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Summary

The remains of a stone circle with a robbed cairn. The stone circle consists of four concentric stone rings. A low turf-covered cairn measuring 10 metres in diameter and 0.4 metres high has a central cist which has been robbed.

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: SX68NE17
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 443527
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX68NE/36
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX68NE/36/1
• Old SAM County Ref: 144
• Old SAM Ref: 28663

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• CAIRN (Constructed, Bronze Age - 2200 BC (Between) to 701 BC (Between))
• CIST (Constructed, Bronze Age - 2200 BC (Between) to 701 BC (Between))
• STONE CIRCLE (Constructed, Bronze Age - 2200 BC (Between) to 701 BC (Between))

Full description

Ormerod, G. W., 1857-1858, On some British and druidical remains in the parishes of Chagford and Gidleigh, 23 map (Article in Serial). SDV274183.

(Estimated 1856) It is described as a triple circle: in the outer-most circle are 10 stones, in the next are 6 and in the inner one 8, with three stones standing in the centre. Maximum diameter is nearly 8 metres.

Wilkinson, J. G., 1860, The Rock-Basins of Dartmoor, and Some British Remains in England, 112-114 (Article in Serial). SDV273188.

Spence Bate, C., 1870-1871, On the Prehistoric Antiquities of Dartmoor, 504-505 (Article in Serial). SDV277110.

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

'Triple Circle (Stone Circle) (Remains of)' shown on 19th century map. Also shown as a boundary stone 'B.S.'.

Worth, R. H., 1932, The Prehistoric Monuments of Scorhill, Buttern Hill, and Shuggledown (Shoveldown), 283-5, Estimated 1931 (Article in Serial). SDV239731.

Shuggledown (Shovel Down). A barrow with a four-fold retaining circle marks the southern end of a Stone Row ('B' SX 68 NE 16). The outer circle, consisting of nine standing stones and one fallen stone, is approx. 29 feet in diameter to the internal faces of the stones. Possibly seven stones are missing. The inner circle, approx. 19 feet in diameter, has six standing stones and possibly once had four more. The third circle, approx. 15 feet in diameter, consists of eight standing stones and possibly once had two more. The innermost circle has four stones, two standing, and possibly once had two more. The diameter is approx. 8 feet. With the exception of Lukis every observer has described this as a triple circle.
Diameter (circle 1 is 8.75 metres, 2 is 5.75 metres, 3 is 4.65 metres, 4 is 2.4 metres).

Worth, R. H., 1937, 56th Report of the Barrow Committee, 99 fig. 15 (Article in Serial). SDV20973.

(Estimated 1936) All the circles are of the open type. It lies at the southern end of a stone row. (Worth's No.34; MDV6171).

Brailsford, J. W., 1938, Bronze Age Stone Monuments of Dartmoor, 447 (Article in Serial). SDV304210.

Worth, R. H., 1940, The Dartmoor Menhirs, 198 (Article in Serial). SDV231163.

Worth, R. H., 1941, Retaining Circles Associated with Stone Rows, Dartmoor, 238 (Article in Serial). SDV251083.

Fox, A., 1957, Cairns and stone alignments on Shovel Down, 155-158 (Article in Serial). SDV348211.

Triple circle at south end of stone row. A small barrow with peristalith and two interior rows of orthostats and wrecked cist. Two large menhirs fallen beside circle. Batworthy circle.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1974, SX68NE17 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV274821.

SX65968601 Cairn (peristalith, two internal concentric circles on stone and ruined cist)
A barrow with a four-fold retaining circle marks the southern end of a stone row ('B' SX68NE16). The outer circle, consisting of nine standing stones and one fallen, is approximately 29 feet in diameter to the internal faces of the stones. Possibly seven stones are missing. The inner circle, approximately 19 feet in diameter, has six standing stones and possibly once had four more. The third circle, approximately 15 feet in diameter, consists of eight standing stones and possibly once had two more. The innermost circle has four stones, two standing and possibly once had two more. The diameter is approximately 8 feet. With the exception of Lukis every observer has described this as a triple circle (citing Worth, R. H., 1932, 284-5 and 1941, 238).
A small barrow with peristalith 25 feet in diameter, two interior circles of orthostats and a wrecked cist (citing Fox, A., 1950).
A cairn at the southern end of a stone row with four circles of stone, the outermost with a diameter of 30 feet. Immediately adjoining the circle are two large fallen stones. One is a pillar 11.5 feet long and the other a slab over 7 feet with one end broadly triangular in shape. They probably stood facing each other at the end of the stone row (citing Pettit, P., 1974, Prehistoric Dartmoor, 149-54).
None of the above authorities gives this cairn a proper name. Triple Circle and Fourfold Circle are always used descriptively (Ordnance Survey, 12/06/1974).
A turf-covered cairn, 10.0 metres in diameter and 0.4 metres in height with a ruined central cist of small slabs. Two concentric circles of orthostats and a perimeter circle protrude from the turf. Surveyed at 1:2500 (Ordnance Survey, 09/07/1974).

Greeves, T. A. P., 1976, Report of Field Visit to the Shovel Down stone rows (13/08/1976) (Report - non-specific). SDV362905.

13/8/1976 All the stones which Worth planned in 1931 were visible, but three of the stones from the innermost circle are no longer in situ and are now lying loose on the ground surface.

Greeves, T. A. P., 1976, Site visit notes and plan of the Shovel Down stone rows (Site Visit). SDV274180.

13/8/1976 All the stones which Worth planned in 1931 were visible, but three of the stones from the innermost circle are no longer in situ and are now lying loose on the ground surface.

National Monument Record, 1977, NMR SX6586, 3/50-51 (Aerial Photograph). SDV220197.

National Monuments Record, 1977, NMR SX6685, 10 (Aerial Photograph). SDV254388.

Grinsell, L. V., 1978, Dartmoor Barrows, 139, Gidleigh 3, 23/4/1973 (Article in Serial). SDV273224.

Four-fold stone circle on Shovel Down, apparently in low cairn, limited by innermost circle. Diameter 8.8 metres, height 0.3 metres.

Walrond, L. F. J., 1979, Notes on the Fourfold Circle, Shovel Down (Worksheet). SDV274839.

Visited 19/8/1979 The inner circle area of the Fourfold circle does not conform with Worth (page 187) In the centre is evidence of recent disturbance (4-6 years old?). In the centre a large stone has been placed (apparently cavities exist underneath). Appears unchanged from Walrond's July 1978 visit. The innermost circle has six stones, of which two are loose.
The standing stones in the alignments are noted as being less visible than in 1978 or 1977 due to rising peat levels.

Robinson, R. + Greeves, T. A. P., 1981, Two Unrecorded Prehistoric Multiple Stone Rings, Glasscombe, Ugborough, South Dartmoor, 35 (Article in Serial). SDV142714.

Reference to this fourfold circle in comparison to those at Glasscombe.

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

Visible on National Monuments Record aerial photographs and recorded on map overlay.

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

(19/09/1991) SX 65968601 Fourfold Circle a sub-circular configuration of four apparently concentric stone rings. The outer ring has a diameter of 9m, the others have diameters of 6.4m, 4.7m and 2.4m respectively. The monument comprises 29 visible stones. Most are approximately 0.3m in height although they vary from 0.1-0.55m. The middle two rings define the bottom and top of the scarp of a small earthen cairn apparently an integral part of the monument. It is most pronounced on the E (downslope side). In the centre is a roughly sub-circular pit measuring 1.3m by 0.7m and 0.45m deep; it is probably the remains of a badly robbed cist.
On the N side are two fallen stones. When upright they may have served as a focal point for the end of the stone row (SX 68 NE 16 B). They measure 3.4m and 1.2m in length, the former being inscribed `GP' (for Gidleigh parish) and confirming its reuse as a boundary stone. Both stones lie within a pronounced erosion hollow 0.3m deep. If the stones did function as a pair at the end of a stone row, then their relationship with the fourfold circle is unclear.
(See RCHME archive survey `The Stone Rows on Shovel Down' at 1:200 scale).

Griffith, F. M., 1989, DAP/LT, 8-10 (Aerial Photograph). SDV346554.

Turner, J. R., 1990, Ring Cairns, Stone Circles and Related Monuments on Dartmoor, 58, 82, g31 (Article in Serial). SDV229817.

Multiple stone circle. Outer diameter 8.6 metres, inner 2.2 metres. Circle 1 has six stones, two fallen. Circle 2 has eight stones. Circle 3 has six stones. Circle 4 has ten stones, one fallen. Double stone row descends to north.

Gerrard, S., 1990-2002, Monument Protection Programme. Archaeological Item Dataset., MPP 143949 (Report - Survey). SDV277946.

(1997) Kerbed cairn. Central pit 1.2m by 0.9m by 0.3m deep. A very complex cairn. The mound extends from second ring from the outside and is 0.3m high.

Butler, J., 1991, Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities: Volume Two - The North, 178-182, 243, Map 36, Figures 36.7 & 36.11 (Monograph). SDV219155.

'Fourfold Circle' cairn at SX65958601 among the stone rows on Shovel Down of 9 metres diameter with four concentric rings surrounding a central pit. A slight rise within the outer ring is all that remains of the mound. The rings are eliptical rather than truly circular with the longer axis in the direction of the double Row '2'. The outer ring has a diameter of 9 metres and contains 10 stones. The other rings have six, eight and five stones respectively but they all have gaps.

Griffith, F. M., 20/02/1987, DAP/ID, 7-9 (Aerial Photograph). SDV306073.

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

Cairn shown on survey.

GetMapping, 2010, GetMapping 2010 aerial photographs (Aerial Photograph). SDV351585.

Circles of stone visible on the aerial photograph.

Historic England, 2018, National Heritage List for England, 1017874 (National Heritage List for England). SDV360653.

See Designation Record for full details.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV6198 - Geophysical Survey on Shovel Down and Kes Tor
• EDV8423 - Duchy Farms Project

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