See important guidance on the use of this record.

If you have any comments or new information about this record, please email us.

Summary

Probable ring cairn to the north-west of the two double stone rows at Merrivale. Described as a hut circle on the Ornance Survey maps. Located within the guardianship area managed by Dartmoor National Park Authority.

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1013431: A ring cairn on Longash Common lying 400m south east of Merrivale Bridge

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX57SE6
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 440038
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX57SE/22
• Old SAM Ref: 24195

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• (Former Type) HUT CIRCLE (Bronze Age - 2200 BC (Between) to 701 BC (Between))
• RING CAIRN (Bronze Age - 2200 BC (Between) to 701 BC (Between))

Full description

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

Other details: Plate 36.

Ordnance Survey, 1950, Untitled Source (Site Visit). SDV271723.

This circle, diameter 8.5m, does not appear to be a hut as the stones, which are single, are widely spaced. In many ways it resembles a cairn circle, although tentative digging in centre revealed no trace of cist. General condition poor.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1950 - 1955, SX57SE6 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV271727.

This circle, 8.5 meters in diameter, does not appear to be a hut circle because the stones, which are single, are widely spaced. In many ways it resembles a cairn circle, although tentative digging in centre revealed no trace of cist. General condition is poor. Other details: SX57SE6.

Ordnance Survey, 1980, Untitled Source (Site Visit). SDV271724.

Probable hut circle of indeterminate type, isolated from the main group to the east. Clearly much-robbed with a half dozen spaced stones up to 0.4 meters high forming part of a perimeter which is otherwise well defined as a cropmark 8.4 meters in diameter. Virtually no internal rubble and though the possibility of a robbed cairn cannot be entirely discounted it is prudent to accept Worth's early assessment.

Worth, R. H., 1981, Dartmoor, 217 (Monograph). SDV231173.

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

Not visible on National Monument Record / Royal Air Force photos.

Turner, J. R., 1990, Ring Cairns, Stone Circles and Related Monuments on Dartmoor, 60 (Article in Serial). SDV229817.

B8. Turner describes this site as an embanked stone circle; an annular bank of earth and/or stones with an inner edge of orthostats. Internal diameter is 8.0 meters with a bank 0.8 meters wide and 0.3 meters high. Much disturbed.

Butler, J., 1994, Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities: Volume Three - The South-West, 31 (Monograph). SDV137656.

Single ring of stones surrounding a flat interior; likely to be another cairn.

Gerrard, S., 1994, MPP/133474 (Site Visit). SDV271731.

Ring cairn lying within the vicinity of a large number of broadly contemporary ritual monuments, forming one of the densest concentrations of such sites on the moor. Survives as a circular bank measuring 1.3 meters wide and 0.3 meters high, surrounding a 6.4 meters diameter internally. Originally identified by Worth as a stone hut circle, but in recent years archaeological opinion considers it much more likely to be a ring cairn, although as recently as 1980 the Ordnance Survey still preferred the hut circle interpretation. Its location in proximity to three stone alignments and several other cairns, relatively exposed position and isolation from other stone huts circles all lend support to this feature's funerary character. Other details: MPP/133474.

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

This cairn has been extensively disturbed but there is no sign of antiquarian investigation. A sub-circular ring of boulders and slabs remain, measuring around 8.2 meters in diameter. The southern side of the feature is formed by a semi-circular scarp, which has lead in part (along with its size) to the prior hut circle interpretation. The presence of two drill-split blocks within and immediately outside the ring indicate stone removal in this area which may have caused the formation of this scarp. No evidence has been identified of a cist within this feature and the existing remains have prompted its interpretation as a ring cairn.

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

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

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

Various, 2018-2020, PALs Condition Recording forms, MER-12 (Worksheet). SDV362781.

Visited 2/10/2019. Hut circle covered with grass. Overall condition very good. Photo taken.

Various, 2018-2020, PALs Condition Recording photographs, MER-12 (Photograph). SDV363073.

Photo looking 280° showing grass cover.

Historic England, 2021-2022, NRHE to HER website, Accessed 27/09/2021 (Website). SDV364039.

Summary description:
The fragmentary remains of a vague sub-circular ring previously identified as a Bronze Age cairn or hut circle. Approximately ten irregularly spaced boulders and fallen slabs survive in situ. The feature lies in isolation on a slight north west facing slope in deep heather and grass at SX 55327484 (north of the west end of the northern stone row). It measures 8.2 metres by 8.9 metres across; one upright slab is 0.4 metres high and a broken boulder in the interior bears drill splitting marks. The absence of spoil and the fact that the remains of the circle lie on the slope and not cut into it, suggests this is the vestiges of a cairn circle. Its position on a gently sloping hillside to the north of the double stone rows (SX 57 NE 12) may be significant when compared with the position of a prominent cairn circle (SX 57 SE 7) which lies to the south of the stone rows and the recently identified cairn to the south west (SX 57 SE 178). Scheduled.
Full description(s):
SX 55327484. Hut Circle (NR). (1)
Shown on plan as circular hut. (2)
A probable hut circle of indeterminate type, situated in a somewhat exposed position and isolated from the main group to the east (SX 57 SE 19). It is clearly much robbed with a half dozen spaced stones up to 0.4m high forming a part of a perimeter which is otherwise well defined as a cropmark 8.4m. in diameter. There is virtually no internal rubble and though the possibility of a robbed cairn cannot be entirely discounted it is prudent to accept Worth's early assessment.
Surveyed at 1:10 000 on MSD. (3)
SX55327484 This monument is identified by English Heritage as a ring cairn and Scheduled as such. (4)
A circle of slabs surrounding a flat interior is more likely to be the site of a cairn. (5)
The fragmentary remains of a vague sub-circular ring of approximately ten irregularly spaced boulders and fallen slabs. The feature lies in isolation on a slight NW- facing slope in deep heather and grass at SX55327484 (north of the west end of the northern stone row).
It measures 8.2m by 8.9m across; one upright slab is 0.4m high and a broken boulder in the interior bears the marks of drill splitting.
Its origins and function are now obscure; it has been variously described as a hut circle, a cairn and a ring cairn. Butler (5) considers it to be the site of a cairn.
The absence of spoil and the fact that the remains of the circle lie on the slope and not cut into it ,suggests this is the vestiges of a cairn circle. Its position on a gently sloping hillside to the north of the double stone rows (SX57NE12) may be significant when compared with the position of a prominent cairn circle (SX57SE7) which lies to the south of the stone rows and the recently identified cairn to the SW (SX57SE178) (6)
Sources:
Ref Title (& comments) Year SoR Pages Volume Notes
Merrivale Guardianship Area/Report
(1) Ordnance Survey Map (Scale / Date)
Default value used to record large numbers of archive items which are not separately catalogued. See Monument Recording Guidelines for details of use. OS 6" 1963
(2) Devonshire Association reports and transactions 78, 1946 (R H Worth)
(3) Field Investigators Comments F1 NVQ 13-JAN-80
(4) Scheduled Monument Notification
Default value used to record large numbers of archive items which are not separately catalogued. See Monument Recording Guidelines for details of use. 31-Aug-95
(5) VIRTUAL CATALOGUE ENTRY TO SUPPORT NAR MIGRATION 31 3 Butler J 1994 The Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities The South-West 31 Map
(6) Field Investigators Comments Fletcher M 30-OCT-1999 English Heritage Field Investigation

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV4830 - Survey of guardianship area, Merrivale

Search results generated by the HBSMR Gateway from exeGesIS SDM Ltd.