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Summary

Prone monolith or longstone of 2.6 metres long by 0.4 metres wide on the col between Fishcombe Water and a tributary of the Redaven Brook to the east

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX59SE148
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 1572248
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX59SE/33
• Old SAM County Ref: 24163

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• RECUMBENT STONE (Bronze Age - 2200 BC (Between) to 701 BC (Between))

Full description

Brailsford, J. W., 1938, Bronze Age Stone Monuments of Dartmoor, 445, 448 (Article in Serial). SDV304210.

Greeves, T. A. P., 1978, Longstone Hill monolith (Worksheet). SDV260331.

Visited on 5th April 1978. At SX56709085 a prone monolith or longstone on the col between Fishcombe Water and a tributary of the Redaven Brook to the east. At 3.0 metres long it is quite different in size and shape to other stones in the vicinity. Could it be the original longstone which gave its name to this hill? It lies a little to the north and west of the main group of cairns

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1979, SX59SE148 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV260334.

(05/09/1979) The prostrate weathered stone is on the broad ridge of Longstone Hill at circa 408m OD, set in a NE-SW direction. It is 2.6m long, 0.4m thick, and tapers in width from 0.85m at the SW end to 0.7m at the NE end. There is no visible evidence of any post-hole. It is the only stone of size on Longstone Hill and well be the source of the hill's name, whether prone or upright.

Gerrard, S., 1990-2002, Monument Protection Programme. Archaeological Item Dataset., MPP 133363 (Report - Survey). SDV277946.

(09/02/1994) Recumbent stone 1.75m long, 0.8m wide, 0.45m thick.

Butler, J., 1991, Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities: Volume Two - The North, 215, Map 42, Site 'St' (Monograph). SDV219155.

On the summit of the ridge above the cairns on Longstone Hill is a flat pillar about 2.5 metres long which it has been suggested may be the 'longstone' which once stood upright to give the hill its name. If so it must have fallen many years ago as turf is beginning to cover it and there is no sign of a socket hole.

Historic England, 2023, National Heritage List for England, 101597 (National Heritage List for England). SDV365228.

A sinuous 50 metres long, 2 metres wide and 0.25 metres high bank lying within the monument leads towards a large recumbent stone. This stone measures 1.75 metres long, 0.8 metres wide and 0.45 metres thick and is the only large stone visible on Longstone Hill. It has been suggested that this may be the longstone which once stood upright to give the hill its name. The presence of this stone, which would have been broadly contemporary with the cairns, provides additional support for the ritual and funerary character ascribed to many cairns within the group.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV7620 - Okehampton Artillary Range
• EDV8679 - Okehampton Range: Management Survey
• EDV8291 - Okehampton Range: Monument Baseline Condition Survey
• EDV8695 - Survey of Okehampton North Dartmoor Military Range

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