Spinster's Rock, Chagford, Dartmoor National Park
Neolithic burial chamber erected around 3500-2500 BC
Explore high moor across the Westcountry and you’ll come across plenty of dolmens or burial chambers (see below). These distinctive structures consist of standing stones topped by a large capstone. Spinster’s Rock in Dartmoor’s National Park is one of the best.
Location of Spinster’s Rock
Many of Dartmoor’s most famous prehistoric sites are situated on the high moor. Spinster’s Rock is different. Located in countryside in the north east section of the national park near the pretty village Drewsteignton, the National Trust’s Castle Drogo and the Dartmoor beauty spot the Teign Gorge, Spinster’s Rock sits in a field by a farm.
We’ve positioned Spinster’s Rock on Google maps. Zoom in on the ‘Satellite’ setting to see its location.
Directions to, and parking at, Sprinter’s Rock
Drive the A382 to the Sandy Park area of Dartmoor (below the National Trust’s Castle Drogo and near Chagford). Take one of two very narrow country lanes just north of Sandy Park to Shilstone by Shilstone Moor as marked on Ordnance Survey or Google mapping.
There’s limited parking on the side of the lane. You’ll see a sign by a gate. Wander across the field to see Spinster’s Rock.
Spinster’s Rock
'Spinsters Rock [sic]. A Neolithic burial chamber erected around 3500-2500 B.C. This chamber probably contained many burials and would originally have been covered by a long earthen mound. The stones fell down in 1862 and were re-erected in the same year. Traditionally this monument was erected by three spinsters one morning before breakfast.' (Source: information board on site.)
Prehistoric, historic and archaeological sites near Spinster’s Rock
Hurston Ridge/Chagford Common Stone Row
The Grey Wethers Stone Circles
Cosdon (The Cemetery) Stone Row
Other things to do near Spinster’s Rock
Stone Lane Gardens and Mythic Garden Sculpture Exhibition
Villages and towns near Spinster’s Rock
Drewsteignton
Chagford
Some other burial chambers in the Westcountry
Cuckoo Ball Burial Chamber is located near Dartmoor National Park’s southern border on a flank of Butterdon Hill.
Trethevy Quoit is located on the edge of Bodmin Moor. An information board on site describes it as a ‘Portal Dolmen Neolithic Monument Middle 4th Millennium BC. One of the best preserved of its type’.
Lanyon Quoit is located on The Land’s End Peninsula (The Penwith Peninsula) close to the road from Madron to Morvah.
Chun Quoit is located on The Land’s End Peninsula (The Penwith Peninsula) within Chun Downs Nature Reserve. Amazing views to coast and sea.
Mulfra Quoit is located on Mulfra Hill on The Land’s End Peninsula (The Penwith Peninsula). Again, there are amazing views but this time to St Michael’s Mount, Mount’s Bay and The Lizard Peninsula.
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