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.
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.
OS Map: SX 6802 6403
HER: MDV5744
Megalithic Portal: 45754
PMD: Brent Moor House
ShortName: CT:Brent Moor
Grinsell: BRE 3
Barrow Report: 65 66
Notes: "A cist lies on the right bank of the Avon, a short distance above Brent Moor House, about 175 feet below the small stream which flows south of Riders Rings ... The cist, which consists of two end stones and one side stone, stands in a small cairn." Doubtful. (grinsell) "supposed cairn of large stones, enclosing possible cist placed se-nw. The whole area is covered with clitter, and it is possible that the site may be natural. In summer it is under dense bracken. No measurements given." Butler Vol. 4. Map 57.9 (not actually covered in Butler but relevant map). " A Medieval or later tinner's cache situated opposite Woolholes on the west bank of the River Avon. Considered under the Monument Protection Programme by previous Monument Protection Programme Advisor who did not recommend it for scheduling."
Nearby sites: SX 6802 6403
Distance: 1.98km
OS Map: SX 67809 65702
HER: MDV5234
Megalithic Portal: 705
PMD: Brockhill Ford
Alternate name: Brockhill Ford W. Ring Setting Cairn and Cist
ShortName: CT Brockhill
Butler map: 57.18
DPD page: 88
Grinsell: DEA 2
Turner: D3
Barrow Report: 68
Notes: "The side stones, both 1.4m long, lean inwards and the end stones north west 0.7m long, southeast 0.8m long, are firmly set. The probable coverstone, 1.2m by 0.8m, is displaced and lies to the south east of the cist. The cist is surrounded by the remains of a stone circle, long axis 8.8m, aligned with cist, short axis 7.2m. It is constructed of large slabs, up to 1.4m long with a single upright stone, 0.5m high, set contiguously in the north west arc. There are no visible remains of a cairn." Lethbridge p.88 photo (note the diagram is not related). See also: Huntingdon cross walk. Butler Brockhill Ford W. - Vol. 4. Map 57.18 (pp.151-2 diagram p.152).
Nearby sites: SX 67809 65702
Distance: 1.96km
OS Map: SX 67741 65458
HER: MDV14799
Megalithic Portal: 45324
ShortName: ES Dean Moor
Notes: Enclosed settlement on Dean Moor, excavated between 1954 and 1956, prior to construction of the reservoir. Prehistoric walled enclosure containing at least 13 huts together with pens. Parallels have been drawn with the settlement at Kestor. Part of the prehistoric settlement was incorporated into a medieval farmstead (see HER record 14221). Part of site now flooded by Avon Reservoir.
Nearby sites: SX 67741 65458
Distance: 1.97km
OS Map: SX 68156 64874
HER: MDV5742
Megalithic Portal: 45320
ShortName: ES Grippers
Notes: "A Bronze Age pastoral settlement on Gripper's Hill, Dean Prior, was excavated in July 1954 by Lady Aileen Fox on behalf of the Ministry of Works. The site comprises four enclosures containing ten or more huts."
Nearby sites: SX 68156 64874
Distance: 1.54km
OS Map: SX 68650 65503
HER: MDV5224
Megalithic Portal: 45822
Alternate name: Gripper's Hill Summit 1 Stone Ring Cairn Circle
ShortName: RC Grippers
Butler map: 57.31.1
Grinsell: DEA 4
Turner: A9
Notes: "Ring cairn on Gripper's Hill; stone ring 14.0 metres in diameter internally, with bank 1.2 meters wide and 0.3 meters high." NMR A
Nearby sites: SX 68650 65503
Distance: 1.10km
OS Map: SX 69676 65105
HER: MDV5197
Megalithic Portal: 42626
PMD: Harbourne Man Standing Stone
Alternate name: Harbourne Man Standing Stone
ShortName: SS Harbourne
Butler Vol 5: p.19
DPD page: 88
Notes: A standing stone represented by a leaning slab of moorland granite. It stands in a slight depression probably worn by cattle using it as a rubbing post. It is 2.40m in length and 1.0m by 0.3m at its base tapering to 0.3m by 0.15m. See also, Legendary Dartmoor: Dartmoor's Harbourne Man
Nearby sites: SX 69676 65105
Distance: 0.01km
OS Map: SX 69119 65039
HER: MDV5802
Megalithic Portal: 42628
Alternate name: Parnell's Hill 1 Stone Ring Cairn Circle
ShortName: RC Harbourne A
Butler map: 57.31.6
Grinsell: DEA 8
Turner: A55
Notes: "One of a pair of cairns on Gripper's Hill." " A ring cairn, Harbourne Head consisting of a stone ring 17.0 metres in diameter internally, with bank 1.8 metres wide and 0.4 metres high. Cairn contains a central mound, 12.0 metres in diameter, 0.8 metres high. This type of cairn is referred to as a Dartmoor version of the Wessex bell barrows."
Nearby sites: SX 69119 65039
Distance: 0.57km
OS Map: SX 69147 65009
HER: MDV5803
Megalithic Portal: 3279
Alternate name: Parnell's Hill 2 Embanked Cairn Circle
ShortName: CC Harbourne B
Butler map: 57.31.7
Grinsell: DEA 10
Turner: B12
Notes: "Embanked stone circle; annular bank of earth and/or stones with inner kerb of orthostats. Measures 15.0 metres in diameter internally with bank 2.0 metres wide and 0.5 meters high with a cairn in the centre, 9.0 metres in diameter and 1.1 metres in height. The west and south sides have been disturbed."
Nearby sites: SX 69147 65009
Distance: 0.54km
OS Map: SX 67870 64359
HER: MDV5767
Megalithic Portal: 45321
ShortName: ES RidersRings
DPD page: 85
Notes: "The largest and most important pound in the Avon Valley. Situated on the eastern slope of Zeal Plains. It is best regarded as being two contiguous pounds, of which it would appear that the south west member was constructed first, while the north east member was added as a later extension. The two pounds together cover an area of over six acres and enclose some three dozen hut-circles". Lethbridge p.85
Nearby sites: SX 67870 64359
Distance: 1.96km
OS Map: SX 7037 6328
HER: MDV13638
Megalithic Portal: 45832
ShortName: RC:Tynacombe
Turner: A20
Notes: "Ring cairn. Thynacombe stone ring 7.5 meters in diameter internally, with bank 1.5 meters wide and 0.2 meters high, damaged on the east side."
Nearby sites: SX 7037 6328
Distance: 1.96km
Page last updated 18/02/24