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Summary

Cairn of 6 metres diameter at the head of the single stone row running in an east-west line on the south-western flank of Little Trowlesworthy Tor. Cairn is marked by a circle containing one upright and eight fallen small slabs and boulders. Within these is a slightly raised area, perhaps the remains of a cairn. There is no evidence to suggest the former presence of a cist. Previously described as a stone circle or stone setting.

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1016147: A stone alignment, kerbed cairn, prehistoric settlement, four pillow mounds, a vermin trap and animal runs 720m south west of Great Trowlesworthy Tor

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX56SE15
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 439148
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX56SE/13/1
• Old SAM County Ref: 560B
• Old SAM Ref Revised: 24229
• Old SAM Ref: 10663
• Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division: SX56SE15

Monument Type(s) and Dates

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

Full description

Ordnance Survey, 1880-1899, First Edition Ordnance 25 inch map (Cartographic). SDV336179.

'Stone Circles (Remains of)' shown on 19th century map.

Worth, R. N., 1892, The Stone Rows of Dartmoor, 401 (Article in Serial). SDV237176.

Single stone row running west-east. It has 8 stones, all erect, columnar in type.

Ordnance Survey, 1904 - 1906, Second Edition Ordnance Survey 25 inch Map (Cartographic). SDV325644.

'Stone Circle' shown on early 20th century map.

Worth, R. H., 1941, Retaining Circles Associated with Stone Rows, Dartmoor, 232 (Article in Serial). SDV251083.

Worth states there is only one stone left standing in circle.

Worth, R. H., 1946, The Stone Rows of Dartmoor. Part 1, 292, 15 (Article in Serial). SDV251172.

Indications of a retaining circle around 6.1m diameter at eastern end of stone row.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1950, SX56SE15 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV139180.

(02/11/1950) Of the 8 possible stones of the circle that remain, 3 are standing and 5 are fallen. There is no sign of a barrow inside the circle.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1977, SX56SE15, Cairn (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV171273.

(22/05/1977) A 4.5m diameter circle of 10 stones; average height 0.4m. There is no visible cairn or cist in the centre. Two upright stones immediately to the north-west of the circle are probably associated. Surveyed at 1:10 000 on P.F.D. (1:500 enlargement survey).

Grinsell, L. V., 1978, Dartmoor Barrows, 165, Shaugh Prior 43 (Article in Serial). SDV273224.

(07/05/1976) Retaining circle at higher end of stone row. Circle 6m diameter.

Turner, J. R., 1990, Ring Cairns, Stone Circles and Related Monuments on Dartmoor, 82, G26 (Article in Serial). SDV229817.

Stone circle aligned right of centre at eastern end of stone row. Measures 5.5m diameter 8 stones standing.

Gerrard, S., 1990-2002, Monument Protection Programme. Archaeological Item Dataset., MPP 140523 (Report - Survey). SDV277946.

(10/03/1994) SX 5755 6397. Encircled cairn lies at eastern end of stone alignment. Cairn survives as a 5.75m diameter and 0.3m high mound of stones surrounded by at least 13 upright stones standing between 0.1m and 0.45m high. A hollow in the mound, measuring 3.1m by 2m by 0.3m deep, suggests partial early excavation or robbing.
This structure is described by the National Trust Inventory and depicted by the Ordnance Survey as a stone circle. A mound is however clearly visible and this feature should therefore be properly considered as a cairn.

Butler, J., 1994, Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities: Volume Three - The South-West, 171-2, 212, Map 51, Figures 51.11 & 51.11.1 (Monograph). SDV137656.

Trowlesworthy stone row '2' cairn at SX57556397 of 5.5 metres diameter by 0.3 metres high has a central hollow and much spread outside the ring of 13 stones. This ring is far from circular and the only slab of any size at 1.2 metres high stands at an angle across the upper end of the row.

Thackray, C., 1994, The Upper Plym Valley: the management of an historic landscape, 14, 102.042b (Report - non-specific). SDV143510.

Defined by three distinct orthostats and at least 20 other stones, either buried or protruding through turf. Diameter 7m. Tallest stone 1.11m high.

Probert, S. A. J. + Fletcher, M. J., 2002, Plym Valley survey (Report - Survey). SDV350782.

(16/02/2001) Cairn at the head of the single stone row running in an east-west line from the site of a possible ring cairn at the foot of the south-western flank of Little Trowlesworthy Tor.
Cairn is marked by a circle containing one upright and eight fallen small slabs and boulders. Within these is a slightly raised area, perhaps the remains of a cairn. There is no evidence to suggest the former presence of a cist.

Bluesky International Ltd/Getmapping PLC, 2015-2017, 2015-2017 Aerial Photographs (Aerial Photograph). SDV361462.

Stones of the cairn visible on the aerial photography.

Various, 2018-2020, PALs Condition Recording forms, UPTR-29 (Worksheet). SDV362781.

(22/03/2020) Condition of cairn assessed as very good; no issues noted at this time.

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

Images taken in March 2020.

Ordnance Survey, 2022, Mastermap 2022 (Cartographic). SDV364674.

'Stone Circle' shown on modern mapping.

Historic England, 2022, National Heritage List for England, 1012114 (National Heritage List for England). SDV364675.

At the northern end of the stone row there is a circular stone setting 7 metres in diameter consisting of eight stones up to 1.3 metres in height.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV7369 - Survey of Granite Loading Bays at Trowlesworthy, Devon
• EDV8148 - The Upper Plym Valley: The Management of an Historic Landscape
• EDV8155 - Plym Valley Survey: EH Project (Feb 2001 - Dec 2002)

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