More information : [SS 749417] There is a possible triple stone row, some 162 ft. long,
situated between the Chains Valley and Exe Head. (Lat. 51 deg 9'
39.5": Long. 3 deg 47' 22.25").
It more nearly recalls the Dartmoor stone rows than any other group on Exmoor.
(See plan). (1)
The 13 stones in this group at approx SS 74904170 are arranged in
three rows set 5 metres apart. They vary from ground level to 0.6 m
high and certainly bear some resemblance to the Dartmoor rows.
Surveyed at 1/2500.
See AO/65/128/5. (2)
Centred SS 74914177. An outstanding stone setting of 13 visible
stones (the fallen stone shown on the plan (1) was not located)
situated on a north-east hillslope.
Surveyed at 1:2500 on PFD. (3)
SS 747416. Stone setting at Chains Valley, alias Short Chains Combe.
E Mold saw only 7 stones in 1982. (Despite Eardley-Wilmot's NGR, it
would seem from his description of the site that he is referring to
that described by Authy's 1 - 3). (4)
SS 74914177. The remains of a stone setting lie on a gentle N-facing slope of rough grassland at about 445m OD, some 150m due SE of the Chains Valley which it overlooks. There are extensive views from the NW around to the E.
All the stones are of fine to medium grained sandstone. Of the fourteen shown by Chanter and Worth (1) only eight are still in situ; two are now loose and fallen but probably positionally correct. No trace was seen of three stones which may be hidden by heavy peat and turf growth. Also missing is stone `K' but it appears from plan comparison (see authority (1) and (6) brought to the same scale) that it may have been misplotted by Chanter and should have been at `P' where a stone is laid in the turf.
Although authority (1)'s plan apparently depicts the stones correctly it is not in fact an accurate survey. Several of the stones can be sighted along to form conjectural rows and though this is an unusually long setting, the configeration and disposition of the remains cannot confirm Chanters premise (1), (6).
A further table of information on the stones is held in the archive.
SS 74914177. A stone setting basically as described, tabulated and planned by the RCHME(6) in 1989.
The stone (H) originally plotted by Chanter and Worth(1) in 1906 but not visible in 1989 is again evident. It is the tip, about 0.18m wide by 0.04m, of a possible broken stump protruding through the turf some 0.08m high. (Note: Stone G was misplotted on the 1:100 plan of 1989 and and has been correctly positioned in the revised survey).
Survey Action
1:100 Survey (Authority 6) Revised
1:2500 Survey.(7)
Walker mentions a stone 'E', measurements of which are almost identical to stone 'P' of previous RCHME survey, and which was in situ on 3 May 1995. It looks as if it was moved to 'E' before 9/8/95 but is undoubtedly the same stone. (8)
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