More information : A number of ritual monuments occur on the flattish
ridge of Ringmoor Down at about 305m. OD. the smallest being a circle
of stones 3.7m. in diameter (SX 56 NE 61). 50m. to the south-west
of this, and centred at SX 56106590 there is a circle formed by a
low bank with no accompanying ditch. The bank is about 2.5m. wide
and 0.1m. high, particularly noticeable by its covering growth of
short heather in an area of grass. The overall diameter of the circle
is 36.0m. but 20.0m. of the perimeter in the south-west has been
destroyed by diggings. A total of twelve stones are visible at
irregular intervals on the bank or, in one instance, against it and
evidently displaced. Some are up to 0.4m. high, others merely protrude from the turf. All are of quartz-schorl and not granite, similar to
the small circle of stones. Those which remain are mostly not deeply
set or have suffered from peat shrinkage, and no holes are visible
in the top of the bank to suggest recent robbing. There is no break
in the circle as it now appears. The impression gained is not that
of a domestic or pastoral enclosure but of an imbanked stone circle
which has been extensively robbed. (See also SX 56 NE 77).
Discovered during field investigation.
Suveyed at 1:10 000 on MSD and at 1:500 (see illustration). (1)
This feature is now largely obscured by dense molinia. Only a 35m section of slightly curving bank is visible between SX 56126591 and SX 56136588. None of the stones noted by Authority 1 are in situ, there being just two clusters of three stones each. It seems unlikely that this could represent an embanked stone circle it seems more likely to be an ephemeral part of the surrounding medieval field system.
(2)
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