Three Boys Standing Stone, Chagford, Dartmoor National Park

Three Boys Standing Stone, Chagford, Dartmoor National Park

If you look at the Chagford Common and Shovel Down area on the detailed Ordnance Survey Explorer OL28 'Dartmoor' map, you'll see stone rows, cairns, settlements and field systems marked on the paper landscape. You'll also see Long Stone and, most noticeably, the Three Boys Standing Stone. In reality, this evocatively named chunk of granite is the least noticeable feature in the landscape. It took us three research trips to find the stone. If you don't know what you're looking for, the Three Boys Standing Stone appears like one of the many lumps of granite you encounter on the moors. Lying at a shallow angle, the single stone protrudes for about one and a half metres from the ground.

To visit, we'd suggest you start from Batworthy Corner. Follow the track south of the corner to the very obvious complex of double stone rows. A wide, grass track runs to the tall and impressive Long Stone. After this, directions get a little tricky. Continue south on the grass track for a couple of hundred metres and you'll notice other grass tracks running left and right. Take the first substantial left track and the Three Boys Standing Stone is in front of you. Note that this is *not* where the stone is marked on the Ordnance Survey Explorer OL28 'Dartmoor' map. We spent a few hours looking in the area marked on the map but found no other standing stones. We've consulted other specialist guides to prehistoric sites and Dartmoor National Park to identify the stone.

To help you find it, we've located the Three Boys Standing Stone on Google maps to the best of our ability. Zoom in on the 'Satellite' setting to see its location. The Long Stone and its shadow are clearly visible to the north.

We assume the Three Boys of the name were large stones at the end of a stone row that's disappeared. Clearly, there's only one stone left. Given that Holiday in Dartmoor is designed to help people discover things to do and places to go in Dartmoor, we are not academics or experts on the National Park's prehistory. If you have additional expert information about the Three Boys Standing Stone then we'd love to share your knowledge here. We can add photographs, assign copyright and link to your website. Many thanks.