Prehistoric sites within 3km of SX 48950 80000

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!

About the database listings: In all listings clicking on the photo or the site name will open a page for the site with a larger photo and further details from the database. The database now has over 6680 records covering nearly all publicly listed sites on Dartmoor including around 4800 round houses. This level of detail is of interest to archaeologists but tends to swamp listings of sites more likely to be of interest for walkers. For this reason, the listings default to around 550 core sites only. These are the stone circles, stone rows and the ring cairns listed by Turner. The default search radius is 2 km. The controls below the map can be used to start a new search by entering a 6- or 8-digit reference (without the prefix "SX"). The search radius can be specified and you can add incremental Display layers of detail on top of the core sites. If using a more detailed layer you will need to decrease the search radius to avoid getting hundreds of search results.

• Core sites Default listing of core sites consisting of stone circles & rows and some of the major ring cairns.
• Plus cairns adds approx. 1000 cairns and other minor sites not included in the core listings but excluding round houses.
• Plus round houses adds approx. 4800 round houses.
• Plus non-sites adds in the records for sites that no longer exist or are not prehistoric sites.
• Plus duplicates adds records excluded as duplicates. Those maybe duplicate records in external listings (e.g. the Historic Environment Records). For example, some sites have been identified as cairns in some listings and interpreted as round houses in other listings and both records appear.

These listings have incorporated, matched up and merged all of the records from all of the major archaeological listings including: Worth, Grinsell, Turner, Butler, Bill Radcliffe, Sandy Gerrard, Megalithic Portal, the National Monument Records and the Historic Environment Records. The author would like to thank Bill, Sandy, the lovely people both at Megalithic Portal (especially Anne Tate who did an amazing job to link listings) and at ACE Archaeology for collaborative work over the years to synchronise and correct listings across the various websites which now interlink. A culmination of years of work the final merger of cairn records took 3 months of cross referencing in 2017 the result being a snapshot of the records at that time. This data has in turn been refined since by field work and research. The round house data was supplied by Sandy Gerrard. Grid references are in order of accuracy: from Google Earth satellite, if visible and found, from a Garmin GPS reading, if visited by the author and from the literature otherwise. Individual site pages will state the source of the grid reference and provide satellite imagery. If a site listing lacks a photo it has not yet been visited by the author in which case the grid reference is from the literature.

Currently the database only includes sites which can be represented by a grid reference. Reaves are not included as they require GIS shape technology which is beyond the current capability of this system. To see the sources for the records, look at the tables on the resources menu. The database listings can also be viewed on a Google map and downloaded as GPS datasets for Garmin devices.

Corrections, or any feedback or suggestions are very welcome, email: info@dartmoorwalks.org.uk.

NOTE: Clicking on the icons for each monument in the map will give the name of the site. You can zoom in and out and drag the map around.

List of sites within 3km of SX 48950 80000

Heathfield Beacon 1 (duplicate of 6) Reported Cairn

OS Map: SX 4616 7960
HER: MDV55969
ShortName: CN:HeathBeac 1
Notes: The Beacon - duplicate of Lamerton 6. HER: Round barrow possibly utilised as a beacon during 17th century. Marked on 19th century maps but exact location not shown.

There is confusion in the literature as to which barrow is the site of the beacon. Mon Id MDV3847 - Lamerton 6 [this site] is the more visible site and it is apparently marked as the beacon on the Tithe Map. A small test pit in Mon ID MDV12636 - Lamerton 7, however, revealed layers of ash which was taken by the Ordnance Survey Archaeologist to indicate successive beacon fires..

Grinsell thought Lamerton 6 was the beacon.
Nearby sites: SX 4616 7960
Distance: 2.82km

Heathfield Beacon 2 (duplicate of 7) Reported Cairn

OS Map: SX 4624 7959
HER: MDV3842
ShortName: CN:HeathBeac 2
Notes: The Beacon - duplicate of Lamerton 7. HER: Round barrow possibly utilised as a beacon during 17th century. Marked on 19th century maps but exact location not shown.

There is confusion in the literature as to which barrow is the site of the beacon. Mon Id MDV3847 - Lamerton 6 is the more visible site and it is apparently marked as the beacon on the Tithe Map. A small test pit in Mon ID MDV12636 - Lamerton 7 [this site], however, revealed layers of ash which was taken by the Ordnance Survey Archaeologist to indicate successive beacon fires..

Grinsell thought Lamerton 6 was the beacon.
Nearby sites: SX 4624 7959
Distance: 2.74km

Heathfield (c.10) Cairnfield Master

OS Map: SX 4599 7960
HER: MDV75438
ShortName: CN:Heathfld M
Notes: HER: Prehistoric barrow cemetery located on prominent ridge at Heathfield comprising seven bowl barrows and three bell barrows

NB. As this is a master record it is marked as a duplicate, see individual entries for the 10 Lamerton records. Also worth noting that one of them is known to be the historic beacon but it is uncertain whether it is cairn 6 or 7.
Nearby sites: SX 4599 7960
Distance: 2.99km

Gibbet Hill 4 Cairn

OS Map: SX 496 808
HER: MDV124453
ShortName: CN:GibbetHill4
Notes: Well-preserved small, low cairn, visible within a firebreak of mown vegetation. Measures approximately 9 - 10 metres in diameter and a maximum height of 0.3 - 0.4 metres. It is slightly dished in the centre. Small stones are visible as part of its make-up.
Nearby sites: SX 496 808
Distance: 1.03km

Burnford Common E Cairn

OS Map: SX 4815 7927
HER: MDV22747
ShortName: CN:Burnford E
Notes: HER quoting Greeves: One of two probable prehistoric cairns almost 1.2 kilometres west-north-west of Burnford Farm. A low ring cairn, about 50.0 metres east of the south-east corner of a modern enclosure. A low ring bank survives but this has been cut through on the north side by a ditch running east-west. Maximum external diameter is approximately 15.0 metres.
Nearby sites: SX 4815 7927
Distance: 1.08km

Heathfield 3 Reported Cairn

OS Map: SX 4599 7960
HER: MDV3844
ShortName: CN:Heathfld 3
Grinsell: LAM 3
Notes: Grinsell: Round barrow with possible ditch situated in rough pasture. 18.0 metres diameter, 0.8 metres high. HER: On a flattish hilltop, a flat-topped platform barrow, 20.0 metres in diamter and 0.7 metres igh. Traces of ditch no visible on ground. In good condition, grass covered, but crossed by narrow rig and furow. No finds were made.
Nearby sites: SX 4599 7960
Distance: 2.99km

Heathfield 4 Reported Cairn

OS Map: SX 4605 7958
HER: MDV3845
ShortName: CN:Heathfld 4
Grinsell: LAM 4
Notes: Grinsell: Round barrow with possible ditch, situated in rough pasture.
HER: Large bowl barrow (B), 20.0 metres diameter, 1.0 metres high. In fairly good condition, turf-covered with slight traces of surrounding ditch. A small rabbit scrape in the west side reveals the materials with which the barrow was constructed to be a dark loam containing fragments of fine-grained sandstone and white spar. Other details: Barrow B.
Nearby sites: SX 4605 7958
Distance: 2.93km

Heathfield 5 Reported Cairn

OS Map: SX 4613 7959
HER: MDV3846
ShortName: CN:Heathfld 5
Grinsell: LAM 5
Notes: Grinsell: Round barrow in rough pasture with possible ditch. 25 metres diameter, 1.3 metres high.
HER: Round barrow, possibly a bell barrow, 24.5 metres diameter and 1.3 metres high.
Nearby sites: SX 4613 7959
Distance: 2.85km

Heathfield 6 Reported Cairn

OS Map: SX 4616 7960
HER: MDV3847
ShortName: CN:Heathfld 6
Grinsell: LAM 6
Notes: Grinsell: Round barrow, east part removed to build walls which meet near the centre. Diameter 22 metres, height 1.4 metres. Possibly the beacon.
HER: Situated on the top of a level hill with relatively unrestricted views in all directions. Mutilated mound at the junction of three earth hedge-banks, all probably utilising the material of the mound in their construction. The present diameters are 24.0 metres by 20.0 metres overall. A crescentic western extremity is most prominent and though at maximum 7.0 metres wide, it is 1.2 metres high externally and 0.5 metres high where it has been cut into alongside the hedge. Further traces exist to the east of this hedge which bounds the former common. Immediately west there is a platform about 0.3 metres high approximately to the former perimeter and to the north-east a swelling is visible in the parish boundary bank. The position and appearance are compatible with a round barrow utilised as a beacon mound. In poor condition, grass covered. No finds were made.

Nearby sites: SX 4616 7960
Distance: 2.82km

Heathfield 7 Reported Cairn

OS Map: SX 4624 7959
HER: MDV12636
ShortName: CN:Heathfld 7
Grinsell: LAM 7
Notes: Grinsell: Round barrow on waste ground at Heathfield. 16 metres diameter, 0.7 metres high.
HER: Low flat-topped mound covered by turf and bushes. 17 metres diameter at the base, 11 metres at the top. 0.35 metres high. Small test pit in the top revealed layers of wood ash on grey clay with charcoal beneath which, at a depth of 0.4 metres was found yellow clay presumed to be the subsoil.
Presence of ash has been suggested as evidence that this was the beacon and not the more prominent cairn 6.
Nearby sites: SX 4624 7959
Distance: 2.74km

Heathfield 8 Reported Cairn

OS Map: SX 4621 7941
HER: MDV3848
ShortName: CN:Heathfld 8
Grinsell: LAM 8
Notes: Grinsell: Gorse-covered round barrow. Appearance of raised central area may be due to disturbance followed by vegetation growth. 21.0 metres diameter, 1.0 metres high.
Nearby sites: SX 4621 7941
Distance: 2.80km

Heathfield 9 Reported Cairn

OS Map: SX 4626 7950
HER: MDV3856
ShortName: CN:Heathfld 9
Grinsell: LAM 9
Notes: Grinsell: Round barrow located in rough pasture. 22.0 metres diameter, 0.7 metres high.
HER: Flat-topped platform barrow on hilltop within an area of enclosed common. 25.0 metres diameter and 0.8 metres high, the southeast side cut back about 4.0 metres for the removal of earth and stone. A ditch 1.8 metres wide and 0.1 metres deep can be traced around the northern half accompanied by a slight bank forming a rim at the perimeter of the mound. This is approximately 1.7 metres wide and 0.1 metres high and appears to be a later addition (possibly for a tree ring) In fair condition. No finds.
Nearby sites: SX 4626 7950
Distance: 2.74km

Heathfield 10 Reported Cairn

OS Map: SX 4634 7942
HER: MDV3836
ShortName: CN:Heathfld10
Grinsell: LAM 10
Notes: Grinsell: Round barrow located in pasture, 20 metres diameter, 0.4 metres high.
Nearby sites: SX 4634 7942
Distance: 2.67km

Burnford Common W Cairn

OS Map: SX 4814 7927
HER: MDV22746
ShortName: CN:Burnford W
Notes: Greeves quoted on HER: One of two probable prehistoric cairns close by the highest piece of rough ground almost 1.5 kilometres west-north-west of Burnford Farm. This, the most westerly cairn lies immediately east of the south-east corner of a modern enclosure. It appears to have been heavily robbed on its north side and cut through by an east-west ditch on the south. Original maximum diameter approximately 20.0 metres.
Nearby sites: SX 4814 7927
Distance: 1.09km

Brent Tor Fort

Prehistoric Dartmoor Walks: Dartmoor Resource: Table of Devon Iron Age Forts
OS Map: SX 471 804
HER: MDV1669
Megalithic Portal: 28169
ShortName: FT Brent Tor
Notes: HER: Iron Age hillfort at Brent Tor, with an incomplete rampart enclosing the north and eastern sides of the tor. The hill was subsequently used by the abbots of Tavistock as the site for Brentor parish church. Additional earthworks within the area enclosed by the rampart may represent the site of a medieval fair and post-medieval quarrying or mining.
Nearby sites: SX 471 804
Distance: 1.89km

Brent Tor A Ancient Pool

OS Map: SX 46543 80335
HER: MDV127195
ShortName: PO:Brent Tor A
Notes: Greeves: Brent Tor pool A measures around 40 by 30m. One of over 40 such 'sacred' pools identified on Dartmoor (or just outside the boundary of the National Park) that are thought to have potentially been designed during the prehistoric period
Nearby sites: SX 46543 80335
Distance: 2.43km

Brent Tor B Ancient Pool

OS Map: SX 46610 80291
HER: MDV127199
ShortName: PO:Brent Tor B
Notes: Greeves: Brent Tor pool B measures around 50 by 40m. One of over 40 such 'sacred' pools identified on Dartmoor (or just outside the boundary of the National Park) that are thought to have potentially been designed during the prehistoric period
Nearby sites: SX 46610 80291
Distance: 2.36km

Brent Tor C Ancient Pool

OS Map: SX 46648 80267
HER: MDV127200
ShortName: PO:Brent Tor C
Notes: Greeves: Brent Tor pool C measures around 40 by 35m. One of over 40 such 'sacred' pools identified on Dartmoor (or just outside the boundary of the National Park) that are thought to have potentially been designed during the prehistoric period
Nearby sites: SX 46648 80267
Distance: 2.32km

Brent Tor D Ancient Pool

OS Map: SX 46679 80226
HER: MDV127201
ShortName: PO:Brent Tor D
Notes: Greeves: Brent Tor pool D measures around 28 by 25m. One of over 40 such 'sacred' pools identified on Dartmoor (or just outside the boundary of the National Park) that are thought to have potentially been designed during the prehistoric period
Nearby sites: SX 46679 80226
Distance: 2.28km

Gibbet Hill 1 Stone Ring Cairn Circle

OS Map: SX 49975 80875
HER: MDV22751
Megalithic Portal: 45828
ShortName: RC:GibbetHill1
Grinsell: MAR 1
Notes: "A stone ring, probably the remains of a ring cairn, 430 metres south-west of Gibbet Hill summit. This site is on the local list of Nationally Important Dartmoor sites. Dimensions noted by Greeves as approximately 22 metres in external diameter with the ring bank being a maximum of approximately 7.0 metres wide by approximately 0.5 metres in height."

Photo and annotated photo reproduced with kind permision by Steve Grigg. Copyright remains with Steve. See also coverage on Dartmoor Explorations: Gibbet Hill Mine.
Nearby sites: SX 49975 80875
Distance: 1.35km

Gibbet Hill 2 Stone Ring Cairn Circle

OS Map: SX 50298 81148
HER: MDV3202
ShortName: RC:GibbetHill2
Notes: "A barrow was recorded somewhere near the summit of Gibbet Hill in 1891. Greeves recorded two ring cairns here in 1993 one of which is likely to be the same feature. This ring cairn lies around 20 metres west of the trig point. The cairn has a disturbed ring bank and measures about 18 metres in diameter."

This record was missing and added after correspondence from Steve Grigg on 22/11/2024. Photo and annotated photo reproduced with kind permision by Steve Grigg. Copyright remains with Steve. See also coverage on Dartmoor Explorations: Gibbet Hill Mine.
Nearby sites: SX 50298 81148
Distance: 1.77km

Gibbet Hill 3 Stone Ring Cairn Circle

OS Map: SX 50349 81183
HER: MDV124454
Alternate name: Gibbet Hill 3 Stone Ring Cairn Circle
ShortName: RC:GibbetHill3
Notes: "Recorded in 1993 by Greeves around 40 metres north-east of the trig point at the summit of the hill. A cairn in the form of a very slight sunken ring about 15 metres in diameter."

This record was missing and added after correspondence from Steve Grigg 22/11/2024. Photo and annotated photo reproduced with kind permision by Steve Grigg. Copyright remains with Steve. See also coverage on Dartmoor Explorations: Gibbet Hill Mine.
Nearby sites: SX 50349 81183
Distance: 1.83km