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Summary

Hingston Hill or Down Tor single stone row is situated on a saddle between the north-west flank of Eylesbarrow and Down Tor. The alignment is 316 metres long and contains at least 174 stones, with the tallest being present at either end. The standing stone at the western end of the alignment measures 2.8 metres high, whilst that at the eastern end is 1.6 metres high. The stones along the central length of the alignment vary in height between 1.0 metres and 0.2 metres high. The large stone denoting the western end of the alignment and an unknown number of others were re-erected by Baring-Gould and Burnard in 1890.

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1009090: Stone alignment and cairn 830m east of Down Tor
• SHINE: Earthwork and structural remains of a section of the late 18th century Devonport Leat running from Raddick Hill to Nun's Cross, including extensive tinning remains at Cramber Tor

Other References/Statuses

• MPP Archaeological Item Dataset: 130920
• National Monuments Record: SX56NE29
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 438583
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX56NE/177
• Old SAM County Ref: 382
• Old SAM Ref: 24084
• Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division: SX56NE29

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• STONE ALIGNMENT (Early Neolithic to XIX - 4000 BC (Between) to 1890 AD (Between))

Full description

Spence Bate, C., 1870-1871, On the Prehistoric Antiquities of Dartmoor (Article in Serial). SDV277110.

Brent, F., 1883, On a group of prehistoric remains on Dartmoor, 218 (Article in Serial). SDV273189.

Worth, R. H., 1892, 14th Report of the Barrow Committee, 48 (Article in Serial). SDV237177.

Worth, R. N., 1892, The Stone Rows of Dartmoor, 398-400 (Article in Serial). SDV237176.

(Site visited some time in 1891-estimate) Single row with slight curvature. At the east end, some stones lie out of line, perhaps suggesting an original double row, but these may only have been displaced. 126 stones counted, irregular spacing and size, many of the missing stones were in place, though out of site. Some damage by cart track at the end. Spence Bate's observations inaccurate.

Brailsford, J. W., 1938, Bronze Age Stone Monuments of Dartmoor, 446 (Article in Serial). SDV304210.

Worth, R. H., 1946, The Stone Rows of Dartmoor. Part 1, 294 (Article in Serial). SDV251172.

Down Tor; stone row and three cairns, though the stone row is actually on Hingston Hill and lies along the water parting between Deancombe and Newleycombe Brook. At the west end of the row is a barrow with a retaining circle. Near the circle the stones of the row are very large; that nearest being 3.91 metres. The direction of length is north 71 degrees east. Somewhat convex to the north. Its eastern termination is in a small menhir, which measured 2.89 metres long, 0.91 metres wide. In the line of the row, but over 213 metres from the terminal menhir is a cairn 16.46 metres in diameter at the base, and 10.97 metres at the top. Bronze Age (SX56NE/79). 174 stones in the row. Nothing remains of the cist within the cairn and retaining circle at the west end of the stone row. Row. No.20.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1950-1952, SX56NE29 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV250545.

Copeland, G. W., 1952, Twenty-First Annual Report of the Plymouth and District Branch, 330 (Article in Serial). SDV237178.

Worth, R. H., 1953, Dartmoor, 212 (Monograph). SDV231148.

National Monuments Record, 1977, NMR SX5869, 1 (Aerial Photograph). SDV237174.

Grinsell, L. V., 1978, Dartmoor Barrows, 99,107,123,175 (Article in Serial). SDV273224.

(Site visited 6/09/1972) Cairn with retaining circle 12.5 metres in diameter. Breton stated that it formally enclosed a large cist. Stone row proceeds to east-north-east downhill and then uphill aligned with but stopping well short of cairn.

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

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1979, SX56NE29 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV237172.

(04/04/1979) At SX58696926, on a slight east-facing slope at 364.0 metres OD, is a cairn with cairn circle and from it on an orientation of 69 ½ degrees east of Grid North runs a stone row extending for 340.0 metres from SX58706927 to SX59026938. The cairn circle consists of 26 upright stones and possibly two more now recumbent; it has an internal diameter of 11.5 metres. Within the circle is a cairn of 8.5 meters in diameter and 0.6 metres in height with a small depression in the centre which may be the site of a cist.
The stone row does not form a perfectly straight line, being bowed to the north to a maximum of 2.5 metres off alignment at the centre of the row. The individual stones tend to be smaller towards the centre of the row, all the very longest being at either end. 170 stones are visible of which eleven are recumbent and one semi-recumbent. The standing stone at the western end of the row measures 0.8 metres by 0.5 metres and is 2.8 metres high, and the terminating stone at the eastern end is 0.7 metres by 0.6 metres and 1.6 metres high.
The stone row is in direct alignment with the cairn at SX 59196944.

Hemery, E., 1983, High Dartmoor, 147 (Monograph). SDV249702.

"A retaining-circle, on the east slope of Hingston, measures thirty-seven feet in diameter and entirely encloses the cairn in which the (now vanished) kistvaen was centrally placed. Eastward from it, and beginning at a stone nearly ten feet high, there runs an impressive single row 1,145 feet in length, which terminates at a blocking stone."

Hemery, E., 1983, High Dartmoor, 147 (Monograph). SDV249702.

"A retaining-circle, on the east slope of Hingston, measures thirty-seven feet in diameter and entirely encloses the cairn in which the (now vanished) kistvaen was centrally placed. Eastward from it, and beginning at a stone nearly ten feet high, there runs an impressive single row 1,145 feet in length, which terminates at a blocking stone."

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

Visible and recorded.

Breton, H. H., 1990, Beautiful Dartmoor and its Interesting antiquities, 40-2 (Monograph). SDV237184.

Turner, J. R., 1990, Ring Cairns, Stone Circles and Related Monuments on Dartmoor, 54,78 (Article in Serial). SDV229817.

"Only where monuments have been incorrectly reconstructed, as at Down Tor do stone rows align directly with the centres of associated cairns."

Gerrard, S., 1993, 130920 (Un-published). SDV237173.

Single stone alignment oriented east-north-east to west-south-west, although it does not form a perfectly straight line, being bowed to the north to a maximum of 2.5 metres off alignment at the centre of the alignment. The alignment includes a 316 metres long row of at least 174 stones, with the tallest stones being present at either end. The standing stone at the west end of the alignment measures 2.8 metres high, whilst that at the east end is 1.6 metres high. The stones along the central length of the alignment vary in height between 1.0 metres and 0.2 metres high. The large stone denoting the west end of the alignment and an unknown number of others were re-erected by Baring-Gould and Burnard in 1890.
The alignment is in direct line with an encircled cairn lying 4.0 metres west of the west end and a round cairn lying 180 metres to the east of the east end at SX59196944. Breton believed that the alignment continued to the edge of the round cairn and that most of the stones lay below the turf. There is however no field evidence visible today to confirm his belief.

Butler, J., 1994, Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities: Volume Three - The South-West, 71-4, Map 47, Figure 47.9204, 208 (Monograph). SDV137656.

The spectacular Hingston Hill Stone Row. Much of its present appearance is due to Bernard and his associates who re-erected many of the stones in 1894. Bate was the first to describe the row in 1871 and it was planned by Lukis a few years later. At the western end the row is orientated towards the centre of a ring of 27 tall stones, irregularly spaced and 12 metres in diameter, surrounding the cairn but well outside its base. Some of these stones have also been re-erected as only 20 were standing in 1882 ... Numerous tinners' diggings pit the surface around a slightly larger cairn a short distance to the north-west (14.0 by 1.3 metres), this one without an outer ring of slabs or associated row."

Quinnell, N. V., 1995, Down Tor Stone Row (Personal Comment). SDV237171.

Stone row as described by S. Gerrard.

Whitbourn, A., 2001, An Archaeological Investigation into features comprising, and associated with, Ditsworthy Warren, 61, Appendix 1 (Report - Assessment). SDV360381.

Bronze Age stone row.

Wessex Archaeology, 2002, Cramber Tor Training Area Rapid Condition Survey, WA072, WA177 (Report - Survey). SDV354588.

Cramber Tor Survey 2002, Site WA072, WA177.

Newman, P., 2006, Cramber Tor Training Area Archaeological Field Investigation (Report - Survey). SDV233640.

Site visit 1st August 2006. Stone alignment and cairn situated on a saddle 620 metres east of Down Tor. Alignment orientated east-north-east to west-south-west, running for 316 metres and containing at least 174 stones with the tallest at either end. The popularity of the site has raised some conservation concerns. Adjacent to the Stone Row (SX58696926 - 59026938) is a track way which is fast becoming a large swathe. This, especially when wet, is causing severe erosion to the surrounding area and ultimately the stone row itself. Good, stable condition.
The Cairn circle (SX58696926) has also suffered some disturbance in the form of a pit, probably a result of unrecorded excavation or robbing. The pit has a diameter of approximately 3.2 metres by 3.0 metres and is 0.5 metres deep.

Newman, P., 2007, Cramber Tor Training Area Monument Baseline Condition Survey, No. 438583 (Report - Survey). SDV348210.

Probert, S., 2008, Follow-Up Works to Cramber Tor Archaeological Baseline Condition Survey, Dartmoor Training Area, 4, Fig. 1, No. 438583 (Report - Survey). SDV351304.

Several of the stones have erosion hollows around their bases, the result of being used as rubbing posts by livestock. However, these hollows are showing signs of regeneration as the numbers of animals grazing on this part of the moor declines. The stone remain in a stable condition but the footpath at the northern end of the row is becoming eroded. Suggested that the condition of the footpaths continue to be monitored and that military activity be excluded from the immediate area.

Ordnance Survey, 2011, MasterMap (Cartographic). SDV346129.

'Stone row' is depicted on the modern mapping.

English Heritage, 2011, National Heritage List for England, 1009090 (National Heritage List for England). SDV347072.

This monument includes a single stone alignment and a cairn situated on a saddle between the north-west flank of Eylesbarrow and Down Tor. The alignment is orientated from east-north-east to west-south-west, although it does not form a perfectly straight line, being bowed to the north to a maximum of 2.5 metres off alignment. The alignment is 316 metres long and contains at least 174 stones, with the tallest being present at either end. The standing stone at the western end of the alignment measures 2.8 metres high, whilst that at the eastern end is 1.6 metres high. The stones along the central length of the alignment vary in height between 1.0 metres and 0.2 metres high. The large stone denoting the western end of the alignment and an unknown number of others were re-erected by Baring-Gould and Burnard in 1890. The cairn with an encircling kerb, lies 4.0 metres west of the western end of the stone alignment. The mound measures 8.0 metres in diameter and 0.7 metres high and is surrounded by a kerb which includes 24 orthostats standing between 0.3 and 1.0 metres high, forming a ring with a diameter of 11.5 metres. A hollow in the centre of the mound suggests partial early excavation or robbing. Two tin prospecting pits lie immediately against the western edge of the kerb and form part of a wider group. The stone alignment is in direct line with another cairn at SX 59196944 which is the subject of a separate scheduling (SM 24122). (Scheduled 1956, amended 2000). Other details: SAM UID: 24084.

Greeves, T., 2012, Cramber Tor Training Area. Monument Condition Survey, 3, No. 438583 (Report - Survey). SDV350251.

Site visit 19th January 2012. Potentially vulnerable to visitor pressure due to several wet and eroded areas along the length of the row on its north side. Good condition. Stability fair.

Various, 2018-2020, PALs Condition Recording forms, WLK-DT15 (Worksheet). SDV362781.

Visited 12/07/2019. Generally grass covered with outcrops of reeds growing around many stones. Soil eroded between the 2 stones at the east end of the row. Numerous bare earth erosion gullies extend south from the stones on the south side of the row and some gullies actually cross the row from one side to the other. Photos X 2 taken

Various, 2018-2020, PALs Condition Recording photographs, WLK-DT15 (Photograph). SDV363073.

Visited 12/07/2019 Photos X 2 taken 1) A view of 2 stones at the east end of the row showing soil erosion and hoof prints. Looking south east 2) A view of the row looking north east showing erosion gullies crossing the row near the west end

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV6152 - Follow-up Works to Threatened Sites in the Cramber Tor Training Area
• EDV6153 - Monument Baseline Condition Survey in the Cramber Tor Training Area
• EDV6034 - Monument Condition Survey in Cramber Tor Training Area
• EDV7382 - Condition Survey of the Cramber Tor Training Area
• EDV8351 - Walkhampton Premier Archaeological Landscape; Field Investigation Project
• EDV8711 - Condition Survey of the Cramber Tor Training Area

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