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Summary

Large boulder of granite on the green at Lower Dunstone, Widecombe in the Moor. At least 13 'cup-marks' can be seen on the upper surface. It is believed to be prehistoric in date, although these may be natural hollows. Known as 'The Dunstone'. Said to have been used to collect rent payments.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX77NW83
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 898192
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX77NW/127

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• CARVED STONE (Constructed, Bronze Age - 2200 BC (Between) to 701 BC (Between))
• CUP MARKED STONE (Constructed, Bronze Age - 2200 BC (Between) to 701 BC (Between))

Full description

Crossing, W., 1902, The Ancient Stone Crosses of Dartmoor (Monograph). SDV178385.

Beeson, M. M. R. + Masterman, M. C. H., 1979, An Archaeological Survey of Enclosed Land in Widecombe-In-The-Moor Parish, 23 (Report - Survey). SDV337078.

During a survey of enclosed land in Widecombe-in-the-Moor Beeson and Masterman recorded a stone at Lower Dunstone, on the green, noting that its upper surface contained hollows in which payment of rent had traditionally been placed. Other details: Occasional Paper no 7 (23,23a).

Greeves, T. A. P., 1981, Three prehistoric (?) cup-marked boulders on Dartmoor, 27-31, Fig Ib, iia (Article in Serial). SDV278145.

Cup-marked stone at SX71677585, Dunstone. Dunstone Rock is a large, weathered undressed granite boulder aligned approximately due North-South. It is 2.4m long by 1.4m wide and 1.0m high. Its northern end appears earthfast; its southern end rests on an earthfast slab. On the top surface are a minimum of 13 roughly circular shallow hollows, with 5 other possible examples. Three hollows aligned along the axis appear to be among the best preserved. Of the 13, 8 have diameters of 70-60 millimetres (average 66 millimetres) and depths of between 25 millimetres and 10 millimetres (average 19 millimetres); 5 have diameters of between 200 millimetres and 100 millimetres (average 140 millimetres) and depths of between 55 millimetres and 30 millimetres (average 42 millimetres).
Although some of the cups may be natural, Greeves considers the "cup-marks" to be artificial and of a prehistoric date; Dunstone manor takes its name from this stone and is recorded in Domesday as 'Dunestonetuna' suggesting a long tradition of importance attached to the stone. A tradition of paying rent money by placing money in the cups is recorded until recent times.

Morris, R. W. B., 1989, The Prehistoric Rock Art of Great Britain, 88 (Article in Serial). SDV278146.

Morris records this site in gazetteer as a boulder with ring decoration and no central cups, minimum age 1900-1600bc (uncalibrated radiocarbon years).

Brewer, D., 2002, Dartmoor Boundary Markers: And Other Markers on and Around the Moor (Monograph). SDV350689.

GetMapping, 2010, GetMapping 2010 aerial photographs (Aerial Photograph). SDV351585.

This large boulder is visible on the aerial photography.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

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