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Summary

'Three Boys' standing stone of 1.7 metres long by 0.8 metres wide and 0.3 metres thick was formerly one of three marking the southern end of a stone row. The two other stones are believed to have been taken for use as gateposts.

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: SX68NE40
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 443598
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX68NE/58
• Old SAM County Ref: 144
• Old SAM Ref: 28663

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• (Former Type) CHAMBERED TOMB? (Neolithic - 4000 BC to 2201 BC)
• STANDING STONE (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, plan (Article in Serial). SDV274183.

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, 505 (Article in Serial). SDV277110.

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

'Three Boys (Cromlech) (Remains of)' depicted on the late 19th century historic map.

Ordnance Survey, 1904 - 1906, Second Edition Ordnance Survey 25 inch Map (Cartographic). SDV325644.

(SX 66038549) 'Three Boys (Cromlech) (NR) (Remains of)'.

Worth, R. H., 1930, Proceedings at the Annual Meeting, 38-39 (Article in Serial). SDV231168.

Worth, R. H., 1932, The Prehistoric Monuments of Scorhill, Buttern Hill, and Shuggledown (Shoveldown), 286 (Article in Serial). SDV239731.

The remaining "Boy" is now much out of the perpendicular, length above ground is about 1.5 metres.

Brailsford, J. W., 1938, Bronze Age Stone Monuments of Dartmoor, 456 (Article in Serial). SDV304210.

Worth, R. H., 1946, The Stone Rows of Dartmoor. Part 1, 302-3, plate 37, (Article in Serial). SDV251172.

At a distance of 170 metres from the Longstone, due south, is an isolated stone, erect but leaning. It is the last of the three stones known as the Three Boys, the others are now gateposts to a neighbouring enclosure. The suggestion that they formed the supporters of a dolmen is unlikely as the remaining stone would be quite unsuitable for this purpose. They were probably three unusually large stones used to mark the end of the stone row (Row 38: MDV6148).

Fox, A., 1957, Cairns and stone alignments on Shovel Down, 155-158 (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.

Worth, R. H., 1967, Worth's Dartmoor, 220-2 (Monograph). SDV337618.

The stone marking the southern end of a stone row ('F' SX 68 NE 16) is the only survivor of three such stones known as the Three Boys. It stands 4 1/2 feet high and leans over. The other two have been removed to form gateposts for a neighbouring enclosure. The suggestion that they formed the supporters of a dolmen is unlikely as the remaining stone would be quite unsuitable for this purpose. They were probably three unusually large stones used to mark the end of the stone row.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1974, SX68NE40 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV273531.

SX66038549 'Three Boys' standing stones (one remaining). ?Terminal or blocking stone of stone row.
(08/07/1974) The remaining stone of Three Boys leans at 45o to the NNE; it is 1.7m long, 0.8m wide and 0.3m thick. Packing stones are visible at its base. A surrounding wet-hollow, diameter 3.7m, depth 0.4m,has been created by sheep. There is no trace of a mound.
The situation, shape and size of the stone strongly suggests that it formed a terminal/blocking-stone to the double stone row (SX 68 NE/16 'F') which originally extended from the Three Boys to Long Stone.
Published 1:2500 survey revised.

Grinsell, L. V., 1978, Dartmoor Barrows, 144, 23/4/1973 (Article in Serial). SDV273224.

Three Boys. Formerly three standing stones, of which only one remains; probably the terminal of double stone row 38 recorded by Worth, but sometimes claimed as remains of burial chamber.

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.

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 in 1974. See survey 'The Shovel Down Stone Rows' (part 1) at 1:200.

Gerrard, S., 1990-2002, Monument Protection Programme. Archaeological Item Dataset., MPP 144084, 1997 (Report - Survey). SDV277946.

The remaining stone is 1.6 metres by 0.7 metres by 0.4 metres thick. It originally stood on the south edge of a 3 metre diameter and 0.6 metre deep pit, but is now almost recumbent as top is only 0.6 metres from the bottom of the pit. There is severe erosion in base of pit. The stone itself is now probably stable.

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

'Three Boys' stone at SX66038550 of 1.4 metres long is the last of a trio which once stood here, now leaning precariously eastwards. The stone faces across the line of the rows and may well have been a blocking stone.

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

Shown on survey.

Greeves, T. A. P., 2018, Culture and nature need equal weight for good of Dartmoor (Article in Serial). SDV361729.

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

'Three Boys (remains of)' marked on the modern mapping.

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

See designation record for details.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

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

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