Dartmoor Archaeology, Dartmoor, Dartmoor National Park

Dartmoor Archaeology, Dartmoor, Dartmoor National Park

Dartmoor Archaeology

Dartmoor has the longest stone row in the world, '60% of all stone rows to be found in England' and 'a third of all stone rows in the UK and Brittany' (stats from Postbridge National Park Visitor Centre). Tavistock, on the western border of the national park, is part of a rare UNESCO World Heritage Site. The moor is packed with archaeological sites spanning millennia of Dartmoor life. For those with an interest in prehistory and history, it's a remarkable place.

Dartmoor National Park Authority describe it as being 'among the finest archaeological landscapes in Europe'. Some of Dartmoor's most interesting archaeological sites are listed below. Click on the links for further information, photos and mapping.

We'd recommend visiting the Museum of Dartmoor LifePostbridge National Park Visitor CentrePrincetown National Park Visitor Centre and Haytor National Park Visitor Centre before you go. They guide you through Dartmoor's story since the end of the last ice age.

Exeter's Royal Albert Memorial Museum and Art Gallery (RAMM) and The Box Plymouth are excellent as well.

 

Prehistory

Mesolithic, Neolithic and early Bronze Age 8000 – 1500 BC

Neolithic Dolmen

Spinster's Rock. Spinster’s Rock, located near Drewsteignton on Dartmoor, is an example of a Neolithic dolmen or burial chamber dating from around 3500 – 2500 BC.

 

Neolithic enclosures

Dewerstone Fort/Neolithic Enclosure. Dewerstone is located on the south west edge of Dartmoor near the villages Shaugh Prior and Bickleigh. Within the area enclosed by a Neolithic wall there are a number of hut circles and an inner enclosure that probably dates from the Bronze Age.

White Tor Fort/Neolithic Enclosure. Situated on the west side of Dartmoor near Langstone Moor. White Tor is one of the earliest settlements in Dartmoor National Park. Note that Langstone Moor Stone Circle and The Longstone Standing Stone (Langstone Moor) are nearby.

 

Stone Circles

Langstone Moor Stone Circle. Langstone Moor is located on a flat dip in the land between Great Mis Tor and White Tor near the village of Peter Tavy. The circle is comprised of sixteen stones, three of which still remain standing.

Nine Maidens Stone Circle. Belstone’s ‘nine stone circle’ is located near the village of Belstone on the northern side of Dartmoor. The famous prehistoric monument is a ring cairn that would have been used for rituals.

Scorhill Stone Circle. One of the largest and most well preserved stone circles in England, Scorhill Stone Circle can be found on Gidliegh Common on north east Dartmoor. It is an English Heritage scheduled monument and its construction dates back to the Bronze Age.

Yellowmead Circles/Multiple Stone Ring. Yellowmead Stone Circle is situated in the south west section of the moor near the village of Yelverton and Burrator Reservoir. It's a rare example of a fourfold stone circle and is dated back to the Bronze Age.

See also:

The Grey Wethers Stone Circles

White Moor Stone Circle

Stall Moor The Dancers Stone Circle

Fernworthy Stone Circle

Merrivale Stone Circle

Sittaford Stone Circle

Buttern Hill Stone Circle

Mardon Down Stone Circle

 

Stone Rows

Challacombe Stone Row. Challacombe stone row is an example of a rare triple stone row.

Cosdon (The Cemetery) Stone Row. Another example of a rare triple stone row is Cosden which is situated near the village of Throwleigh near the northern edge of the moor. The intact remains of this stone row are also headed by a cairn with two cists.

Stall Moor Stone Row. Stall Moor Stone Row is said to be the longest stone row in the world! The row begins with a hut circle near the river Emre and then continues for an incredible 3.39km until it ends on the top of Green Hill with a cairn.

Merrivale Stone Rows. Merrivale is situated on the west side of Dartmoor near the town of Tavistock. It is the site of two double stone rows that lie on either side of a stream and run parallel to each other. The site also contains a standing stone of 3.8m, a stone circle and a kistvaen to the south of the stone rows.

Drizzle Combe Stone Rows. Drizzlecombe is located in the south west section of Dartmoor near Barrator Reservoir. There are three main stone rows which lie on the side of Hart Tor. Drizzlecombe also has a village of hut circles which overlook these monuments.

See also:

Hurston Ridge/Chagford Common Stone Row

Shovel Down Stone Rows

Stalldown Stone Row

Down Tor Stone Row (Hingston Hill Stone Row)

Bellever Stone Rows (Lakehead Hill Stone Rows)

Fernworthy Assycombe Stone Row

Trowlesworthy Stone Row (East)

Trowlesworthy Stone Row (West)

 

Standing Stones

Drizzle Combe Standing Stones. Standing stones and stone rows. The complex includes the tallest standing stone on Dartmoor.

Merrivale Standing Stone. Part of the Merrivale complex of prehistoric sites.

The Longstone Standing Stone (Langstone Moor). Near Langstone Moor Stone Circle on the western side of the National Park.

Beardown Man Standing Stone. Remote location. Awesome setting.

See also:

Long Stone Standing Stone (Shovel Down)

 

The Bronze Age 1700 – 600 BC

Hut circles and settlements

Bellever Settlements. Bellever, located near the village of Postbridge in central Dartmoor, is a Bronze Age settlement with features such as cists, cairns, stone rows, ancient field systems, hut circles and round houses.

Grimspound (English Heritage). This is arguably Dartmoor's most famous archaeological site. Grimspound is a late Bronze Age settlement located in central Dartmoor between Hookney Tor and Hamel Down. The settlement consists of 24 hut circles surrounded by a large outer granite wall as well as a few houses lying outside of the wall. The site has been excellently preserved and is easily accessible.

Kestor Settlements and Field System. Kestor is situated on Chagford Common in the northern section of Dartmoor National Park. Many prehistoric monuments can be found at Kestor such as cairns, a double stone row and at least 37 stone hut circles in just one of the two settlements that can be seen in the field systems.

Round Pound. Found on Chagford Common, next to Kes Tor, Round Pound is an impressive prehistoric structure. Round Pound is a hut isolated from the Kes Tor settlements. The large internal hut consists of one metre thick walls and is surrounded by a large oval shaped pound.

Throwleigh Common. Throwleigh Common is located in the north section of Dartmoor near the village of Throwleigh. The prehistoric site consists of 25 hut circles which make up one of the most well preserved and intact sites.

Standon Down Settlement. Standon Down is located on the west side of Dartmoor near the village Peter Tavy. The unenclosed settlement of 67 hut circles in the fields to the north of the down is a scheduled monument that is incredibly intact.

Holne Moor. Holne Moor is located in the south west of the national park near the village of Dartmeet. This historical site has the best preserved coaxial field system on Dartmoor and within these systems are 58 stone hut circles, some of which are grouped into settlements. There are also other monuments such as several cairns, a stone row, and a reave system of 27 parallel reaves.

 

Reave Settlements

Great Western Reave. Situated on the west side of Dartmoor on Walkhampton Common, the Great Western Reave is a 10km prehistoric division boundary. There is also a prehistoric settlement which lies on it, as well as three cairns and two field systems.

Throwleigh Common. Located to the north of Dartmoor near the village Throwleigh, there is a small, contained and well preserved reave system.

Venford Reave. Venford Reave is located on Holne Moor near the village Dartmeet. It runs across the moor from the south east of the reservoir for around 7.5km and encompasses a reave system of 27 parallel reaves.

 

The Iron Age 750 BC – AD 410

Iron Age hillforts and settlements

Brentor Hillfort. Located on the south east edge of Dartmoor near the village of South Brent, Brent Hill is a prehistoric hillfort dating back to the Iron Age.

Holne Chase. Situated near the village Buckland-in-the-Moor, Holne Chase Castle is an Iron Age hillfort that overlooks the River Dart.

Hembury Hillfort. Hembury Castle is located on the east side of the moor near the town Ashburton. It is an Iron Age hillfort that has a medieval motte and bailey castle within.

See also:

Cranbrook Castle Hillfort

Prestonbury Castle Hillfort

Wooston Castle Hillfort

East Hill Hillfort

Hunter's Tor Hillfort

Nattadon Hillfort

 

Medieval Farming and settlements

Medieval Settlements

Hound Tor Abandoned Medieval Settlement (English Heritage). Hound Tor is one of the most well-known archaeological sites on Dartmoor. Located on the east side of the national park near the village Manaton, Hound Tor Medieval Village is an incredibly intact example of a collection of 13th century stone longhouses.

Okehampton Park. Okehampton Park is located on the northern edge of Dartmoor near the town Okehampton. Within the park there is a small group of settlements accompanied by their field systems.

Challacombe Medieval Hamlet. Challacombe is located in the centre of Dartmoor National Park near the village Postbridge. The historical site has excellent examples of stone longhouses, medieval strip fields as well as later tin working activity.

See also:

Hutholes Abandoned Medieval Settlement

 

Medieval Farming and field systems

Challacombe Medieval Strip Fields. Challacombe, located in central Dartmoor near the village Postbridge, is one of the most well preserved examples of medieval field strips in the whole of Devon.

 

Medieval Castles

Okehampton Castle (English Heritage). Okehampton Castle is a medieval motte and bailey Castle that was built in the 11th century. It is located on the north west edge of Dartmoor in the gateway town Okehampton.

See also:

Lydford The Norman Castle

Lydford Castle (English Heritage)

Hembury Hillfort. Hembury Castle is located on the east side of the moor near the town Ashburton. It is an Iron Age hillfort that has a medieval motte and bailey castle within.

 

Medieval Tin Industry, 1100 – 1700

Tin works

Birch Tor Mine. Birch Tor Mine is located in the centre of the national park below Warren House Inn and is said to have been the last working tin mine on Dartmoor. The mine is on the east side of the valley opposite Vitifer Mine. The ruins of the mine captain's house can be seen here as well as the remains of the carpenter’s shop.

Vitifer Mine. Vitifer Mine is located in the centre of the national park below Warren House Inn on the west side of the valley opposite Birch Tor Mine. The mine is around 7km in length and there are a number if mineshafts visible down the valley.

Gobbet. Gobbet tin mine is situated in central Dartmoor near the village Dartmeet. There are two gerts at this site of which the main runs parallel to the road.

See also:

Golden Dagger Tin Mine (Disused)

Wheal Betsy (National Trust)

Yarrow Mine/Devon Wheal Francis/Yarner Copper Mine

 

Post Medieval Warrens

Large Warrens

Hentor Warren. Hentor warren is located in the south west section of Dartmoor near Cadover Bridge. The rabbit warren itself includes pillow mounds, animal runs and vermin traps. There are also other post medieval monuments at the site such as field systems, a farmstead and peat cutting.

Ditsworthy Warren. On the south west edge of Dartmoor near the village Meavy, Ditsworthy is home to a grade II listed building – Ditsworthy Warren House – which was built for the rabbit warrens keeper. There are 53 pillow mounds on the warren where the rabbits were kept and bred for meat and fur. The post medieval site was also used as a filming location for the movie War Horse.

 

Early Modern Period Quarries

Foggintor Quarry. Foggintor Quarry is located in the south west of Dartmoor near the town Princetown. Work began at the quarry in the early 19th century where granite was initially extracted to be used in the building of Princetown Prison and Princetown itself.

Haytor Quarry. Haytor Quarry is located to the east of Dartmoor by Haytor Vale. The quarry was worked through the late 18th century to the early 19th century. The granite that was procured would then be transported down the Haytor Granite Tramway (which was made from the granite from the quarry) to Stover Canal. This historical location is also a Site of Special Scientific Interest.

See also;

Templer Way

 

China Clay

Red Lake China Clay Works. Redlake is located in the centre of the south of Dartmoor. The large, abandoned clay pit was in use in the early part of the 20th century but has since been flooded to form a lake. The ruins of a pumphouse can still be seen. The Redlake Tramway is another famous historical site that was used to transport clay and the workers between Bittaford and Redlake.

See also:

China Clay Workings (South Dartmoor)

Left Lake and Left Lake China Clay Works

 

Gunpowder Mills and ice works

Powder Mills. Powder Mills is located in the centre of Dartmoor near the village Postbridge. The historical site is a late 19th century gunpowder mill, which is listed grade II. There are 18 buildings in which the machinery was powered by water for the production and storage of gunpowder.

Sourton Tors Ice Works. Sourton Tor is located on the north western edge of Dartmoor near the village of Sourton. The ice works is located on the northern slope of the tor where there are long, rectangular pits that would have contained the water for the ice.

 

The Cornwall and West Devon Mining Landscape UNESCO World Heritage Site

Tamar Valley & Tavistock UNESCO World Heritage Site

Morwellham Quay UNESCO World Heritage Site

 

Museums and visitor centres

Museum of Dartmoor Life

Postbridge National Park Visitor Centre

Princetown National Park Visitor Centre

Haytor National Park Visitor Centre

Exeter's Royal Albert Memorial Museum and Art Gallery (RAMM)

The Box Plymouth