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Summary

Groups of small stone piles, fragmentary boulder lines and evidence of stone cutters waste, are visible everywhere in the valley of Strane head and on the summit area of Royal Hill.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX67SW239
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 620323
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX67SW/434

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• CLEARANCE CAIRN (Constructed, Post Medieval to Early 20th Century - 1540 AD (Between) to 1901 AD (Between))

Full description

Dartmoor National Park Authority, 1982, Survey of Tor Royal Farm (Report - Survey). SDV218978.

Depicted on the DNP survey variously as modern stone lines, loose stone heaps, broken stone and pits and blasted stone. The windstrew and stone circles are described as a modern platform and a modern pile of stones respectively.

Hemery, E., 1983, High Dartmoor, 342 (Monograph). SDV249702.

Widely spaced on the gentle slope between the east hollow of Strane Head and the SW shoulder of Royal Hill are several rows of boulders each terminating in a cluster or pile of small stones. In some cases these terminal stone clusters suggest the foundation outline of small rectangular buildings and the boulder rows, arranged rather than built, provide effective lines or barriers. These stone patterns are the relics of a plan of Sir Thomas Tyrwhitt to parcel out the area into seven small holdings. Boulders, some bearing tare and feather marks, form bases of walls and gathered stones occur in small heaps on or beside tiny single storey cots.
A stone platform on higher ground identified as a communal windstrew, is 27ft by 16ft, 3ft high with an internal platform 18ft by 10ft of tightly packed stones contained by a surround of boulders, both free and set.
On high ground taken between the windstrew and Royal Hill are two concentric circles of stones, crudely laid rather than set, the diameter of the inner circle is 5ft 7ins.

Royal Commission for the Historical Monuments of England, 1987-1993, Duchy Farms Project Survey Visit, S. Probert (Report - Survey). SDV350839.

(27/03/1989) Groups of small stone piles, fragmentary boulder lines and evidence of stone cutters waste, are visible everywhere in the valley of Strane head and on the summit area of Royal Hill.
Piles of gathered stone and also cutters waste lie at SX 60957226, SX 61197212 and SX 61197288. Crude lines of large boulders on average c.10m long with associated small piles of stone are at SX 61207207, SX 61237204, SX 61837162, SX 61477246, SX 61427257, SX 61417264 and SX 61627253. Many of the boulders bear drill splits or tare and feather marks especially the group set out in a rectangular shape at SX 61057246. No building foundations or constructed walling was identified. (See also SX 67 SW 198 & 256).
The alleged windstrew at SX 61417265 is almost certainly a stone dump, probably a pile of stone cutters waste material. It is trapezoidal in shape, 8.3m long, 3.9m to 4.8m wide and a maximum 0.6m high.
The concentric stone circle at SX 61507266 is now evident as a crude ring of boulders and stones approximately 4.5m across. It is almost certainly, as suggested by Greeves, a stone clearance pile and the tenant says it was built by his sons.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV8628 - Tor Royal Farm Duchy Farms Survey
• EDV8409 - Dartmoor Royal Forest Project
• EDV8423 - Duchy Farms Project

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