Prehistoric Dartmoor Walks, walking the Stone Rows and Stone Circles of Dartmoor
HomeWalksSites Access Resources
Dartmoor Site: Butterdon East Stone Row

Butterdon East Stone Row

Butterdon East Stone Row

Photo taken on 30-03-2019

Database entries

OS Map: SX 65870 59203
OS Source: Garmin
HER: MDV2888
The Stone Rows of GB: Butterdon East
PMD: Butterdon E. Stone Row
Alternate name: Butterdon E.
Short Name: SR ButterdonE
Butler map: 53.8
Butler Vol 5: p.218 & Fig.150
Exist: Yes
Record: Unique
Record Source: PMD
Cairn Class: No
Dimensions (m): 55
Lidar: SX 65870 59203
Nearby sites: SX 65870 59203

Notes

There are two massive slabs with one small slab forming an alignment. It is unclear whether these were originally standing but it is thought they could have been placed in their current locations. This would make for a very spectacular stone row and one that would be quite unique on Dartmoor. However, there are stone rows consisting of two huge slabs and a small central slab in other parts of the country. The grid reference given here and the photo is of the central stone. The following interesting account comes from Hemery's High Dartmoor:

"On the Plain, about four hundred yards east of Hangershiel Rock, two great monoliths lie on the ground within sixty yards of each other. Worth was surely right in regarding them, each over eighteen feet in length, as fallen menhirs. The naturalist H. G. Hurrell wrote to tell me that he recently found, at the base end of the longer stone, "numerous stones, averaging perhaps the Size of the human head, just below ground level". I quote further from his letter: It is very difficult, I think, to explain the presence of these stones unless one assumes that they were used as packing-stones to support an erected menhir." The element of doubt undeniably present, however, should deter the over-eager restorer of monuments from arriving on the spot with tractor, sheer-legs, pulley-block and tackle. " (High Dartmoor p.258)

References

These are selected references with an emphasis on out of copyright sources linked as PDFs. For more detailed references try any linked HER or PMD record above.

Google Satellite Map

Page last updated 18/02/24