Guide to the Monuments on Beardown and Conies Down

Table of Ritual and Burial Monuments on Beardown and Conies Down

Table of Round Houses on Beardown and Conies Down

Beardown and Conies Down Guide Map

Guidance for walkers: The monuments featured in this database are archaeological treasures and need to be protected and preserved - please do not disturb any sites. Please check access and firing times before visiting sites, not all sites listed are on open access land. Firing ranges and boundaries of open access areas are marked on the OL28 OS Dartmoor Explorer map. Please stick to the country code and consider giving support to the numerous agencies that help to keep Dartmoor a fabulous natural and historic environment!

List of Ritual and Burial Monuments on Beardown and Conies Down

Beardown Man Standing Stone

OS Map: SX 59616 79634
NMR record: SX 57 NE 1
HER record: MDV4200
Megalithic Portal: 4144
PMD: Beardown Man Standing Stone
ShortName: SS BeardownMan
Butler map: 29.15
Butler Vol 5: p.220
DPD page: 108
Notes: A Bronze Age standing stone measuring 3.4m high, 1m by 0.4m in section and in good condition. One of the few isolated menhirs on Dartmoor. See also, Legendary Dartmoor: Dartmoor's Beardown Man. Lethbridge diagram p.107, photo p.108.
Nearby sites: SX59627963

Conies Down stone row (natural outcrop) Reported Cairn

OS Map: SX 58600 78900
NMR record: SX 57 NE 100
HER record: MDV4592
ShortName: CNxConies Do2
Grinsell: LYD 33
Notes: Natural outcrop which is probably the small cairn described by Crossing. Probably duplicate of Conies Down (alleged) but the "roughly" NGR give by Grinsell does not match.
Nearby sites: SX58607890

Higher White Tor (SW of) Reported Cairn

OS Map: SX 61630 78250
NMR record: SX 67 NW 95
HER record: MDV5957
ShortName: CN?Higher Wh1
Grinsell: LYD 41b
Notes: natural? round barrow between longford tor and higher white tor. A very large barrow 1.3m high with a diameter of 30m under gorse and heather. No sign of ditch or kerb exist and there is no indication of an earlier disturbance. The monument is in a classic position commanding a fine view of the cherry brook valley.
Nearby sites: SX61637825

Devils Tor Reported Cist

OS Map: SX 59479 79414
NMR: No record found
HER: No record found
ShortName: CT-DevilsTor
Notes: This feature was reported by Russell Chapman to Bill Radcliffe. The current author was visiting Beardown and had mentioned this to Bill who suggested that it should be checked out. The grid reference given by Russell was SX 59475 79416. The feature is a rectangular pit lined by small stones. It does not have the appearance of a Bronze Age cist. The nature and function of this feature is unclear but would seem most likely to be relatively modern. The author would like to thank Russell and Bill for the details.
Nearby sites: SX59487941

Devil's Tor 2 Reported Cairn

OS Map: SX 59630 79497
NMR record: SX 57 NE 2
HER: No record found
ShortName: CN Devils Tor2
Notes: The author found this walking south from the Beardown man standing stone on 15/09/20. It is quite clearly a cairn although whether or not it is prehistoric is another matter. There does not seem to be much evidence of clearance taking place in this area which would suggest a prehistoric cairn. There are no records in the HER except to a site further south, see siteid=4005 Devil's Tor. The cairn is approx 4-5 metres across as judged by eye - no precise measurement was taken. The HER record MDV4217 relates to a cairn reported by Worth in 1948 - maybe this is it. The site further south which is identified in the HER record is described as not being a cairn and this author would agree. The NMR record SX 57 NE 2 refers to confusion to two reported sites south of Beardown Man - but neither grid reference is satisfactorly close although likely that is a problem with the grid references.
Nearby sites: SX59637950

Conies Down 3 Cairn

OS Map: SX 59170 79240
NMR record: SX 57 NE 67
HER record: MDV48268
ShortName: CN:Conies Do3
Nearby sites: SX59177924

Littaford Tor 3 Cairn

OS Map: SX 61849 77048
NMR record: SX 67 NW 154
HER record: MDV52779
ShortName: CN Littaford3
Nearby sites: SX61857705

Rough Tor Cairn

OS Map: SX 60880 80170
NMR record: SX 68 SW 39
HER record: MDV61965
ShortName: CN:Rough Tor
Nearby sites: SX60888017

Wistman's wood Settlement

OS Map: SX 61250 77500
NMR record: SX 67 NW 81
HER record: MDV66036
Megalithic Portal: 42854
ShortName: ST:Wistmans
Nearby sites: SX61257750

Spriddle Lake Reported Cairn

OS Map: SX 57680 79680
NMR: No record found
HER record: MDV68891
ShortName: CN?Spriddle 1
Nearby sites: SX57687968

Broad Hole S. Reported Cairn

OS Map: SX 59150 78240
NMR record: SX 57 NE 73
HER record: MDV49705
ShortName: CN:Broad Hol1
Butler map: 29.14
Notes: HER has this listed as a hut circle. Butler describes as a cairn and NMR suggests possible capstone of a cist.
Nearby sites: SX59157824

Conies Down Stone Row Cairn

OS Map: SX 58590 79050
NMR record: SX 57 NE 5
HER record: MDV4592
ShortName: CN:Conies Do1
Butler map: 30.11
Nearby sites: SX58597905

Conies Down Stone Row

OS Map: SX 58591 79076
NMR record: SX 57 NE 5
HER record: MDV4592
Megalithic Portal: 1846
The Stone Rows of GB: Conies Down
PMD: Conies Down Stone Row
ShortName: SR ConiesDown
Butler map: 30.11
DPD page: 107
Notes: "The Conies Down stone row is oriented a few degrees west of north-south and is 145m long. Originally a double alignment of stones, only three pairs of upright stones now survive. There are a total of 17 upright and 15 recumbent stones. The average gap between stones is 10m and between the pairs the gap is some 1.4m wide". Lethbridge diagram p.107.
Nearby sites: SX58597908

Crow Tor Platform Cairn Circle and Cist

OS Map: SX 60531 78683
NMR record: SX 67 NW 73
HER record: MDV5938
Megalithic Portal: 45775
PMD: Crow Tor
ShortName: CT Crow Tor
Butler map: 29.18
Butler Vol 5: p.196 & Fig.139
DPD page: 109
Grinsell: LYD 41
Turner: E39
Notes: "A kerbed cairn and cist. The cairn consists of a stony, turf-covered mound, and measures 4.5m in diameter and 0.45m in height. There are traces of a retaining kerb of leaning, granite slabs to the northeast and south. The cist is set slightly to the north of the centre of the cairn. It is trapezoidal in shape, and measures 0.65m and 0.95m in length, 0.8m in width, and 0.5m in depth. The cover-stone, which is 0.9m long, 0.5m wide and 0.2m thick, is displaced and lies just to the south east of the cist." Lethbridge diagram p.107, photo bottom p.109. Butler Vol. 2. Map 29.18 (p.63, photo on p.124, diagram Vol. 5. p.196).
Nearby sites: SX60537868

Devil's Tor Reported Cairn

OS Map: SX 59578 79408
NMR record: SX 57 NE 77
HER record: MDV4217
ShortName: CN Devil's Tor
Notes: "A low ovoid cairn located in an area of peat cuttings and shell craters on a ridge crest, 250 metres south of Devil's Tor. It is partially obscured by heather and measures 3.1 metres in diameter with a maximum height of 0.4 metres. There are no indications of a kerb or cist and no obvious sign of disturbance. A natural stone pile at SX 59457939 has been erroneously claimed as the feature described by Worth."
Nearby sites: SX59587941

Beardown Platform Cairn Circle and Cist

OS Map: SX 60330 78092
NMR record: SX 67 NW 101
HER record: MDV14690
Megalithic Portal: 42853
PMD: Lydford Tor
Alternate name: Lydford Tor E. Platform Cairn Circle and Cist
ShortName: CT Beardown
Butler map: 29.17
Butler Vol 5: p.197 & Fig.140
DPD page: 109
Grinsell: LYD 41a
Turner: E27
Notes: "The cairn, 4.5 metres by 5.6 metres and 0.4 metres high has spread over the remains of a contiguous kerb 4.6 metres in diameter." ... "Three of the cist slabs lean inwards at the top, the fourth, east slab remains upright. The bottom of the cist contains several slabs. The coverstone is visible to the north west partially buried in the cairn." Lethbridge diagram p.107, photo top p.109. Butler Lydford Tor E Vol. 5. Map 29.17 (diagram Vol 5. p.197).
Nearby sites: SX60337809

Higher White Tor Stone Row

OS Map: SX 61917 78362
NMR record: SX 67 NW 6
HER record: MDV5834
Megalithic Portal: 2192
The Stone Rows of GB: Higher White Tor
PMD: Higher White Tor Stone Row
ShortName: SR:HigherWhito
Butler map: 29.16
DPD page: 110
Notes: "A Late Neolithic stone alignment on Higher White Tor, surviving as two parallel rows of stones aligned roughly north-south. The alignment is 95.4 metres long and contains twelve upright stones and 24 recumbent ones." Lethbridge diagram and photo p.110.
Nearby sites: SX61927836

Conies Down 4 (alleged) Reported Cist

OS Map: SX 58120 79630
NMR record: SX 57 NE 100
HER record: MDV12809
PMD: Spriddle Lake
ShortName: CNxConies Do4
Notes: No cist could be found in this area. At NGR SX 58167968 are several granite blocks which may have been mistaken for a cist. Probably Grinsell Lydford 33 - but NGR given by Grinsell suggests possible different site.
Nearby sites: SX58127963

Broad Down Reported Cairn

OS Map: SX 61940 80883
NMR: No record found
HER record: MDV80630
ShortName: CN-BroadDown
Notes: Photo by Peter Brooks and reproduced here with his kind permission (copyright remains with Peter)."Peat cutter's shelter constructed from natural granite slabs 900 meters south of Sandy Hole Pass in an area of extensive peat cutting." Listed on the Modern Antiquarian as a cairn - but clearly a shelter. See: Broad Down Cairn
Nearby sites: SX61948088

Longaford Tor Reported Cist

OS Map: SX 61340 77850
NMR record: SX 67 NW 87
HER record: MDV57379
PMD: Longaford Tor
ShortName: CT?Longaford1
Notes: Cist set against a natural boulder that would have formed the south side stone, a possible end and side stone, with a large slab to north-west that could have been a capstone. Close to track from south of Longford Tor, towards leat take off point. Possible carn to east.
Nearby sites: SX61347785

Maiden Hill Cist

OS Map: SX 58831 79380
NMR record: SX 57 NE 44
HER record: MDV4216
Megalithic Portal: 45815
PMD: Maiden Hill
Alternate name: Conies Down Summit Cist
ShortName: CT:MaidenHill
Butler map: 30.11
Butler Vol 5: p.158 & Fig.28
DPD page: 108
Grinsell: LYD 32
Notes: Maybe natural rather than a cist. "large turf-covered cairn which has been dug into from its southern edge. No stones are visible in the saucer-shape depression in the centre but a setting of three slabs near the northern edge may be the sides of a cist which contained a secondary burial inserted at a later date into the side of the mound" (Butler). Lethbridge diagram p.107, photo p.108. Butler Vol 2 30.11 p. 77. See very useful notes on Megalithic Portal.
Nearby sites: SX58837938