See important guidance on the use of this record.

If you have any comments or new information about this record, please email us.

Summary

Double stone row in three distinct parts. The northern part includes 39 stones forming a straight line. The central group of 8 is separated from the northern row by a 66m gap, whilst the southern group is on a slightly different alignment to the others. Because the shift of alignment occurs within the part of the row no longer visible, it is not possible to be sure that the different parts of the row represent the same alignment. It is possible that the stones in the southern half of the row represent the western alignment, whilst those to the north of the gap belong to the eastern side of the row. This differs from the interpretation of Butler and others who see some of the orthostats forming the other face of the adjacent corn-ditch boundary being original stones forming part of the alignment. Examination of this wall revealed a number of orthostats but it was not possible to be sure that any had originally belonged to the row. Butler notes that there is a measurable increase in the height of the stones towards both ends of the row but the present survey (1992) indicates that this is not the case with some of the highest stones surviving within the centre. The row is unusual in that the blocking stone is at the upper end of the row and the cairns at the lower end. Survey in 2007 revealed the monument to be mostly free from vegetation cover.

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1011255: A double stone alignment and three cairns south-west of Black Tor

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX57SE35
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 440127
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX57SE/102
• Old SAM County Ref: 834
• Old SAM Ref: 22290

Monument Type(s) and Dates

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

Full description

Worth, R. H., 1903, The Stone Rows of Dartmoor, Part 6, 426-7, fig (Article in Serial). SDV343479.

Stone row, Black Tor, Stanlake. Slope of Black Tor, south and a little west of summit, immediately inside enclosure wall, running parallel to it. Terminates in a blocking stone. Originally double, northern stone row obscured by wall. Measurements of stones given.

Worth, R. H., 1946, The Stone Rows of Dartmoor. Part 1, 295 (Article in Serial). SDV251172.

A double row, the north member of which is almost wholly merged in an enclosure wall forming the western boundary of Stanlake Farm. The row has been robbed and only 66 stones are left. The stones are of medium height. There are remains of at least 14 hut circles and some small pounds c.250m to the south of the south-west end of the row.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1950/1977, SX57SE35 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV277176.

(08/06/1950) The northern member of the double row is composed of rather large stones average height 0.4m while the southern member is composed of small stones, average height 0.1m. It is very fragmentary. Average width between rows is two metres.
(15/08/1977) A double row of stones of a total length of 283.6m, the northern now incoporated with a large enclosure wall and the southern standing just clear of it. Sixty stones in the southern row are visible, a few of them, though on alignment, being only probable members of it, and twenty-one stones in the northern row, these being on average much larger than those in the southern row.
However most of these stones in the northern row are only possible original members of that row, they may be no more than earthfast boulders at the base of the wall placed there at its construction. The blocking stone at the north west end is set into the wall at right angles and it measures 1.3m x 0.3m x 0.75 high.
At the south-west end is an amorphous mass of stones which may be the remains of a cairn. Surveyed at 1:10 000 on PFD and at 1:1000 for large scale diagram.

Worth, R. H., 1953, Dartmoor, 212-3212-3 (Monograph). SDV231148.

Remains of a double row of stones extending 950ft in a North 50o East direction. Sixty six stones remain and the northern row is "almost wholly merged in an enclosure wall.

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

Not visible on aerial photographs consulted in the project.

Gerrard, S., 1990-2002, Monument Protection Programme. Archaeological Item Dataset., MPP 130680, 13/5/1996 (Report - Survey). SDV277946.

Stone row surveyed at 1:200. Can be seen as three distinct parts. The northern part includes 39 stones forming a straight line. The central group of 8 is separated from the n row by a 66.2m gap, whilst the southern group is on a slightly different alignment to the others. Because the shift of alignment occurs within the part of the row no longer visible, it is not possible to be sure that the different parts of the row represent the same alignment. It is, for example, possible that the stones in the southern half of the row represent the western alignment, whilst those to the north of the gap belong to the eastern side of the row. This differs from the interpretation of Butler and others who see some of the orthostats forming the other face of the adjacent corn-ditch boundary being original stones forming part of the alignment. Examination of this wall revealed a number of orthostats but it was not possible to be sure that any had originally belonged to the row.
Butler notes that there is a measurable increase in the height of the stones towards both ends of the row but the present survey indicates that this is not the case with some of the highest stones surviving within the centre.
The row is unusual in that the blocking stone is at the upper end of the row and the cairns at the lower end.

Butler, J., 1994, Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities: Volume Three - The South-West, 48-9, Map 45, Figure 45.11 (Monograph). SDV137656.

Black Tor double stone row with the upper end at SX56007137 suffers the ignominious fate of supporting the outer newtake wall of Stanlake Farm. A tinners leat crosses the alignment. The present 54 stones are only a fraction of the original number in the row which is 295 metres long. The distance between the stones gradually increases towards the blocking stone and there is also a measurable increase in their height. For most of its length the row is comparatively straight but rather oddly the last half dozen stones curve away on an alignment that would barely have contacted the fringe of the mound. A cairn cemetery developed around this end of the row.

Gerrard, S., 1997, Stanlake Prehistoric Stone Row (Article in Serial). SDV360977.

A Bronze Age stone row lies just inside, and is partly buried by, a substantial field boundary. The row extends from SX 5721 7155 to SX 5700 7137, some 294m long and includes at least 57 visible stones. Its north-eastern end is denoted by a substantial blocking stone and its lower south-western end by three funerary cairns.
The row can be seen as three distinct parts forming the whole. The northern part includes 39 stones, the central group of 8 stones is separated from the northern row by a 66.2m wide gap whilst the southern group is on a slightly different alignment to the others. The row is unusual in that the blocking stone is at the upper end. The terminal cairn is badly misshapen spread to 9m across with upcast from a central hollow.

Gerrard, S., 1999, Meavy Valley Archaeology. Interim Report for 1997, 10-11, plan included (Article in Serial). SDV225919.

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

(13/10/2007) The line of this impressive stone row although partially overlaid and hidden by the field bank is clearly visible. It is suffering damage from animals as they shelter in the lee of the bank and also rub against the stones. Surveyed at 1:2500 scale. The monument is mostly free from vegetation cover.

Various, 2018-2020, PALs Condition Recording forms, WLK-94 (Worksheet). SDV362781.

Visited 23/11/2019. Overall condition moderate. Photo X4 taken.

Various, 2018-2020, PALs Condition Recording photographs, WLK-94 (Photograph). SDV363073.

Photo 1: View looking 260° showing blocking stone (right) at N end of row with grass and bracken cover.Photo 2: View looking 210° showing bracken and gorse on corn-ditch at SX 57131 71495. Photo 3: View looking 250° showing break in corn-ditch and animal track across monument at SX 57145 71508. Photo 4: View looking 310° showing break in corn-ditch and animal track across monument at SX 57008 71397.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV7521 - Survey of Stanlake prehistoric stone row
• EDV7522 - Survey of Black Tor
• EDV8351 - Walkhampton Premier Archaeological Landscape; Field Investigation Project

Search results generated by the HBSMR Gateway from exeGesIS SDM Ltd.