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Summary

The Sherberton Stone Circle overlooks the Swincombe valley. It measures approximately 29.4 meters in diameter and has nine surviving erect stones which could have been preserved because they were too small for reuse. These range in height from 0.3 meters to 0.74 meters and in width from 0.3 meters to 0.6 meters.

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1002535: Sherberton stone circle 315m SSE of Little Sherberton

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: 443298
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX67SW/48
• Old SAM County Ref: 463

Monument Type(s) and Dates

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

Full description

Breton, H. H., Untitled Source (Personal Comment). SDV234057.

Some of the stones of the circle are used as a gatepost in the wall. Baring-Gould told me that he found the late Mr Coaker's father (of Sherberton Farm) removing stones from the circle. This ceased when Baring-Gould explained the value of the circle to him.

Worth, R. H., 1939, Two Stone Circles on Dartmoor, Swincombe Valley, and West Dart Valley, with a note on the Grey Wethers, 321-2 (Article in Serial). SDV344944.

Sherberton stone circle (diameter 30 meters) in the Swincombe Valley above Little Ssherberton. It occupies a commanding position on a crest of a ridge at an elevation of approximately 335 meters. Nine stones are still erect and in place, one stone erect but probably slightly displaced, and two fallen stones. About 2/3 of the circumference is occupied by the stones. The stones in place are small, average height around 0.6 meters. The circle has been robbed to make the adjoining fences. One stone fence cuts off segment of the circle to the west no trace of barrow or cairn. Other details: Plate 17, figure 1.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1950, SX67SW23 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV234058.

(Site visited 3/8/1950) description by Worth is accurate. Other details: Photocopy of photograph.

Ministry of Works, 1961, Sherberton stone circle north of Swincombe (Schedule Document). SDV234055.

Stone circle, on crest of hill, south-west of Bellever Tor, East Dart. 11 stones remaining; robbed. The circle is crossed by remains of an old stone wall, and has been robbed to build this, nothing visible west of the wall.

Worth, R. H., 1967, Worth's Dartmoor, 254 (Monograph). SDV337618.

Other details: Figure 82, plate 51.

1980, Untitled Source (Report - Survey). SDV348112.

On a slight south slope are the remains of Sherberton Circle. It measures 29.8 meters in diameter, with stones set upright and averaging 0.7 meters in height. The supposed fallen stones have the appearance of natural in situ boulders fortuitously placed and unearthed. Otherwise the stone circle is as described and planned by Worth. Other details: Author: NJA.

Hemery, E., 1983, High Dartmoor, 347 (Monograph). SDV249702.

Nine stones remain standing at Sherberton circle; 2 large stones are fallen. The western segment of the circle is bisected by a reave.

Robinson, R., 1983, List of Field Monument Warden Visits 1983 (Un-published). SDV345762.

(Site visited 13/5/1983) Field Monument Warden visit.

National Monuments Record, 1983, NMR SF2134, 0116 (Aerial Photograph). SDV247915.

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

Visible and recorded.

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

(Site visited 30/7/1986) Field Monument Warden visit.

Fletcher, M. J., 1988, Untitled Source (Report - Survey). SDV234056.

SX63937317. The Sherberton Stone Circle occupies a slight south slope and is situated just off the crest of a broad ridge. It overlooks, to the south the wide Swincombe valley and the moors beyond but to the north the view is restricted to the distant high tors by the rising ground of the ridge-top. The vistas to the east and west are also limited by rising ground.
The approximately 29.4 meter diameter circle lies on the angle of two field walls; one, which cuts across its western side, is now a rather ragged line of boulders and stones with a vague shallow ditch on its east side. The ground surface, composed of a thick peat layer and close-cropped moorland pasture, is relatively stone-free and the area is pockmarked by shallow undulations and amorphous erosion gullies.
The nine surviving erect stones which could have been preserved because they were too small for reuse range in height from 0.3 meters to 0.74 meters and in width from 0.3 meters to 0.6 meters. Four are small slabs and the remainder are squarish rounded blocks; six appear to be grouped in pairs and one set almost at right angles to the line of the circle.
The impressive 'kite-shaped' upright slab incorporated in the boulder wall to the north-west of the circle is a maximum 1.45 meters in height and 1.65 meters in width. Its origin and purpose are unclear however although it is not on the line of the circle it is probably an integral part of the monument and may not have been displaced as suggested by Worth.
The two recumbent slabs in the southern segment of the circle measure 2.7 meters by 1.0 meters by 0.2 meters thick and 2.35 meters by 1.0 meter by 0.55 meters thick respectively. They are composed of a courser granite than their neighbours and they lie in a shallow depression which was probably caused by water erosion or livestock movement. They appear, on first sight, to be unrelated to the other stones because of their size and general form however if as suggested some uprights were robbed for reuse as gateposts then it is not unreasonable to deduce that these large stones would not have been out of place in the circle.
An almost completely buried boulder located on the west side of the boulder wall and more or less on the line of the circle might simply be a natural sub-surface feature. No socket holes or other buried boulders were detected by probing between the stones.

Turner, J. R., 1990, Ring Cairns, Stone Circles and Related Monuments on Dartmoor, 55, 60, 80 (Article in Serial). SDV229817.

Stone circle 29.5 meters in diameter. 11 stones standing. Isolated site within a natural amphitheatre. One axis on low ridge, other on saddle. Other details: G5.

Butler, J., 1993, Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities: Volume Four - The South-East, 217-8, Map 63, Figure 63.4 (Monograph). SDV337765.

Sherberton Stone Circle of 29.6 metres diameter. Only a fraction of the original number of stones remain in place mostly around the north-west quadrant. Nine not very impressive slabs with an average height of 0.65 metres are visible. A much larger block 1.5 metres high has been turned sideways and incorporated into the field wall that bisects the circle to the south-east. Two more monoliths 2.1 and 2.7 metres long lie on the eastern perimeter. Intervals between the stones are very variable from 1.5 to 2.5 metres and consequently the original number of stones is uncertain. Ther are no socket holes visible and the interior is flat and apparently undisturbed.

Ordnance Survey, 2011, MasterMap (Cartographic). SDV346129.

'Stone circle' depicted on modern mapping.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

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