection Programme. Archaeological Item Dataset., MPP 133415 (Report - Survey). SDV277946.

Blocking stone at the south-west end of alignment stands up to 4.2 meters high and is the tallest example on the moor. Sometime prior to 1963 the north face of this stone was defaced with Chinese graffiti, though this is now weathered and not obtrusive.

Butler, J., 1994, Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities: Volume Three - The South-West, 135-41, Map 49, Figure 49.19 (Monograph). SDV137656.

Longstone at the west end of Drizzlecombe stone row '2' of 4.2 metres high with a peculiar bulging profile. It is the tallest on the moor. It faces across the line of the row in the direction of the cairn.

Tulley, A. R., 1994, Standing stone graffiti (Correspondence). SDV272033.

Tulley offers a further alternative translation of the Chinese characters.

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

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

Stone at end of row shown on survey.

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

The easternmost stone alignment lies nearly parallel with the other two and includes an 82.2 meter long, single row of three recumbent and 11 upright stones with an average height of 0.38 meters, although the blocking stone at the south western end is much larger, stands up to 4.2 meters high and is the tallest example on the Moor. Sometime prior to 1963 the northern face of this stone was defaced with Chinese graffiti, though this is now weathered and not obtrusive. The spacing of the stones along the row varies between 3.0 meters and 4.5 meters. A cairn denotes the upper end of the row and this survives as a 9.0 meter diameter mound standing up to 0.9 meters. A central hollow represents the site of robbing or partial early excavation. Surrounding the mound, is a ring of 12 upright stones set 1.5 meters from its periphery. See listing for full details of associated monuments. (Scheduled 1961, amended 2001) Other details: SAM UID: 24104.

Ordnance Survey, 2022, Mastermap 2022 (Cartographic). SDV364674.

Stone at end of row shown on modern mapping.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV8155 - Plym Valley Survey: EH Project (Feb 2001 - Dec 2002)

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