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Summary

The Longstone stands over 3 metres tall and appears not have served as an end or terminal stone for one of the double stone rows on Shovel Down (MDV6179). Marks the boundary of three parishes, Chagford, Gidleigh and Lydford and letters marking the parishes are engraved on the faces of the stone.

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1017874: The North Teign coaxial field system (western part) and associated later remains at Shovel Down, Stonetor Hill and Long Ridge

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX68NE39
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 443595
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX68NE/31
• Old SAM County Ref: 144
• Old SAM Ref: 28663

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• BOUNDARY MARKER (Constructed, Early Bronze Age to Late 20th Century - 2200 BC (Between) to 1999 AD (Post))
• STANDING STONE (Constructed, Bronze Age - 2200 BC (Between) to 701 BC (Between))
• BOUNDARY STONE (Constructed, XIII - 1240 AD (Between) to 1240 AD (Between))

Full description

Wilkinson, J. G., 1860, The Rock-Basins of Dartmoor, and Some British Remains in England, 113, Figure, Plate 6. (Article in Serial). SDV273188.

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

'Long Stone' shown on 19th century map which is also shown as a boundary stone 'B.S.'

Prowse, A. B., 1892, The Bounds of the Forest of Dartmoor, 423 (Article in Serial). SDV273464.

A longstone on Chagford Common, 1.0 kilometre south-west from Kes Tor is acknowledged as one of the bounds of the Forest of Dartmoor. Marked as Highstone on the map of 1240. May be possible that the ruins of a cromlech about 180 meters south of the menhir may have served as the boundary mark at some period. The massive cover stone could be described as a hanging stone. Hengheston, Hengston and Hangeston are used in some records for this.

Whale, T. W., 1893, Some Remarks on the Bounds of the Forest of Dartmoor, 531-2 (Article in Serial). SDV343740.

Heghstone, Heighestone, Hengheston, Hangeston. May be the Highstone or Hanging stone or the Three Boys' cromlech. Marked as Longstone and has been adopted as the Langstone of the old map which is incorrect.

Worth, R. H., 1930, Proceedings at the Annual Meeting, 38-9 (Article in Serial). SDV231168.

Worth, R. H., 1932, The Prehistoric Monuments of Scorhill, Buttern Hill, and Shuggledown (Shoveldown), 247, Plate 13, figure 2. (Article in Serial). SDV239731.

Worth, R. H., 1940, The Dartmoor Menhirs, 196 (Article in Serial). SDV231163.

Shovel Down. The longstone is not far from the centre of a double stone row. May once have been terminal stone of row, which then extended beyond it. Marks boundary of three parishes, Chagford, Gidleigh and Lydford. Other details: Menhirs associated with other remains.

Worth, R. H., 1946, The Stone Rows of Dartmoor. Part 1, 302, Plate 37 (Article in Serial). SDV251172.

Worth, R. H., 1953, Dartmoor, 269 (Monograph). SDV231148.

The Long Stone stands in the middle of two stone rows ('E' and 'F' SX68NE16) and marks the boundary of the three parishes of Chagford, Gidleigh and Lydford. It was referred to as the Langstone in the Perambulation of the Forest of Dartmoor in 1240 AD. It stands 10 feet 5 inches high and the base measurements are north 35.5 inches, east 24 inches, south 33 inches and west 21 inches.

Fox, A., 1957, Cairns and stone alignments on Shovel Down, 155-8 (Article in Serial). SDV348211.

Lady Fox refers to the whole Shovel Down complex as a sanctuary and suggests that all the monuments are contemporary with the Beaker period.

Fox, A., 1973, South West England 3,500BC - AD600 (Revised Edition), 69 (Monograph). SDV16216.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1974, SX68NE39 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV273451.

SX66028567 Long Stone - Boundary Stone
08/07/1974 Long Stone is as described; it now has a considerable lean to the north-east. A very strong similarity exists between this stone and the fallen end stone (also utilised as a parish boundary mark) of stone row (SX16NE/16 'B'). Published 1:2500 survey correct.

Grinsell, L. V., 1978, Dartmoor Barrows, 134 (Article in Serial). SDV273224.

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

Not visible on Royal Air Force 1947 aerial photographs.

Robinson, R., 1986, List of Field Monument Warden Visits 1986 (Un-published). SDV345664.

Site visit 1st September 1986.

Griffith, F. M., 1986, Note of site visit (Worksheet). SDV273454.

(Site visited in 1985) In fine condition.

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

(19/09/1991) As described by the Ordnance Survey (1974). Long Stone now has a large erosion hollow on the north side. It is situated within a partly robbed stone row (SX68NE16, row E-F) and evidently served as a focal point for that row. (See Royal Commission survey of 'The Shovel Down Stone Row' (Part 1) at 1:200 scale).

Gerrard, S., 1990-2002, Monument Protection Programme. Archaeological Item Dataset., MPP 143947 (Report - Survey). SDV277946.

(1997)

Butler, J., 1991, Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities: Volume Two - The North, 178-182, Map 36, Figure 36.7 & 36.14 (Monograph). SDV219155.

'Longstone' at the southern end of stone Row '5' of 3.1 metres with its face set across the rows like a blocking stone. Now serves as a parish boundary marker for the point where Gidleigh and Chagford meet Dartmoor Forest, and has 'GP', 'DC' and 'C' cut on the appropriate faces. May possibly be the 13th century Heighstone (Highstone).

Department of National Heritage, 1992, Untitled Source (Correspondence). SDV273452.

Scheduled Monument Consent granted for restoration works to stabilise standing stone.

Griffiths, D. M., 1994, Note of works undertaken (Worksheet). SDV273453.

Works undertaken by Dartmoor National Park to repair hollow at base of stone, caused by animals. Socket excavated and stone pulled back towards the vertical. Hollow filled with stone, growan and topsoil.
Pollen from socket included grass, heath and herb species, some cereals and very little tree, but context unclear due to lack of dating evidence (Griffiths, citing Hatton).

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

Stone shown on survey.

English Heritage, 2011, National Heritage List for England (National Heritage List for England). SDV347072.

The monument, which falls into 11 areas, includes part of the prehistoric coaxial field system known as North Teign, ten broadly contemporary settlements, two agglomerated enclosures, an irregular aggregate field system, nine funerary cairns, six stone alignments, a standing stone and stone circle. Archaeological features of historic date include two field systems, an enclosure, shelter, animal pen, two streamworks, a lode back tinwork together with an adit, a cache, three lengths of leat, two areas of stone splitting pits and three boundary stones. (Scheduled 1952, amended 1998) Other details: SAM UID: 28663.

Ordnance Survey, 2018, MasterMap 2018 (Cartographic). SDV360652.

'Long Stone (Boundary Stone)' is depicted on the modern mapping.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV8409 - Dartmoor Royal Forest Project
• EDV8423 - Duchy Farms Project

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