Prehistoric sites within 5km of SX 78123 82816

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!

About the database listings: In all listings clicking on the photo or the site name will open a page for the site with a larger photo and further details from the database. The database now has over 6680 records covering nearly all publicly listed sites on Dartmoor including around 4800 round houses. This level of detail is of interest to archaeologists but tends to swamp listings of sites more likely to be of interest for walkers. For this reason, the listings default to around 550 core sites only. These are the stone circles, stone rows and the ring cairns listed by Turner. The default search radius is 2 km. The controls below the map can be used to start a new search by entering a 6- or 8-digit reference (without the prefix "SX"). The search radius can be specified and you can add incremental Display layers of detail on top of the core sites. If using a more detailed layer you will need to decrease the search radius to avoid getting hundreds of search results.

• Core sites Default listing of core sites consisting of stone circles & rows and some of the major ring cairns.
• Plus cairns adds approx. 1000 cairns and other minor sites not included in the core listings but excluding round houses.
• Plus round houses adds approx. 4800 round houses.
• Plus non-sites adds in the records for sites that no longer exist or are not prehistoric sites.
• Plus duplicates adds records excluded as duplicates. Those maybe duplicate records in external listings (e.g. the Historic Environment Records). For example, some sites have been identified as cairns in some listings and interpreted as round houses in other listings and both records appear.

These listings have incorporated, matched up and merged all of the records from all of the major archaeological listings including: Worth, Grinsell, Turner, Butler, Bill Radcliffe, Sandy Gerrard, Megalithic Portal, the National Monument Records and the Historic Environment Records. The author would like to thank Bill, Sandy, the lovely people both at Megalithic Portal (especially Anne Tate who did an amazing job to link listings) and at ACE Archaeology for collaborative work over the years to synchronise and correct listings across the various websites which now interlink. A culmination of years of work the final merger of cairn records took 3 months of cross referencing in 2017 the result being a snapshot of the records at that time. This data has in turn been refined since by field work and research. The round house data was supplied by Sandy Gerrard. Grid references are in order of accuracy: from Google Earth satellite, if visible and found, from a Garmin GPS reading, if visited by the author and from the literature otherwise. Individual site pages will state the source of the grid reference and provide satellite imagery. If a site listing lacks a photo it has not yet been visited by the author in which case the grid reference is from the literature.

Currently the database only includes sites which can be represented by a grid reference. Reaves are not included as they require GIS shape technology which is beyond the current capability of this system. To see the sources for the records, look at the tables on the resources menu. The database listings can also be viewed on a Google map and downloaded as GPS datasets for Garmin devices.

Corrections, or any feedback or suggestions are very welcome, email: info@dartmoorwalks.org.uk.

NOTE: Clicking on the icons for each monument in the map will give the name of the site. You can zoom in and out and drag the map around.

List of sites within 5km of SX 78123 82816

Black Hill 4 Cairn

OS Map: SX 76281 78963
HER: MDV8045
Megalithic Portal: 26733
ShortName: CN:BlackHill 4
Butler map: 2.5.4
Grinsell: MAN 16
Notes: "One of five cairns on Black Hill, all in a damaged condition." "Cairn with modern stoneheap at north end. Diameter 17.0 meters, height 0.7 meters."
Nearby sites: SX 76281 78963
Distance: 4.27km

Black Hill A (Manaton) Ancient Pool

OS Map: SX 76188 78885
HER: MDV127184
ShortName: PO:BlackHillA
Notes: "The pool at Black Hill measures 10-11m. One of over 40 such 'sacred' pools identified on Dartmoor that are thought to have potentially been designed during the prehistoric period."
Nearby sites: SX 76188 78885
Distance: 4.38km

Black Hill B (Manaton) Ancient Pool

OS Map: SX 76171 78465
HER: MDV127185
ShortName: PO:BlackHillB
Notes: "The second pool at Black Hill (B) is interesting as it possesses a double ring bank enclosing a distinct sunken hollow. Externally the feature is about 20 metres in diameter, and the pool hollow about 10 metres. Compared with the King’s Stables pool and earthwork at Navan, County Armagh which is about 25 metres in diameter x 3.5 metres deep, dating to around 1000 BC (although this feature has a shallower form). One of over 40 such 'sacred' pools identified on Dartmoor that are thought to have potentially been designed during the prehistoric period, and may have been used to deposit votive items, although these Dartmoor examples may have alternative significance as designed prehistoric elements in the landscape. Many are located on ridge tops and in conjunction with cairns, stone rows and other prehistoric features. Further research may well reveal more about these interesting features."
Nearby sites: SX 76171 78465
Distance: 4.77km

Blackpool (Mardon) Ancient Pool

Prehistoric Dartmoor Walks: Dartmoor Site: Mardon Down Stone Circle & Cairns
OS Map: SX 76757 87350
HER: MDV19004
ShortName: PO Blackpool
Notes: "Marked as an enclosure on historic mapping, this is actually a seasonal pond. Surveyed in 2017, its outline shape is unevenly rounded on the western end. Its appearance, with small scarped edges, suggest it was hand dug and large boulders around the edge have been left in situ. The hollow measures 22 metres by 17 metres but is only 0.5 metres deep. An alignment of small stones in the base of the hollow may be a more recent addition. There is no indication as to where material removed from the hollow was dumped. Cannot be confirmed for certain as a dewpond and no evidence was found for this ever having been the site of a ring cairn, as previously suggested. Recorded as Black Pool in 1912. Included in Greeves' list (2019) of 'sacred pools', with potentially prehistoric origins."
Nearby sites: SX 76757 87350
Distance: 4.74km

Easdon A Ancient Pool

OS Map: SX 73212 82349
HER: MDV127207
ShortName: PO:Easdon A
Notes: "Easdon A measures 12.5 by 10m One of over 40 such 'sacred' pools identified on Dartmoor that are thought to have potentially been designed during the prehistoric period"
Nearby sites: SX 73212 82349
Distance: 4.93km

Easdon B Ancient Pool

OS Map: SX 73222 82334
HER: MDV127208
ShortName: PO:Easdon B
Notes: "A pool measuring 9 by 6.5m. One of over 40 such 'sacred' pools identified on Dartmoor that are thought to have potentially been designed during the prehistoric period. Lies near a reave."
Nearby sites: SX 73222 82334
Distance: 4.92km

Easdon Hill Stone Ring Cairn Circle

OS Map: SX 7335 8230
HER: MDV8767
Megalithic Portal: 45848
PMD: Easdon Tor
ShortName: RC:Easdon Hill
Butler map: 22.3
Grinsell: MAN 1
Turner: A61
Notes: "A cairn with a large centrally placed rock which is possibly the capstone of a kist. Robbers have excavated around and about this giving a rock strewn central hollow to the cairn. There is no encircling ditch. The capstone is approximately square. Touching its base at the east is a triangular shaped orthostat. The cairn is situated on the very summit of a hill."
Nearby sites: SX 7335 8230
Distance: 4.80km

Giant's Grave Cairn

Prehistoric Dartmoor Walks: Dartmoor Site: Mardon Down Stone Circle & Cairns
OS Map: SX 76768 87459
HER: MDV8309
Megalithic Portal: 22314
Alternate name: Mardon Down 4 Cairn
ShortName: CN Mardon 4
Butler Vol 5: p.147 & Fig.89
DPD page: 149
Grinsell: MOR 3
Notes: Remains of a cairn which was largely destroyed in the early 19th century when material from it was removed for road building. Now a turf-covered mound 20.5 metres diameter and 0.6 metres high.

Grinsell [Folklore 1976]: Remains of an oval cairn with retaining kerb, on Mardon Down. The name dates from before 1823. Jones 1823, 3.

Nearby sites: SX 76768 87459
Distance: 4.84km

Haytor Down Stone Ring Cairn Circle

OS Map: SX 7670 7811
HER: MDV48849
Megalithic Portal: 45820
Alternate name: Haytor Down N.1 Stone Ring Cairn Circle
ShortName: RC:Haytor N1
Butler map: 2.6.1
Butler Vol 5: p.190 & Fig.132
Turner: A7
Notes: "Ring cairn on Haytor Down. Stone ring 21.0 meters internal diameter, with bank 1.5 meters wide and 0.4 meters high. Modern entrance." One of group of 4 cairns - see Butler for diagram in Vol 1 and 5.
Nearby sites: SX 7670 7811
Distance: 4.92km

Haytor Down North A Ancient Pool

OS Map: SX 76269 78331
HER: MDV127210
ShortName: PO:HaytorDownA
Notes: "A pool measuring 18 by 14m. One of over 40 such 'sacred' pools identified on Dartmoor that are thought to have potentially been designed during the prehistoric period. Lies near a prehistoric reave and cairn."
Nearby sites: SX 76269 78331
Distance: 4.85km

Haytor Down North B Ancient Pool

OS Map: SX 76493 78182
HER: MDV127211
ShortName: PO:HaytorDownB
Notes: "A pool measuring around 5m. One of over 40 such 'sacred' pools identified on Dartmoor that are thought to have potentially been designed during the prehistoric period. Lies near a prehistoric cairn and enclosure."
Nearby sites: SX 76493 78182
Distance: 4.91km

Hunters Tor Fort

Prehistoric Dartmoor Walks: Dartmoor Resource: Table of Devon Iron Age Forts
OS Map: SX 76158 82443
HER: MDV8824
Megalithic Portal: 7759
ShortName: FT HuntersTor
Notes: "Iron Age hill-fort at Hunters' Tor: 'Three concentric enclosures, defences stone built and partly robbed for field walls. Inner entrance knobbed with embanked approach-road across second enclosure. Hill-top site.'"
Nearby sites: SX 76158 82443
Distance: 2.00km

Mardon Down Stone Ring Cairn Circle

Prehistoric Dartmoor Walks: Dartmoor Site: Mardon Down Stone Circle & Cairns
OS Map: SX 76729 87264
HER: MDV19003
Megalithic Portal: 22313
PMD: Mardon Down Cairn 1
Alternate name: Mardon Down 2 Stone Ring Cairn Circle
ShortName: RC Mardon 2
DPD page: 149
Turner: A36
Notes: "Stone ring with central cairn. Outer ring measures 12.0 metres in diameter with bank 1.5 metres wide and 0.3 metres high. Central cairn 5.0 metres in diameter and 0.4 metres high with disturbance on its western side. Outer ring has 2.5 metre wide entrance on the east."
Nearby sites: SX 76729 87264
Distance: 4.66km

Mardon Down Platform Cairn Circle

Prehistoric Dartmoor Walks: Dartmoor Site: Mardon Down Stone Circle & Cairns
OS Map: SX 76759 87172
HER: MDV15158
Megalithic Portal: 22312
PMD: Mardon Down Cairn 1
Alternate name: Mardon Down 1 Platform Cairn Circle
ShortName: PC Mardon 1
Butler Vol 5: p.149 & Fig.91
DPD page: 149
Grinsell: MOR 5
Turner: E9
Notes: Platform circle consisting of a ring of kerb stones, measuring 7.0 metres in internal diameter, enclosing a flat-topped cairn 0.3 metres high, with boulder incorporated into perimeter.
Nearby sites: SX 76759 87172
Distance: 4.56km

Mardon Down Stone Circle

Prehistoric Dartmoor Walks: Dartmoor Site: Mardon Down Stone Circle & Cairns
OS Map: SX 76764 87203
HER: MDV8289
Megalithic Portal: 3376
PMD: Mardon Down Stone Circle
ShortName: SC Mardon Down
Butler Vol 5: p.148 & Fig.90
DPD page: 149
Turner: G1
Notes: Mardon Down stone circle is the biggest by circumference on Dartmoor with a diameter of 38m. The site would have been impressive in its day and is one of the only ones sited on the top of high ground and has a fine view of the surrounding area. Today the circle is fairly dilapidated. Six stones remain upright and another 16 lie roughly in place. There are two massive megaliths one of which is on the north-western part of the circle. A short arc of seven stones remains in position on the south-east of the circle. The circle was first described by Dr Milles in 1772 who reported around 70 stones. Butler suggests it probably originally consisted of around 61 stones many of which are probably buried under the peat where they originally fell although some have no doubt been robbed out.
Nearby sites: SX 76764 87203
Distance: 4.59km

Mardon Down (E) Stone Ring Cairn Circle

Prehistoric Dartmoor Walks: Dartmoor Site: Mardon Down Stone Circle & Cairns
OS Map: SX 76894 87602
HER: MDV12771
Megalithic Portal: 45824
ShortName: RC Mardon East
Butler Vol 5: p.147 & Fig.89
DPD page: 149
Turner: A10
Notes: HER: Earthwork lying 150 metres east of the summit ridge, probably a robbed cairn or enclosure, comprising a curving stony bank forming the outline suggestive of an approximate circle. Badly damaged on the north and north-east sides and mostly effaced on the west by a path.
Nearby sites: SX 76894 87602
Distance: 4.94km

Mardon Down S.E. of Giants Grave Cairn Circle

Prehistoric Dartmoor Walks: Dartmoor Site: Mardon Down Stone Circle & Cairns
OS Map: SX 76774 87432
HER: MDV8310
Megalithic Portal: 22315
Alternate name: Mardon Down 3 Cairn Circle
ShortName: CC Mardon 3
Butler Vol 5: p.147 & Fig.89
Grinsell: MOR 4
Notes: NMR C. Cairn 32.0 metres south-east of Giant's Grave. 11.0 metres diameter, 0.7 metres high with traces of a retaining circle on the south-west side.
Nearby sites: SX 76774 87432
Distance: 4.81km

Tottiford Stone Circle

OS Map: SX 81095 83161
HER: MDV102539
Megalithic Portal: 24205
PMD: Tottiford Reservoir
ShortName: SC Tottiford
Notes: The Tottiford circle was discovered in 2009 when there was lower than usual levels of water in Tottiford reservoir; it featured as part of a Time Team dig in 2010. Normally it is submerged within the reservoir. During the drought of August 2022 the stones were exposed again for the first time for years. Photo by Zoe Lester taken on 04/09/22. Reproduced with kind permission - copyright remains with Zoe.
Nearby sites: SX 81095 83161
Distance: 2.99km

Tottiford Reservoir 1 Stone Row

OS Map: SX 81137 83093
HER: MDV102540
Megalithic Portal: 24205
The Stone Rows of GB: Tottiford Reservoir 1
PMD: Tottiford Reservoir Stone Rows
ShortName: SR Tottiford 1
Notes: "This stone row was initially noticed in late 2009, when the reservoir was only 6% full. This double stone row is aligned roughly north-west - south-east and is at least 54 meters in length. The size and form of the stones used varies considerably but the two rows are consistently 1.2 meters apart. The row leads directly to (or away from) the naturally occurring mound south-east of the stone circle." This row will be normally covered by the Tottiford Reservoir. The stones of the row were exposed for a short period following the drought of August 2022. From the northenern end the author took a photo at SX 81135 83102 (6/9/22). It was too muddy to get any closer and the grid reference of SX 81137 83093 is inferred and used for this entry. Max Piper visited the day before and got as close as SX 81129 83102 which is consistent with the inferred actual location.
Nearby sites: SX 81137 83093
Distance: 3.03km

Tottiford Reservoir Mound Cairn

OS Map: SX 81121 83132
HER: MDV102544
ShortName: CN Tottiford
Notes: "A total of 156 pieces of worked flint were recovered from the excavation, with the majority of the material found consisting of debitage from flint working, most of which is small enough to qualify as chips. The small size of much of the material, the indications of blade and bladelet technology and one triangular platform rejuvenation flake, suggest a date in the (probably later) Meolithic for most of the material."

"A number of tools were recovered, including a neat end scraper of probable late Neolithic date, a notched flake of probable Meolithic date, an unstratified piercer and a crude end scraper from an unstratified location."

"The 2010 excavation of test pits on the mound confirmed the presence of worked flint and concluded the mound was a natural feature and also suggested that the presence of the flint could be the result of selective deposition by water originating upstream."
Nearby sites: SX 81121 83132
Distance: 3.01km

Trendlebere Down Stone Row

OS Map: SX 76600 79239
HER: MDV8076
Megalithic Portal: 2171
The Stone Rows of GB: Trendlebere Down
PMD: Trendlebeare Down Stone Row
ShortName: SR Trendlebere
Butler map: 2.7
DPD page: 151
Notes: "A stone row 100ft. to the north of the Haytor-Manaton road." 18 stones of the stone row can be identified of which 9 are fallen and 9 upright stones. The fallen stones vary in length between 3'4" and 4'6"; the upright ones between 6" and 2'4".
Nearby sites: SX 76600 79239
Distance: 3.89km

Trendlebere Row S. Cairn

OS Map: SX 7662 7923
HER: MDV8077
Megalithic Portal: 4625
Alternate name: Trendlebere Stone Row S Cairn
ShortName: CN TrendleberS
Butler map: 2.7
Grinsell: MAN 14
Notes: HER: Cairn at southern end of stone row MDV8076 on Trendlebere Down north-east slope of Black Hill. The cairn at the southern end of the row is centred at SX 7662 7923. Its perimeter can be traced on the ground but only a grass covered crescent of stones survives in the eastern half.
Nearby sites: SX 7662 7923
Distance: 3.89km