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Summary

Down Ridge stone circle situated on a gentle north facing slope overlooking the valley of the River Dart. The stone circle measures 25 meters in diameter and is denoted by five upright granite slabs, standing up to 1.45 meters high, which are confined to its south western sector. A further six recumbent stones lie where they have fallen. The stone circle was partially excavated in 1904 by the Dartmoor Exploration Committee and their work revealed the original ground surface covered with charcoal. An associated outlying standing stone is located 85 meters south-east of the stone circle and survives as a triangular shaped block up to 0.86 meters high.

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1019218: Down Ridge stone circle and outlying standing stone 570m and 650m south of Forest Inn

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX67SE64
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 443043
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX67SE/23
• Old SAM County Ref: 794
• Old SAM Ref: 28737
• Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division: SX67SE64

Monument Type(s) and Dates

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

Full description

Worth, R. H., 1939, Two Stone Circles on Dartmoor, Swincombe Valley, and West Dart Valley, with a note on the Grey Wethers, 322-325 (Article in Serial). SDV344944.

Remains of a stone circle known as 'Down Ridge Circle'. It consists of a quadrant of an 81ft 2 ins diameter circle described by four slab like upright stones and three fallen stones (Plan). Much robbing for adjacent enclosure walls, stones relatively large, suggestion that it was originally a retaining circle, though no grave is visible. Other details: Plate 18, figure 4.

Ancient Monuments, 1970/2001, Schedule note (Schedule Document). SDV219039.

(15/04/1970) Stone circle on the north edge of Down Ridge. Diameter 14.6m, height 0.9-1.5m.
There are 13 stones standing but only four are still upright. There are three fallen stones on the circumference; one stone is resting against two of the erect members. The circle has been robbed, and the whole group now occupies only a quadrant. The stones are relatively large; slab-like and not columnar. There is no trace of any cairn or barrow. First recorded by Burnard.
(09/02/2001) The remains of a stone circle comprising five upright granite slabs, with a further six lying where they have fallen. A separate standing stone is located 85 metres south east of the circle at SX 6557 7199. Scheduled.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1980, SX67SE64, N. V. Quinell (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV363702.

(18/03/1980) On a north slope at 378m OD is the remains of 'Down Ridge Circle', (name confirmed), as described and planned by Worth. The largest remaining stone of the circle, which would have been about 25.0m in diameter, is 2.6m long and 1.7m high (see general picture). Surveyed at 1:2500 on MSD.

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

Not visible on 1977 National Monuments Record aerial photographs.

Robinson, R., 1986, List of Field Monument Warden Visits 1986 (Un-published). SDV345664.

Site visit 31st July 1986.

Turner, J. R., 1990, Ring Cairns, Stone Circles and Related Monuments on Dartmoor, 60, 80 (Article in Serial). SDV229817.

Stone circle 22 meters in diameter. 6 stones, 2 fallen. One stone is 3.0 meters wide and 1.7 meters high. Other details: G9.

Gerrard, S., 1990-2002, Monument Protection Programme. Archaeological Item Dataset., MPP 152138 (Report - Survey). SDV277946.

(02/07/1999) Down Ridge stone circle standing 940 metres west-north-west of Saddle Bridge. Stone circle which has been extensively robbed. The largest slab stands up to 1.45 metres high. There is considerable erosion around all 5 upright stones. A further 6 recumbent stones may have originally formed part of the circle which measures 25 metres in diameter. Part excavated by the Dartmoor Exploration Committee, this work revealed the original ground surface covered with charcoal. Grass, rushes and heather. Stone cutting pits in the vicinity are excluded.

Butler, J., 1993, Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities: Volume Four - The South-East, 201-202, Map 61, Figure 61.5 (Monograph). SDV337765.

Down Ridge stone circle has been badly damaged and only four stones in the south-east quadrant are in place. One of them is a massive slab 2.8 metres long by 1.7 metres high supported by a backing stone which it shares with its neighbour to the west. On the other side are two large but fallen slabs 2.5 and 1.7 metres long. At least twelve fallen and partly buried blocks scattered downhill may have been components of the circle dragged out of position. Excavations in 1904 revealed that the circle was once the site of great fires like other circles on the moor, the original ground surface found to be strewn with charcoal

Probert, S. A. J. + Newman, P., 1997, Holne Moor, Dartmoor, Devonshire. A Landscape Survey by the Royal Commission on the Historical Monuments of England (Report - Survey). SDV173671.

(31/01/1996) This feature is as previously described. Surveyed at 1:200.

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

'Stone circle (remains of)' depicted on the modern mapping.

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

The monument, which falls into two areas of protection, includes a stone circle and an associated outlying standing stone situated on a gentle north facing slope overlooking the valley of the River Dart. The stone circle measures 25 metres in diameter and is denoted by five upright granite slabs, standing up to 1.45 metres high, which are confined to its south western sector. A further six recumbent stones lie where they have fallen. The stone circle was partially excavated in 1904 by the Dartmoor Exploration Committee and their work revealed the original ground surface covered with charcoal. The standing stone lies 85 metres south-east of the stone circle and survives as a triangular shaped block up to 0.86 metres high, tapering to a roughly rounded top (scheduled 1971, amended 2001). Other details: SAM ID: 28737.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV8146 - Royal Commission Survey at Down Ridge and Swincombe
• EDV8409 - Dartmoor Royal Forest Project

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