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Summary

Northern stone circle of the pair known collectively as The Grey Wethers. This circle measures 31.5 metres in diameter and is denoted by 20 upright granite slabs with an average height of 1.1 metres. Excavations carried out by the Dartmoor Exploration Committee towards the end of the 19th century revealed a layer of charcoal covering the original ground surface. A shallow trench visible leading through the southern circle may be the result of this excavation. The circle was restored at this time.

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1018707: Two stone circles known as The Grey Wethers, three round cairns, two ring cairns and an oval enclosure in Great Stannon Newtake

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX68SW1
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 443916
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX68SW/16
• Old SAM County Ref: 464
• Old SAM Ref: 28680

Monument Type(s) and Dates

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

Full description

Spence Bate, C., 1870-1871, On the Prehistoric Antiquities of Dartmoor, 514 (Article in Serial). SDV277110.

When Spence Bate saw the circles in 1870 some stones had been recently removed apparently to repair the sides of the nearby leat.

Baring Gould, S., 1899, Sixth Report of the Dartmoor Exploration Committee, 153 (Article in Serial). SDV344950.

The Grey Wethers; two stone circles. The distance between the centres of the circles is about 40 metres. The circles were excavated in 1899. Charcoal was found on the floor, suggesting that it was probably a cremation place for funeral feasts.

Allcroft, A. H., 1922, Unknown, 173-342 (Article in Serial). SDV344949.

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

Worth, R. H., 1939, Two Stone Circles on Dartmoor, Swincombe Valley, and West Dart Valley, with a note on the Grey Wethers, 326-328, Fig. 7 (Article in Serial). SDV344944.

Two restored stone circles. In 1879, prior to restoration, the north circle had nine standing stones and six fallen stones; while the south circle had seven standing stones and twenty fallen stones. Plan by W C Lukis in 1879.
In 1891, after restoration by Burnard, there were said to be 9 standing stones, 7 fallen and one almost wholly buried. The spacing between the stones was probably originally 3.35 metres centre to centre, giving 29 stones in the north circle and 33 in the south circle.

Royal Air Force, 1947, RAF/CPE/UK/1995, 2366-7 (Aerial Photograph). SDV224714.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1950/1977, SX68SW1 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV244063.

(19/06/1950) Stone circle diameter 31.5 metres. Consists of 20 stones average height 1.1 metres, which are irregularly spaced varying from 2.9 metres - 4.0 metres apart. No barrow or sepulchral remains are visible inside the circle.
(25/02/1977) Baring Gould (1899) claims that several barrows have been found near to or in sight of the circles, but this is probably a reference to two barrows (SX 68 SW 18 & SX 68 SW 29) which were inspected in 1898.

Brown, T., 1961, Tales of a Dartmoor Village: Some Preliminary Notes on the Folklore of Postbridge, 204 (Article in Serial). SDV238060.

Worth, R. H., 1967, Worth's Dartmoor, 258 (Monograph). SDV337618.

National Monuments Record, 1977, NMR SX6383, 245-6 (Aerial Photograph). SDV244058.

Robinson, R., 1982, List of Field Monument Warden Visits 1982 (Un-published). SDV345608.

Department of Environment Field Monument Warden site vist 7th march 1982.

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

Very clear on Royal Air Force 1947 and National Monuments Record 1977 aerial photographs, each stone being visible, even on the 1947 photograph.

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

(02/07/1990) Centred at SX63878314. The Grey Wethers are two well preserved, restored stone circles which are approximately 6.0 meters apart. They are situated in a shallow valley between Sittaford Tor to the west and rising ground to the north-east. The area, under moorland pasture, has been disturbed by desultory amorphous diggings and shallow, natural erosion gullies.
The northern circle, located on a level stance, has an internal diameter of approximately 31.7 meters with 20 upright stones and at least 4 ?socket holes (visible as irregular pits) which are on average 1.0 meter across and 0.3 meters deep. The White Horse leat skirts the north/north-east side.
Tabulated list of stones in NRHE Archive.

Griffith, F. M., 1990, DAP/PU, 7-10 (Aerial Photograph). SDV336422.

Turner, J. R., 1990, Ring Cairns, Stone Circles and Related Monuments on Dartmoor, 55, 60, 80, G4 (Article in Serial). SDV229817.

Northern circle is 31.5 metres in diameter with 29 stones standing (restored). One axis on low ridge, other on saddle. One of only paired circles on Dartmoor. At headwaters of Dart and Teign Rivers. Uniformly rectangular stones.

Gerrard, S., 1990-2002, Monument Protection Programme. Archaeological Item Dataset., MPP 144191 (Report - Survey). SDV277946.

(1997) Stone circle at SX63878316. The northernmost of two stone circles known as the Grey Wethers. Some erosion around some stones, but generally very stable.

Butler, J., 1991, Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities: Volume Two - The North, 164-6, 232, Map 35, Figure 35.9 (Monograph). SDV219155.

Grey Wethers N stone circle at SX638831 of 32.3 metres diameter with 20 stones of the origial 30 stones still standing which are 3.3 metres apart. Before the circle was restored in 1909 only nine stones stood erect with the rest lying where they had fallen or buried beneath the turf. Packing stones at their base identify the re-erected slabs. The shallow pits in the peat within the circle are the result of trial excavations by the Dartmoor Exploration Committee in 1898 who found a layer of charcoal covering the original ground surface.

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

Some stones shown on survey.

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

'The Grey Wethers Stone Circles (restored)' depicted on the modern mapping.

English Heritage, 2011, National Heritage List for England, 1018707 (National Heritage List for England). SDV347072.

The monument, which falls into six areas, includes two stone circles, three round cairns, two ring cairns and an oval enclosure lying at the head of three separate rivers within Great Stannon Newtake. The stone circles known collectively as The Grey Wethers, lie adjacent to each other and are very similar in size and character. The northern circle measures 31.5 meters in diameter and is denoted by 20 upright granite slabs with an average height of 1.1 meters. The diameter of the southern circle is 33 meters and includes 29 standing stones varying in height between 1.0 and 1.4 meters. Excavations carried out by the Dartmoor Exploration Committee towards the end of the 19th century revealed a layer of charcoal covering the original ground surface. A shallow trench visible leading through the southern circle may be the result of this excavation (scheduled 1962, amended 1999). Other details: SAM ID: 28680.

Bluesky International Ltd/Getmapping PLC, 2015-2017, 2015-2017 Aerial Photographs (Aerial Photograph). SDV361462.

Visible on aerial photograph.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV4817 - Restoration works at Grey Wethers southern stone circle
• EDV8533 - Excavation at Grey Wethers stone circles
• EDV8650 - Great Stannon Newtake, Duchy Farms Survey
• EDV8409 - Dartmoor Royal Forest Project
• EDV8423 - Duchy Farms Project

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