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Summary

Features on the summit of Cox Tor described by antiquarians which cannot be verified

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX57NW60
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 439891
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX57NW/94
• Old SAM Ref: 22225

Monument Type(s) and Dates

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

Full description

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card, SX57NW60, SX57NW60 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV278323.

Visited on 14th November 1980. Worth (in TDA) can be interpreted in more than one way. He refers to:-
A. A cairn or possible cist with 2 circles of stone round it, 8 feet and 16 feet in diameter with traces of a stone row.
B. Circles 7 feet and 11 feet in diameter (it is not clear whether this is one or two sites).
C. Two larger circles 24 feet across, one enclosing the remains of a cairn. It would seem that there are at least 4 separate structures and possibly 5 although some must refer to the existing ring cairns none can be satisfactorily related. The area is at approximately SX530764. Worth mentions, like Crossing, one stone row, while Worth notes one or more rows. These cannot be traced and the depth of peat on the grassy plateau is so little that if the row(s) were obvious with slight shrinkage they should still be reasonably visible. Spaced stones abound, particularly towards the north end and numerous fictitious rows of 4 or 5 stones can be deduced but nothing acceptable from any of the cairns

Worth, R. N., 1893, 17th Report of the Committee on Scientific Memoranda, 544 (Article in Serial). SDV156105.

Two small stone circles, each of two rows of stone were found, due to soil shrinkage, on Cox Tor. One circle had a stone row leading to it and a small cairn or the remains of a cist. Diameter of circles 2.43 metres and 4.86 metres. The other had circles of 2.13 metres and 3.35 metres.

Crossing, W., 1912 (1965), Crossing's Guide to Dartmoor, 150 (Monograph). SDV320981.

''The summit of the tor is fairly level. At its north end are 2 cairns and the remains of a stone row".

Worth, R. H., 1946, The Stone Rows of Dartmoor. Part 1, 299 (Article in Serial). SDV251172.

On the summit of Cock's or, there are traces which may indicate the former existence of one or more stone rows. No other known row in this valley. Row No.31.

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

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

Not visible RAF verticals.

Wilson-North, R., 1991, Cox Tor Field Investigation (Report - Evaluation). SDV225487.

Visited on 8th July 1991. No trace of any of these features is visible. The spaced stones observed on Ordnance Survey in 1980 could well have been considered archaeological. They appear to be set on end and protrude through the turf to a height of 15 to 20 centimetres. They are however entirely natural.

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

Communication dated 22nd March 1995. Neither rows nor stone circles have been identified. Latest search circa 1991 by Royal Commission on Historic Monuments.

Historic England, 2021-2022, NRHE to HER website, Accessed 03/09/2021 (Website). SDV364039.

Full description(s) of the features on Cox Tor given. Reports produced by English Heritage on monuments being considered for Scheduling Status, but rejected.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV8423 - Duchy Farms Project

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