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Summary

Stone alignment north-east of Horseyeatt associated with five cairns, two stone hut circles and a length of reave. A line of at least 47 upright stones 132 metres long has been identified (running south-west by north-east) on the downslope from a round cairn (MDV5011). The lower end stone is 1.2 metres high. Midway along the alignment there is an edge-set stone positioned next to the row. Geophysical survey in 2021 indicates the row may extend north-eastwards, as far as second cairn MDV5012; potential buried stones or stone socket holes indicated by anomalies recorded using magnetometry and earth resistance survey.

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1019566: Stone alignment, five cairns, two stone hut circles and a length of reave 600m north east of Horseyeatt

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX57SE72
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 440234
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX57SE/118/2
• Old SAM Ref Revised: 28782
• Old SAM Ref: 527

Monument Type(s) and Dates

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

Full description

Devon Archaeological Exploration Society, 1962, Newsletter (Article in Serial). SDV276874.

A stone row was found "recently" on Peek Hill at SX555707 by Mr Govier.

Ancient Monuments, 1963, Ancient Monuments Recording Form (Schedule Document). SDV276870.

Runs from SX55027043 to SX55207065. An alignment of small stones forming a row which is mostly single with occasional pairs. It terminates at one end in an upright stone 3 feet 6 inches high. At the north-east end of the row there is a cairn 24 feet in diameter and 2 feet high with a surround of upright stones. There is a second cairn 20 yards to the north-east.
The row now consists of some 50 stones and it is difficult to see more than one pair unless selected from the natural stones which abound in the area and the row should be considered as single. The majority of the stones are from 0.1 metre to 0.3 metres high, and those of greater height, including the fallen ones, show no tendency towards an increase in height to either end.

Fox, A., 1963, Twenty-Seventh Report On Archaeology and Early History, 79 (Article in Serial). SDV124457.

Fox noted that the cairn had been dug into recently.

Grinsell, L. V., 1978, Dartmoor Barrows, 174 (Article in Serial). SDV273224.

SX 55067075. A mutilated cairn at the upper (NE) end of a stone row, diameter 7.0m., height 0.3m.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1980, SX57SE72, Plan (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV276875.

(20/5/1980) The stone row extends for 124.0m. between SX 54947066 and SX 55457074 on a slight southwest slope, with a cairn at the northeast end and an upright post-type stone at the southwest end, (see ground photographs)
The cairn, at SX 55507074, is almost circular, turf-covered, and has a diameter of 8.0m. and a height of 0.3m. Its surface has been rifled and it is in poor condition but there are no signs that there was ever a cist within the mound (see ground photograph).
The row now consists of some 50 stones (see ground photographs) and it is difficult to see more than one pair unless selected from the natural stones which abound in the area, and the row should be considered as single. The majority of the stones are from 0.1m. to 0.3m. high, and those of greater height, including the fallen ones, show no tendency towards an increase in height to either end, (see plan).
Surveyed at 1:10 000 on M.S.D. and at 1:500 for record purposes.

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

Not visible on Royal Air Force /National Monuments Record aerial photographs.

Gerrard, S., 1990-2002, Monument Protection Programme. Archaeological Item Dataset., MPP/152400 (Report - Survey). SDV277946.

Stone alignment 670 metres north-east of Horseyeatt at SX55007070.

Butler, J., 1994, Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities: Volume Three - The South-West, 43; Map 45, Figure 45.6 (Monograph). SDV137656.

Sharpitor W stone row with the upper end at SX55057074 on the edge of high moorland with splendid views. Starting at a cairn uphill it descends for 132 metres to a tall pillar 1.2 metres high marking the lower end and by far the largest stone in the row. This stone is separated from the rest by a spring which has broken through the surface.

Quinnell, N. V., 1995, Comment regarding stone row on Walkhampton Common (Personal Comment). SDV276876.

Good row. Approximately 135 metres long, with cairn at north-east end.

Fletcher, M. J., 2007-2008, Walkhampton Premier Archaeological Landscape; Field Investigation Project (Report - Survey). SDV359195.

(20/06/2007) A line of at least 47 upright stones 132 metres long on the downslope from a round cairn. The lower end stone is 1.2 metres high. Midway along the alignment there is an edge-set stone positioned next to the row Scheduled.
A single stone row on the edge of high moorland with splendid views. Starting at a cairn uphill it descends for 132 metres to a tall pillar 1.2 metres high marking the lower end and by far the largest stone in the row This stone is separated from the rest by spring which has broken through the surface.
The surviving stones in this impassive row are very well preserved although a stream flows through part and this attracting cattle to congregate resulting in significantly disturbed areas; other parts of the row are obscured by bracken and gorse. The low spread cairn is 8.4 metres across; it occupies a hill crest position and it is under dense bracken. Surveyed at 1:2500

English Heritage, 2015, National Heritage List for England, 1019566 (National Heritage List for England). SDV357602.

The monument, which falls into four separate areas of protection, includes a stone alignment, five cairns, two stone hut circles and a length of reave on a moderately steep west facing slope overlooking the valley of the River Tamar. The stone alignment includes a line of at least 47 upright stones leading downslope for 132m from a round cairn. The lower end of the alignment is denoted by a large upright stone standing 1.2m high. Midway along the alignment there is an edge set stone positioned next to the row. The cairn at the upper end of the alignment measures 8.8m in diameter and stands up to 0.5m high. Many of the stones protruding through the turf in this cairn are edge set, suggesting the existence of internal structures. Similar structures survive within the body of a second cairn lying a short distance to the north east.

Newman, P., 2019, An Archaeological Survey of an area of Walkhampton Common, Dartmoor National Park, Devon, Appendix, Figures 3 & 12 (Report - Survey). SDV363478.

A single stone row located on the gentle western slope of Walkhampton Common, 600 metres north-east of Horseyeat. The row is oriented approximately south-west to north-east and measures 126 metres long. The north-east terminal is formed by a low, stony round cairn of 8.8 metres diameter (MDV5011). The south-west terminal is formed by an upright stone of 1.3 metres high, which is notably higher than any other surviving stones within the row. The row comprises 42 upright stones surviving in situ, the tallest of which is 0.8 metres high, and 9 stones which are recumbent or leaning but approximately still in place. An additional 6 fallen or displaced stones lie approximately within the alignment and may have originally been components of it. Several of the in-situ upright stones are disguised by vegetation. The average spacing between surviving stones is 1.2 metres, though some are less at 0.9 metres. Near the south-west terminal, flowing water from the Black Brook has scoured a shallow, 13.5 metres wide channel across the row, displacing some of the stones though others survive. Adjacent to the southern edge of the channel, a stony linear boundary, or reave (MDV61949), of probable prehistoric date, transects the row, not far from the terminal stone. Although a number of stones are missing, the remaining monument is in fair condition with a high number of the surviving stones remaining upright.

Newman, P., 2019, Walkhampton Common Survey data (GIS and Excel Spreadsheet) (Cartographic). SDV363701.

Stones shown on survey.

Ordnance Survey, 2020, MasterMap 2020 (Cartographic). SDV363413.

'Stone Row' shown on modern mapping.

Edwards, M. + Trick, S., 2021, An Archaeological magnetometer and resistance survey Horseyeatt Stone Row (site A), 1-7, figs 2-4 (Report - Geophysical Survey). SDV365148.

Aims of the geophysical survey undertaken in 2021 were to investigate if the row continued north-east between cairn MDV5011 to cairn MDV5012, as well as located sub surface stones or empty socket holes. Nine anomaly groups were detected as potential buried stones between the two cairns, as well as eight other anomaly groups (possible buried stones or socket holes) elsewhere in the survey area, several in alignment with in-situ stones. These results clearly indicate that potentially the row does extend further than previously indicated, with cairn MDV5012 perhaps serving as a north-eastern terminal for the row, rather than MDV5011.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV8225 - Survey of an area of Walkhampton CommonSurvey of an area of Walkhampton Common
• EDV8351 - Walkhampton Premier Archaeological Landscape; Field Investigation Project
• EDV8848 - Geophysical survey of the Horseyeatt Stone Row (Ref: 2010DAR-R-1(A))

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