Prehistoric Dartmoor Walks, walking the Stone Rows and Stone Circles of Dartmoor
HomeWalksSites Access Resources
Dartmoor Site: Grey Wethers Double Stone Circle

Grey Wethers Double Stone Circle

This site is featured on the Warren House Inn: Fernworthy and Grey Wethers walk. These photos are of the Grey Wethers Double Stone Circle (SX63878313 Butler Vol. 2. Map 35, 16). This site is one of the most impressive on Dartmoor. The circles were restored in 1909 by Burnard. At the time only 9 stones remained standing in the north circle and 7 in the south circle. It is thought that the reconstruction is fairly accurate. The circles are separated by a few meters and are almost identical. Both circles have 30 stones and diameters very close to 33 m and they are within 2 degrees of being on an exact north to south alignment. The slight differences between the two circles could even be a result of the restoration. As Butler points out the exact purpose of stone circles is unknown and the fact that this site is a double circle adds to the mystery. Apparently "wether" is an old English name for sheep and legend has it that a drunken farmer leaving the Warren House Inn was persuaded that the Grey Wethers were a desirable flock for sale! The photos below happen to include a rather photogenic sheep's skull left on one of the stones at the time they were taken.

These photos were taken on the 14th June 2009.

See also: Guide to Dartmoor Stone Circles

Bibliography & references

Butler, J. Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities: Vol. 2. - The North (Devon Books, 1991)

Grey Wethers Double Stone Circle
Grey Wethers Double Stone Circle
Grey Wethers Double Stone Circle
Grey Wethers Double Stone Circle
Grey Wethers Double Stone Circle
Grey Wethers Double Stone Circle
Grey Wethers Double Stone Circle
Grey Wethers Double Stone Circle
Grey Wethers Double Stone Circle
Grey Wethers Double Stone Circle
Grey Wethers Double Stone Circle
Grey Wethers Double Stone Circle
Grey Wethers Double Stone Circle

Page last updated 5/8/11