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Summary

Challacombe triple stone row of 141.7 metres long including 57 upright stones and a large blocking stone at the southern end. First reported in 1828 when most of the stones were standing and some re-erected in 1893. The southern end is denoted by a blocking stone and towards the northern end is a grouping of stones which may indicate a fourth row, but is more likely to be the result of partial reconstruction in the 19th century.

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1021340: Tinworks, field systems, settlements, warren, cairns and a stone alignment at Headland Warren

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX68SE28
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 443816
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX68SE/36
• Old SAM County Ref: 344

Monument Type(s) and Dates

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

Full description

Wilkinson, J. G., 1860, The Rock-Basins of Dartmoor, and Some British Remains in England, 114 (Article in Serial). SDV273188.

Wilkinson, J. G., 1862, On British Remains on Dartmoor, 26, Plate 1 (Article in Serial). SDV277122.

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

Not shown on 19th century map.

Worth, R. N., 1894, The Stone Rows of Dartmoor. Part 3., 299 (Article in Serial). SDV234309.

Row restored by Baring-Gould and Burnard. Replaced stones distinctly visible. Fourfold row postulated.

Baring Gould, S., 1900, A Book of Dartmoor, 170 (Monograph). SDV277387.

Challacombe Down stone row with a blocking stone at the south extremity. The northern end has been destroyed by the tin-streamers in Chaw Gully.

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

'Stone Row' shown on early 20th century map as a mainly double row with a dense group of stones at the northern end. Five further stones are shown to the north making the row 160 metres long.

Brailsford, J. W., 1938, Bronze Age Stone Monuments of Dartmoor, 446 (Article in Serial). SDV304210.

Worth, R. H., 1946, The Stone Rows of Dartmoor. Part 1, 305-7, Plate 39 (Article in Serial). SDV251172.

Row Number 46. Challacombe by Chaw Gully. Triple stone row lying between the watersheds of the East and West Webburn rivers. On the north slope of Challacombe Hill. Row terminates to the south in an unusually large blocking stone. Northern end of the row destroyed by the excavation of Chaw Gully. The three rows are well marked and little damaged by restoration, except that a stone in the middle row was turned to form a blocking stone across that one row. Some loose stones are scattered to the west of the north end of the row and an attempt has been made to re-erect them where they should have been. The lines are further apart at the north than at the south, where they gather in somewhat to meet the blocking stone. Not known how much lost at north end. There is a large menhir at the southern end. The lower end has been cut through by deep tin adits. There is an irregular setting of stones at the side of the row which may not be original. Condition fairly good - several small stones are loose and have been reset .

Worth, R. H., 1953, Dartmoor, 226 (Monograph). SDV231148.

A triple stone row, present length 528 feet but it is impossible to tell how much was lost at the north end due to excavation of Chaw Gully. The three lines are well marked, wider apart at the north and drawing nearer to the south where they meet a blocking stone of unusual size. The stones have suffered little in their restoration except that a stone in the middle row was turned to form a blocking stone for that row. The loose stones scattered to the west of the north end have been suggested to form a stone circle and additional rows but they are probably the stones excavated from the north end of the stone row now simply lying where they were thrown. If there was a now destroyed barrow at the north end, then it lay at the lower level.

National Monuments Record, 1979, SF1508, 35 (Aerial Photograph). SDV346563.

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

Griffiths, F. M., 1983, Stone row (Site Visit). SDV306956.

(27/12/1983) Condition of rows good, and they are clearly visible as restored and described.

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

Visible and recorded.

Butler, J., 1991, Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities: Volume Two - The North, 19-20, 234, Map 24, Figure 24.4 (Monograph). SDV219155.

Challacombe Down triple stone row of 145.6 metres long with a standing stone at the south end at SX69038073. The rows were first reported in 1828 when most of the stones were standing in their present positions and a few were re-erected in 1893. Of the 103 stones recorded in 1893 only 82 can now be found. Distance between the rows averages 1.85 metres and 2.6 metres between the stones. The stones curve slightly to the west as they descend the hillside.

Dick, A. M., 1992, Challacombe stone row (Site Visit). SDV306965.

Visited on 18th May 1992. A footpath now passes between the rows and is causing erosion along approximately two thirds of the alignment at its northern end. The southern third appears undisturbed, lying under dense heather.

Quinnell, N. V., 1995, Notes in Sites and Monument Record: stone rows (Personal Comment). SDV138550.

Not investigated by Ordnance Survey in 1970's. Awful portrayal as double row on 1963 6 inch and 2.5 inch maps of 1980's. Runs 161 metres long from SX69028072 to SX68968085.

Newman, P., 2002, Headland Warren and the Birch Tor and Vitifer Mines (Report - Survey). SDV363213.

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

Shown on survey as an 85 metre long double stone row with a stone setting at the northern end.

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

'Stone Row' shown as being 140 metres long on modern mapping.

Historic England, 2022, National Heritage List for England, 1021340 (National Heritage List for England). SDV364675.

Triple stone alignment at SX 68998077. This stone alignment is aligned south-south-east to north-north-west. It measures 141.7 metres long and includes 57 upright stones. The southern end is denoted by a blocking stone and towards the northern end is a grouping of stones which may indicate a fourth row, but is more likely to be the result of partial reconstruction in the 19th century.

Cunis, E, 2023, Images of stone alignment, Challacombe (Personal Comment). SDV365547.

(12/06/2023) Condition photographs taken of the triple stone row in summer 2023; vegetation overgrowth noted to by obscuring the features of this monument.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV7139 - Headland Warren and the Birch Tor and Vitifer Mines Survey (Ref: A1/20/2001, A1/34/2002)
• EDV8517 - Investigation of Challacombe stone row, Headland Warren

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