Prehistoric sites within 2km of SX693635
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 2km of SX693635
Black Tor (Avon) Stone Row
OS Map: SX 67730 63494
NMR record: SX 66 SE 73
HER record: 28589
Megalithic Portal: 1772
The Stone Rows of GB: Black Tor Avon Stone Row
PMD: Black Tor Avon Stone Row
ShortName: SR Black Tor
Butler map: 57.25
DPD page: 85
Notes: "A stone row running north west - south east seen on the plateau west of Black Tor". The stones are very hidden and difficult to see. The row is headed at the NW end by two small cairns. Lethbridge suggests remains of cist in one of them, diagram p.85. See also HER 5752, SX 66 SE 89 and SX 66 SE 33
Nearby sites: SX67736349
Distance: 1.57km
Bloody Pool (S. Brent) Ancient Pool
OS Map: SX 70280 62620
NMR: No record found
HER record: 7955
ShortName: PO:BloodyPool
Notes: "Bloody Pool is one of over 40 such pool sites on Dartmoor which may date to the Prehistoric period and may have had a sacred function. This pool was noted in 1960 as having been filled in and its site now forms part of a roadside verge. In 1854, a hoard of Bronze Age metalwork was recovered from the pool, including four bronze ferrules, with three barbed bronze spearheads. All items were broken and are thought to have been votive deposits; the only pool on the moor where such items have been found."
"A legend of a battle is attached to the area of Bloody Pool. The name Bloody Pool pre-dates the finds of Bronze spears etc. in 1855. Recorded in South Brent Tithe Map 1843." See also find spot HER MDV39436 - Possible location of Bloody Pool and also Legendary Dartmoor: Bloody Pool
Nearby sites: SX70286262
Distance: 1.32km
Brent Moor House Cist
OS Map: SX 68020 64030
NMR record: SX 66 SE 3
HER record: 5744
Megalithic Portal: 45754
PMD: Brent Moor House
ShortName: CT:Brent Moor
Grinsell: BRE 3
Barrow Report: 65 66
Notes: "A cist lies on the right bank of the Avon, a short distance above Brent Moor House, about 175 feet below the small stream which flows south of Riders Rings ... The cist, which consists of two end stones and one side stone, stands in a small cairn." Doubtful. (grinsell) "supposed cairn of large stones, enclosing possible cist placed se-nw. The whole area is covered with clitter, and it is possible that the site may be natural. In summer it is under dense bracken. No measurements given." Butler Vol. 4. Map 57.9 (not actually covered in Butler but relevant map).
" A Medieval or later tinner's cache situated opposite Woolholes on the west bank of the River Avon. Considered under the Monument Protection Programme by previous Monument Protection Programme Advisor who did not recommend it for scheduling."
Nearby sites: SX68026403
Distance: 1.39km
Gripper's Hill Enclosed Settlement
OS Map: SX 68154 64863
NMR record: SX 66 SE 1
HER record: 5742
Megalithic Portal: 45320
ShortName: ES Grippers
Notes: "A Bronze Age pastoral settlement on Gripper's Hill, Dean Prior, was excavated in July 1954 by Lady Aileen Fox on behalf of the Ministry of Works. The site comprises four enclosures containing ten or more huts."
Nearby sites: SX68156486
Distance: 1.78km
Harbourne Head Standing Stone
OS Map: SX 69676 65105
NMR record: SX 66 NE 42
HER record: 5197
Megalithic Portal: 42626
PMD: Harbourne Man Standing Stone
Alternate name: Harbourne Man Standing Stone
ShortName: SS Harbourne
Butler Vol 5: p.19
DPD page: 88
Notes: A standing stone represented by a leaning slab of moorland granite. It stands in a slight depression probably worn by cattle using it as a rubbing post. It is 2.40m in length and 1.0m by 0.3m at its base tapering to 0.3m by 0.15m. See also, Legendary Dartmoor: Dartmoor's Harbourne Man
Nearby sites: SX69686511
Distance: 1.65km
Harbourne Head A Stone Ring Cairn Circle
OS Map: SX 69119 65039
NMR record: SX 66 SE 11
HER record: 5802
Megalithic Portal: 42628
Alternate name: Parnell's Hill 1 Stone Ring Cairn Circle
ShortName: RC Harbourne A
Butler map: 57.31.6
Grinsell: DEA 8
Turner: A55
Notes: "One of a pair of cairns on Gripper's Hill." " A ring cairn, Harbourne Head consisting of a stone ring 17.0 metres in diameter internally, with bank 1.8 metres wide and 0.4 metres high. Cairn contains a central mound, 12.0 metres in diameter, 0.8 metres high. This type of cairn is referred to as a Dartmoor version of the Wessex bell barrows."
Nearby sites: SX69126504
Distance: 1.55km
Harbourne Head B Embanked Cairn Circle
OS Map: SX 69147 65009
NMR record: SX 66 SE 11
HER record: 5803
Megalithic Portal: 3279
Alternate name: Parnell's Hill 2 Embanked Cairn Circle
ShortName: CC Harbourne B
Butler map: 57.31.7
Grinsell: DEA 10
Turner: B12
Notes: "Embanked stone circle; annular bank of earth and/or stones with inner kerb of orthostats. Measures 15.0 metres in diameter internally with bank 2.0 metres wide and 0.5 meters high with a cairn in the centre, 9.0 metres in diameter and 1.1 metres in height. The west and south sides have been disturbed."
Nearby sites: SX69156501
Distance: 1.52km
Riders Rings Enclosed Settlement
OS Map: SX 67870 64360
NMR record: SX 66 SE 2
HER record: 5767
Megalithic Portal: 45321
ShortName: ES RidersRings
DPD page: 85
Notes: "The largest and most important pound in the Avon Valley. Situated on the eastern slope of Zeal Plains. It is best regarded as being two contiguous pounds, of which it would appear that the south west member was constructed first, while the north east member was added as a later extension. The two pounds together cover an area of over six acres and enclose some three dozen hut-circles". Lethbridge p.85
Nearby sites: SX67876436
Distance: 1.67km
Tynacombe Stone Ring Cairn Circle
OS Map: SX 70370 63280
NMR record: SX 76 SW 36
HER record: 13638
Megalithic Portal: 45832
ShortName: RC:Tynacombe
Turner: A20
Notes: "Ring cairn. Thynacombe stone ring 7.5 meters in diameter internally, with bank 1.5 meters wide and 0.2 meters high, damaged on the east side."
Nearby sites: SX70376328
Distance: 1.09km