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Summary

Standing stone known as 'Laughter Man' of 2.65 metres high, 0.7 metres wide by 0.52 metres thick. Positioned at the northern end of a stone row, it was re-erected in 1893, and again in 1911 by the Duchy of Cornwall. Roughly rectangular but tapering upwards. Apparently on a cobbled platform raised 0.3 metres above natural ground level.

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1021047: Two double stone alignments, cairn and standing stone 700m south west of Laughter Hole Farm

Other References/Statuses

• National Record of the Historic Environment: 442476
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX67NE/26
• Old SAM County Ref: 802
• Old SAM Ref: 34459
• Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division: SX67SE28

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• STANDING STONE (Constructed, Early Bronze Age to Late Iron Age - 2200 BC (Between) to 42 AD (Between))

Full description

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

'Menhir' shown on early 20th century map at the west end of the 'Stone Row'.

Burnard, R., 1914, 27th Report of the Committee on Scientific Memoranda, 70-71 (Article in Serial). SDV246012.

Burnard describes the re-erection of the stone.

Worth, R. H., 1940, The Dartmoor Menhirs, 197, Plate 4 (Article in Serial). SDV231163.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1952, SX67NE28, SX67NE28 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV230021.

Ancient Monuments, 1970, Standing stone south of Laughter Tor, AM7 (Report - Survey). SDV230063.

Visited on 6th May 1970. South of Laughter Tor stands the menhir known as 'Laughter Man'. Positioned at the north end of a stone row, it was re-erected in 1893, and again in 1911 by the Duchy of Cornwall. Roughly rectangular but tapering upwards. Apparently on a cobbled platform raised 300 millimetres above natural ground level.

National Monument Record, 1977, SX6575, 1/365-385 (Aerial Photograph). SDV247974.

Grinsell, L. V., 1978, Dartmoor Barrows, 151 (Article in Serial). SDV273224.

Visited on 17th July 1976. Standing stone possibly on site of cairn at higher end of double stone row. The standing stone was erected (or re-erected) there in 1893.

Hemery, E., 1983, High Dartmoor, 488 (Monograph). SDV249702.

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

Standing stone made visible on 1977 aerial photograph by erosion around it.

Gerrard, S., 1990-2002, Monument Protection Programme. Archaeological Item Dataset., MPP 157101 (Report - Survey). SDV277946.

Visited on 9th May 2002. Standing stone 720 metres south west of Laughter Hole Farm.

Butler, J., 1991, Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities: Volume Two - The North, 58-59, Map 28, Figure 28.4 (Monograph). SDV219155.

Longstone 2.4 metres high, sited below the crest and visible at a considerable distance from the south and east, was re-erected slightly out of alignment to the axis of the rows. It stands at the centre of a small cairn excavated by Burnard in 1903.

English Heritage, 2005-2008, Prehistoric Survey Information (Cartographic). SDV345521.

Shown on survey.

GeoInformation Group Ltd, 2010, 1:625 2010 Colour aerial photography for Dartmoor (12.5cm resolution) (Aerial Photograph). SDV346026.

Standing stone visible on the aerial photography.

English Heritage, 2014, National Heritage List for England, 1021047 (National Heritage List for England). SDV355683.

The monument includes two double stone alignments, a cairn and standing stone situated on a south facing slope of Laughter Tor overlooking the valley of the East Dart River. The standing stone is 2.65 metres high, 0.7 metres wide by 0.52 metres thick. The standing stone was re-erected in 1893 and again in 1911.

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

'Satnding Stone' shown on modern mapping.

Historic England, 2022, National Heritage List for England, 1021047 (National Heritage List for England). SDV364675.

A small cairn with a tall standing stone built into its centre stands at the north west end of the stone alignment. The cairn measures 5.5 metres in diameter and 0.2 metres high, whilst the standing stone is 2.65 metres high, 0.7 metres wide by 0.52 metres thick. The standing stone was re-erected in 1893 and again in 1911. The cairn was excavated in 1903 by Robert Burnard who found considerable quantities of charcoal.

Cunis, E, 2023, Condition of stone alignments below Laughter Tor (Personal Comment). SDV365544.

(13/02/2023) Condition photographs taken of vegetation coverage of stone alignments below Laughter Tor. Molinia growth threatening to overwhelm stones of this feature.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV8634 - Brimpts Farm, Duchy Farms Survey
• EDV8409 - Dartmoor Royal Forest Project

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