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Summary

A small, probably sepulchral, stone circle. It consists of 14 stones arranged in an 'egg' shape. The long axis is 9.9 metres aligned due east by 8.2m transversely. A further 7 stones are in close proximity but may not be associated. There is no trace of a cist or cairn. This site is on the local list of Nationally Important Dartmoor sites.

Location

Protected Status

• SHINE: Earthworks of Huntingdon Medieval Warren including pillow mounds, vermin traps and warren house, Bronze Age hut circles, enclosures, and the Huntingdon Barrow as well as old tin workings including Huntingdon Tin Mine, Gibby Beam and Wellabrook Girt

Other References/Statuses

• Dartmoor Non-designated Heritage Asset: NI site
• National Monuments Record: SX66NE34
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 441450
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX66NE/17

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• RING CAIRN? (Constructed, Early Neolithic to Late Bronze Age - 4000 BC (Between) to 701 BC (Between))

Full description

Breton, H. H., 1931, The Forest of Dartmoor, 23 (Monograph). SDV146074.

Worth, R. H., 1946, The Stone Rows of Dartmoor. Part 1, 49 (Article in Serial). SDV251172.

Site visited at some point in 1945 by Worth. Other details: 65th Report on Barrows.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1950/1977, SX66NE34 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV234523.

(05/05/1950) Retaining circle of 14 stones, of which 5 are standing, the remainder fallen. No sign of barrow or cist within circle. Other details: Plan/photograph.
(14/07/1977) This small, probably sepulchral stone circle lies on a steep, badly drained, east facing slope at 410m above OD. It consists of 14 stones, maximum size 1.4m by 0.2m and 0.6m high, arranged in an 'egg' shape, long axis 9.9m aligned due east by 8.2m transversely. A further 7 stones are in close proximity but may not be associated. There is no trace of a cist or cairn. See photograph.
O.S. 1:10 000 survey, revised.

Davidson, C. + Seabrook, R., 1973, Stone Rings on south-east Dartmoor, 34 (Article in Serial). SDV345864.

Site visited at some point in 1971. Site surveyed and measured plan published. The circle is ruinous and overgrown; the authors could find no trace of second circle. Other details: Figure 10.

Grinsell, L. V., 1978, Dartmoor Barrows, 154 (Article in Serial). SDV273224.

(Visited 23/6/1976) A retaining ring (egg-shaped?), with no evidence of cairn or cist; possibly a ring cairn. Double retaining circle claimed by Breton. Diameter 9.0 meters, height of highest stone: 0.5 meters. Other details: Lydford 107.

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

Not visible.

Turner, J. R., 1990, Ring Cairns, Stone Circles and Related Monuments on Dartmoor, 81 (Article in Serial). SDV229817.

Stone circle, 8.2 meters in diameter, 11 stones standing. Other details: G19.

Butler, J., 1993, Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities: Volume Four - The South-East, 157, Map 57 (Monograph). SDV337765.

Indistinct remains of a cairn at SX65746604, consisting of at least 10 stones of the retaining circle that just show above the long grass. These stones are arranged in several concentric rings, the innermost of which measures 9.0 meters in diameter. All that can be seen of the mound is a slight step in the hillside around the western edge and it was probably never very substantial.

Royal Commission for the Historical Monuments of England, 1993-1998, Dartmoor Royal Forest Project (Report - Survey). SDV346608.

(31/01/1996) SX65746604. This cairn lies on a slight shelf on the NE-facing slope above Buckland Ford. It is largely obscured by long tussocky grass and the absence of a discernible cairn or cist makes it an unusual site by Dartmoor standards.
An 1:2500 survey is deposited in the archive.

Gerrard, S., 2004, List of Sites Remaining to be Considered for Designation on Dartmoor (Un-published). SDV345444.

This site was considered for designation as a Scheduled Ancient Monument during the Monument Protection Programme. The programme ended before the entire list of sites was successfully scheduled so this is included on a local list of Nationally Important Sites.

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

A small, probably sepulchral, stone circle. It consists of 14 stones arranged in an 'egg' shape. The long axis is 9.9 metres aligned due east by 8.2m transversely. A further 7 stones are in close proximity but may not be associated. Map object based on this Source.

Ordnance Survey, 2021, MasterMap 2021 (Cartographic). SDV364015.

'Cairn Circle' shown on modern mapping.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV8409 - Dartmoor Royal Forest Project

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