Guide to the Monuments on Yar Tor and corndon Down

Table of Ritual and Burial Monuments on Yar Tor and corndon Down

Yar Tor and corndon Down Guide Map

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!

List of Ritual and Burial Monuments on Yar Tor and corndon Down

Yar Tor Summit Cairn

OS Map: SX 67865 73943
HER record: MDV6434
Megalithic Portal: 11065
Alternate name: Yar Tor summit Cairn
ShortName: CN:Yar Tor Sum
Butler map: 14.8
Grinsell: WID 20
Barrow Report: 56
Notes: "Large cairn (approximately 18.0 metres) built on the summit of Yar Tor; the stones have been rearranged to form a shelter. This cairn is aligned with a reave; part of the Dartmeet parallel reave system."
Nearby sites: SX67877394

Yar Tor Summit (duplicate) Cairn

OS Map: SX 67868 73945
HER record: MDV6434
ShortName: CN:Yar Tor Dup
Grinsell: WID 20a
Barrow Report: 56
Notes: Grinsell refers to a mention by RHW of a summit cairn built around natural rocks on Yar Tor. See: Barrow Report 56 p.81. This is clearly a duplicate of WID 20 (Yar Tor Summit Cairn). NB. This record is being retained for the sake of completeness in terms of the Grinsell listings.
Nearby sites: SX67877395

Yar Tor Tor Enclosure

OS Map: SX 67849 74046
HER record: MDV128748
ShortName: EN Yar Tor
Butler map: 14.8
Notes: HER quoting Newman: A Tor enclosure of uncertain date on the northern outcrop of Yar Tor. This enclosure is situated in a natural avenue between two outcrops with vertical faces on the north and south sides which has been blocked off at the western and eastern ends by artificial stone walls. The western interior is approximately level but slopes away on the eastern side down to the wall. The north and south sides of the enclosure comprise natural linear crags of up to 2.0m high reinforced in places by large boulders. The wall at the western end is 2.1m thick and consists of a stone revetted bank with stone rubble behind surviving up to 0.8m high. The wall is slightly curved in plan. On the eastern wall there are vestiges of stone facing still in place but it is mostly collapsed and spread up to 3m wide and 0.7m high much of the wall surviving only as a disturbed stony spread. There is a possible entrance in the east wall adjacent to the northern outcrop, in the form of an opening. There are no discernable interior features.

The main photo is taken looking down from on top of one of the outcrops. Butler's possible round house can be seen within the main photo but see also a close up from ground level.

Acknowledgement: The author was unaware of this site until a walk with Steve Szypko on 25/09/2025. This record has been added as a result.


Nearby sites: SX67857405

Yar Tor (Money Pit) Platform Cairn Circle and Cist

OS Map: SX 68181 73865
HER record: MDV6460
Megalithic Portal: 1369
PMD: Money Pit
Alternate name: Money Pit Platform Cairn Circle and Cist
ShortName: CT Money Pit
Butler map: 14.11
Butler Vol 5: p.23 & Fig.4
DPD page: 122
Grinsell: WID 21
Turner: E51
Barrow Report: 56 62
Notes: "The south cairn is a very spread and slight earthwork with a centrally placed cist. Only the north and west side slabs of the cist remain in situ though a misplaced slab lies to one side of the chamber. Eleven slabs forming a kerb of approximately 3m surrounding the cist remain in situ. Several additional stones survive, protruding just above the surface of the flattened cairn, which are likely to be evidence of an outer circle with a diameter of approximately 11m". Lethbridge diagram p.122 and photo bottom p.122. Butler Money Pit - Vol. 1. Map 14.11 (photo on p.92, diagram pp.125-6).
Nearby sites: SX68187387

Yar Tor Stone Row

OS Map: SX 68177 73857
HER record: MDV6459
Megalithic Portal: 2199
The Stone Rows of GB: Yar Tor
PMD: Yar Tor Stone Row
ShortName: SR Yar Tor
Butler map: 14.11
DPD page: 122
Barrow Report: 56
Notes: "The remains of a probable triple stone row with a cairn and cist at its south end and a barrow at its north. The row comprises stones set 2m apart and standing to a height of 0.3m. Some are concealed beneath the turf. The cairn measures 11m in diameter and 0.3m high with a central cist surrounded by a kerb. The barrow is 6m in diameter and 1m high". Lethbridge Corndon Triple Row pp.122-3. See also: Sea Views at Yar Tor Breton p.84

The author attempted to walk the stone row on 25/09/2025. The photo from 15/07/2016 shows the row in a grassy terrain but today the area is dense with gorse making most of the row buried and impassable.
Nearby sites: SX68187386

Yar Tor N.E.1 Cairn

OS Map: SX 68014 74182
HER record: MDV14377
ShortName: CN:Yar Tor N 1
Butler map: 14.11
Grinsell: WID 19
Notes: HER: Barrow north-east of Yar Tor on Corndon Down; located at the northern end of the stone row. Within area of Dartmeet parallel reave system and later prehistoric fields / enclosures. The north cairn comprises vegetation covered mound of earth, slightly ovoid in shape, 6 metres by 6.3 metres by 1 metres high.
Nearby sites: SX68017418

Yar Tor N.E.2 Reported Cairn

OS Map: SX 68170 74140
HER record: MDV6458
ShortName: CNxYar Tor N 2
Grinsell: WID 25
Notes: The remains of a despoiled hut circle on the saddle of ground between Yar Tor and Corndon Tor.

Grinsell: possibly a cairn despoiled for material for the road to E; shown on 6 inch OS sheet as hut circle

2606 refers to a cairn that maybe a round house - most likely 9694. The author tried to find "both" on 06/06/2025 and there is a clear round house, a bit overgrown, at SX 68176 74156. There are also some possible fragmentary remains closer to the road at SX 68195 74154, see second photo. It is hard to make out but there appears to be a circular enclosed area forming a bit of a platform. It is a possible second ruined round house closer to the road.

However, on balance, it is more likely that 2606 and 9694 are references to the same feature. The photo is of the round house.
Nearby sites: SX68177414

Yar Tor E.1 Clearance Cairn

OS Map: SX 68150 73840
HER record: MDV21514
ShortName: CN?Yar Tor E 1
Butler map: 14.11.1
Grinsell: WID 21a
Notes: HER 21514 includes two possibe cairs, maybe clearance cairns. WID 21a and WID 21b
Nearby sites: SX68157384

Yar Tor E.2 Clearance Cairn

OS Map: SX 68150 73830
HER record: MDV21514
ShortName: CN?Yar Tor E 2
Butler map: 14.11.2
Grinsell: WID 21b
Notes: HER 21514 includes two possibe cairs, maybe clearance cairns. WID 21a and WID 21b
Nearby sites: SX68157383

Yar Tor (SE of) Clearance Cairn

OS Map: SX 68150 73810
HER record: MDV21514
ShortName: CN?Yar Tor SE
Grinsell: WID 21c
Nearby sites: SX68157381

Yar Tor S.W. Reported Cairn

OS Map: SX 67584 73729
HER record: MDV26338
ShortName: CN?Yar Tor SW
Nearby sites: SX67587373

Yar Tor S. Reported Cairn

OS Map: SX 67950 73580
HER record: MDV16724
ShortName: CNxYar Tor S
Butler map: 14.9
Notes: Butler refers to this as a hut circle but lists as a cairn. It is clearly a hut circle. HER 16724
Nearby sites: SX67957358

Sherwell Reported Cairn

OS Map: SX 68380 74550
HER: No record found
ShortName: CN?Sherwell
Butler map: 15.1
Notes: Butler: "A small cairn lies within a neighbouring field, obviously trenched with the stones thrown downhill". Not listed on NMR or HER.
Nearby sites: SX68387455

Corndon Tor 1 Cairn

OS Map: SX 68588 74227
HER record: MDV6387
Megalithic Portal: 22982
ShortName: CN:CorndonTor
Butler map: 15.4.1
Barrow Report: 56 62
Notes: HER: Cairn on the summit of Corndon Tor, to the north of the main outcrop, comprising a large stony mound, constructed from moorstone with a truncated cone profile and no turf cover. Remains of a possible second cairn are located to the south on the outcrop.
Nearby sites: SX68597423

Corndon Tor 2 Cairn

OS Map: SX 68601 74158
HER record: MDV16727
ShortName: CN:CorndonTor2
Butler map: 15.4.2
Grinsell: WID 18
Barrow Report: 56 62
Notes: HER: On the main outcrop of Corndon Tor is a possible tor cairn (south of MDV6387). Stones piled around the base of the outcrop may be remains of cairn which has been much disturbed and is now very spread and fragmentary The cairn overlies a reave which runs up to the tor, a shelter has been built against the tor very recently using stone from the cairn. Maximum diameter 27.2m.

The Google satellite imagery shows that this feature has the clear appearance of a tor cairn.
Nearby sites: SX68607416

Corndon Tor S. Reported Cairn

OS Map: SX 68470 73930
HER: No record found
ShortName: CN?CorndonTorS
Butler map: 15.4.3
Notes: Crossing mentions this cairn. Not traceable.
Nearby sites: SX68477393

Corndon Down 1 Cairn

OS Map: SX 68678 74766
HER record: MDV6385
ShortName: CN:CorndonDn 1
Butler map: 15.5.1
Grinsell: WID 17
Barrow Report: 56 62
Notes: HER: Large stone cairn; one of a pair approximately 530m north of Corndon Tor. The eastern cairn comprises a stony mound standing to over 2m high with a flattish top surface which has been badly disturbed by recent building of shelters. One very pronounced example is in centre of the cairn and appears recent. A reave, part of the Dartmeet system, touches the cairn tangentially on the west side but is not covered by it.
Nearby sites: SX68687477

Corndon Down 2 Cairn

OS Map: SX 68579 74731
HER record: MDV6386
ShortName: CN:CorndonDn 2
Butler map: 15.5.2
Grinsell: WID 16
Barrow Report: 56 62
Notes: HER: Large stone cairn; one of a pair approximately 530m north of Corndon Tor. A mound of loose stone over 2m high in places. Upper surface extensively disturbed and undulating caused by interference, including recent shelter building.
Nearby sites: SX68587473

Corndon Down 3 Cairnfield Master

OS Map: SX 68790 75210
HER record: MDV130667
ShortName: CN:CorndonDn 3
Notes: HER: Thirty-nine clearance cairns amid medieval fields on the east lower slopes of Corndon Down. The cairns comprise stony turf-covered, circular or elliptical heaps of between 2m and 5m across and up to 0.8m high. The majority of the cairns lie within a large abandoned newtake field (centred SX 6879 7521) which appears never to have been cultivated. The remainder are within smaller fields just to the east, one of which contains cultivation ridges.
Nearby sites: SX68797521

Lower Cator Clearance Cairn

OS Map: SX 68420 75800
HER record: MDV26442
ShortName: CN?Lower Cator
Butler map: 17.2
Notes: Round House reused as a clearance cairn. Butler. A cairn, with a trench across the centre, lies at the middle of a field between these huts, trimmed to a pear shape by ploughing around the edges.
HER quoting Butler: Lower Cator Prehistoric setlement includes this hut circle with a diameter of circa 6 metres with its lower half filled with clearance stones. a few slabs surround this hut. Other details: Map 17, Site 2.
Nearby sites: SX68427580

Rowden Down Reported Cairn

OS Map: SX 69930 76020
HER record: MDV12961
ShortName: CN?Rowden Dn
Grinsell: WID 23
Notes: Hut circle or ring cairn
Nearby sites: SX69937602

Wind Tor Reported Cairn

OS Map: SX 70910 75780
HER record: MDV7543
ShortName: CNxWind Tor
Butler map: 19.4
Turner: A27
Notes: HER: (quoting OS division): A hut circle in poor condition was found during field investigation in an exposed situation north-east of the summit of Wind Tor. It seems to have had an internal diameter of 6.0m, surrounded by encircling stones and bank 2-3m wide and 0.4m high. The position of the entrance could not be traced. Turner lists as a ring cairn diameter 4.6 m.
Nearby sites: SX70917578

Dunstone Cup Stone

OS Map: SX 71670 75850
HER record: MDV18864
Megalithic Portal: 45855
ShortName: CS:Dunstone
Notes: HER: Cup-marked stone at SX71677585, Dunstone. Dunstone Rock is a large, weathered undressed granite boulder aligned approximately due North-South. It is 2.4m long by 1.4m wide and 1.0m high. The surface has 13 cups which fall into two groups. Although some of the cups may be natural, Dunstone manor takes its name from this stone and is recorded in Domesday as "Dunestonetuna" suggesting a long tradition of importance attached to the stone. A tradition of paying rent money by placing money in the cups is recorded until recent times.
Nearby sites: SX71677585