Featured: Explore Scotland (and everywhere else) with our Megalithic Portal iPhone app

Explore Scotland (and everywhere else) with our Megalithic Portal iPhone app

Random Image


Mølen

Help Protect this Brigantes Hillfort - Click to Sign the Petition

Help Protect this Brigantes Hillfort - Click to Sign the Petition

Who's Online

There are currently, 367 guests and 1 members online.

You are a guest. To join in, please register for free by clicking here

Sponsors

<< Our Photo Pages >> Ten Commandments Stone - Natural Stone / Erratic / Other Natural Feature in England in Devon

Submitted by AngieLake on Tuesday, 01 June 2010  Page Views: 13178

Natural PlacesSite Name: Ten Commandments Stone Alternative Name: Ten Commandments Stones
Country: England County: Devon Type: Natural Stone / Erratic / Other Natural Feature
Nearest Town: Ashburton  Nearest Village: Widecombe in the Moor
Map Ref: SX735731
Latitude: 50.543944N  Longitude: 3.786692W
Condition:
5Perfect
4Almost Perfect
3Reasonable but with some damage
2Ruined but still recognisable as an ancient site
1Pretty much destroyed, possibly visible as crop marks
0No data.
-1Completely destroyed
4 Ambience:
5Superb
4Good
3Ordinary
2Not Good
1Awful
0No data.
4 Access:
5Can be driven to, probably with disabled access
4Short walk on a footpath
3Requiring a bit more of a walk
2A long walk
1In the middle of nowhere, a nightmare to find
0No data.
3 Accuracy:
5co-ordinates taken by GPS or official recorded co-ordinates
4co-ordinates scaled from a detailed map
3co-ordinates scaled from a bad map
2co-ordinates of the nearest village
1co-ordinates of the nearest town
0no data
4

Internal Links:
External Links:

I have visited· I would like to visit

TheCaptain visited on 7th Dec 2022 - their rating: Amb: 5 Access: 3 A day to myself, and decide to go to Totnes, but first go the scenic way through Buckland, then decide to walk out to Buckland Beacon for a look at the Ten Commandments stones. The views from here are fantastic, right down to the sea all around the south, including right along the Teign estuary. Great to spend time looking all around the north and west trying to figure out all the various tors and bits of Dartmoor previously visited. Magnificent. There is a very interesting series of Boundary stones to the north, one of which looked to me like an old cross originally.

ChasDrown visited on 1st Jan 1954 - their rating: Cond: 5 Amb: 4 Access: 4

DartmoorDog visited - their rating: Cond: 4 Visited since the inscription was renewed.

AngieLake have visited here

Average ratings for this site from all visit loggers: Condition: 4.5 Ambience: 4.5 Access: 3.5

Ten Commandments Stone
Ten Commandments Stone submitted by AngieLake : While I was there yesterday there were several groups of visitors arriving to enjoy the ambience of the tor. The stones are in the foreground here. (Vote or comment on this photo)
The Ten Commandments Stone (Stones) deserves a place on the Megalithic Portal because of its situation (high up on Buckland Beacon in the SE of Dartmoor National Park), its ambience, and its uniqueness.

Two large flat slabs of granite lie, like an open book, just underneath the southern slopes of Buckland Beacon's rugged tor.

To quote from www.legendarydartmoor.co.uk/ten_command.htm :

"In 1928 Parliament rejected the adoption of the proposed new Book of Common Prayer. This was seen by many as a victory for Protestantism as the new book was considered a 'popish trend'. One that certainly shared that view was the then lord of Buckland Manor - Mr William Whitely of Wellstor. To celebrate this 'victory' he commissioned a sculptor called W. A. Clement to engrave the Ten Commandments on two 'tables of stone' on Buckland Beacon. Gunnell, 1977, pp25-6, interviewed Mr Clement who informed him that he and a colleague first dressed the two selected stones, Clement then with prayer book in hand started engraving them. Work was started on the 23rd of July 1928. The wording on the left-hand slab was the first four commandments and then the dates December 15th 1927 - June 14th 1928. These dates represent the dates of the readings of the bill in parliament. Following this at the bottom were the words of a favourite quotation of Mr Whitley's." ......

"On the second slab the remaining six commandments are written. Clements then realised there was a large blank space and suggested to Whitely that an eleventh commandment was added, this being "John, Chapter 13 Verse 34," along with the third verse of the hymn, 'Oh God Our Help in Ages Past'. " .....

"The work was finally completed on August 31st 1928, and Mr Clement had earned the nickname of 'Moses'. When he was first presented with his new name he said he was nothing like Moses because he was not going to carry those huge slabs down from the beacon. During the task 'Moses' lived in a 'cow shed' at the edge of the nearby woods. His bed was some wire netting and his light a candle, a nearby stream allowed him to wash and obtain drinking water. Although this feat may not seem that difficult imagine day in and day out being knelt beside the stones chipping away in all weathers, Buckland Beacon is a very exposed promontory to say the least."

And a little more about Buckland Beacon:
"Buckland Beacon stands at a lofty height of 1,253ft (382m) and is one of the chain of Dartmoor frontier heights which was and is used as a fire beacon. An inscription on a rock records that it was used in 1935. It reads: "Buckland Beacon. A beacon fire one of a chain lit here by the Parishioners of Buckland-in-the-Moor in celebration of their Majesties' silver jubilee May 6th 1935. And the people shouted and said 'God save the King." Buckland Beacon was part of the fire chain of beacons for both the Millennium and Queen Elizabeth's Jubilee celebrations."
I didn't notice that one on my visit yesterday.

(More info on the above-quoted website.)

Before leaving I had a look around the area, especially to find 'Stidwell' (Spring), marked in blue on the OS map, just south of the stones. This was located on the east side of the wall, after walking downhill on a steep, well-worn track adjacent to the west side of the dry-stone wall.
I also climbed the stile to the east of Buckland Beacon and took a look at Welstor Rock, part of which looked like the prow of a wrecked ship. (Assume I got the correct one here .. not one rock, as such, but a whole pile of granite rocks of all shapes, typical of Dartmoor's Tors.)

There is also info on the walk there on Richard Knight's excellent website: http://www.richkni.co.uk/dartmoor/10command.htm
He says:
"This is an incredibly easy walk of less than 1 mile over flat ground. However the views are worth it from the Buckland Beacon. You can see over much of the South Hams and in good conditions - the English Channel. On the north side much of the Northern Moors can be seen. Below the beacon lies the 2 rocks of the Mosaic Commandments. These were commissioned in 1928 by the Buckland Manor. An Exmouth mason took around ten weeks to complete the task.
Park at Cold East Cross (SX 740742) and take the southerly track towards Buckland Beacon. Dead flat over easy ground but you are high up here and exposed. The 10 Commandments Rock is just below the Beacon. Very popular family walk - especially in summer."

Well, I wouldn't say it was dead flat, but it wasn't difficult. It was very breezy up there, though!
I actually parked at/near Cold East Cross where the 'P' is shown on my OS map, but the car parking arrangement shown in Richard Knight's description of the walk is actually several hundred yards south of the crossroads. I began my walk from there, and followed the wall upslope til I got to Buckland Beacon, but returning, I followed a N/S line of boundary markers which brought me back to my car on a more level walk, to rejoin the road about 100 yds + NW of my car.
You may be viewing yesterday's version of this page. To see the most up to date information please register for a free account.


Ten Commandments Stone
Ten Commandments Stone submitted by cromagnonman : Ten Commandments at dusk 26/5/19 0.3 sec, f.8, ISO100 (2 comments - Vote or comment on this photo)

Ten Commandments Stone
Ten Commandments Stone submitted by cromagnonman : Ten Commandments under the stars. ................................................... 26/5/19 Foreground: 12 blended exposures taken at 30 sec, f.8, ISO100 Sky: 416 blended exposures taken at 30 sec, f.4, ISO1600 Edited with Photoshop (Vote or comment on this photo)

Ten Commandments Stone
Ten Commandments Stone submitted by AngieLake : A 'sheep-door' (presumably) in a dry-stone wall, on the footpath to Buckland Beacon. This is only about knee-high: I had to crouch down very low to get the shot at this angle! (1 comment - Vote or comment on this photo)

Ten Commandments Stone
Ten Commandments Stone submitted by AngieLake : Looking down to the wooded valley at the south of Buckland Beacon. The spring (Stidwell), is about 100 yards downhill, just over the dry-stone wall that leads down the steep hill to the left here. (Look out for the adjoining wall of a field that runs up to it from the SE. The spring is tucked into the corner.) (Vote or comment on this photo)

Ten Commandments Stone
Ten Commandments Stone submitted by AngieLake : On the way back to the car I noticed this boundary marker stone. The tor in the left distance is Rippon Tor. The route I took from the car parking area followed the wall here, all the way to Buckland Beacon (well behind me). After this I noticed another boundary marker upslope a little to my left. Having reached that one, another appeared further ahead in the direction of my car. (1 comment - Vote or comment on this photo)

Ten Commandments Stone
Ten Commandments Stone submitted by TheCaptain : There is a very interesting series of Boundary stones to the north, one of which looked to me like an old cross originally.

Ten Commandments Stone
Ten Commandments Stone submitted by TheCaptain : The views from here are fantastic, right down to the sea all around the south, including right along the Teign estuary. Great to spend time looking all around the north and west trying to figure out all the various tors and bits of Dartmoor previously visited. Magnificent. Unfortunately, this panorama shot hasn't come out too well looking in to the bright low sun, but gives an idea I think

Ten Commandments Stone
Ten Commandments Stone submitted by TheCaptain : The Ten Commandments stones, on Buckland Beacon.

Ten Commandments Stone
Ten Commandments Stone submitted by TheCaptain

Ten Commandments Stone
Ten Commandments Stone submitted by TheCaptain : Approaching the Ten Commandments stones, on Buckland Beacon.

Ten Commandments Stone
Ten Commandments Stone submitted by AngieLake : A mother and child stand intrigued by the carvings.

Ten Commandments Stone
Ten Commandments Stone submitted by AngieLake : From the Beacon, the Channel coast at Teignmouth can be seen in the distance. Centre of photo, just visible, is the bridge across the mouth of the river Teign.

Ten Commandments Stone
Ten Commandments Stone submitted by AngieLake : Buckland Beacon (where fire was lit in the Armada chain of beacons), from the east, showing the stile access from Welstor Common. The Ten Commandments stones are at the tor's southern foot.

Ten Commandments Stone
Ten Commandments Stone submitted by AngieLake : Just near the pointed end of the stone was an arrangement that looked suspiciously like a stone bench. A nice place to take in the views!

Ten Commandments Stone
Ten Commandments Stone submitted by AngieLake : Further down the main stone, I couldn't help smiling at the words 'thou shalt not make any graven [or is it craven?] image.., etc.' That seemed a bit ironic here. ;-)

Ten Commandments Stone
Ten Commandments Stone submitted by AngieLake : A closer view of the text at the top of the flatter stone.

Ten Commandments Stone
Ten Commandments Stone submitted by AngieLake : Looking approx west, with a hiker reading the Ten Commandments. 30.05.2010

Ten Commandments Stone
Ten Commandments Stone submitted by AngieLake : The second Ten Commandments Stone just under the south of Buckland Beacon's tor.

Ten Commandments Stone
Ten Commandments Stone submitted by AngieLake : The main stone with the carving of the Ten Commandments, lying prone, pointing west towards North Hessary Tor near Princetown. 'Page 2 [!]" lies at an angle sloping upwards to its right.

Do not use the above information on other web sites or publications without permission of the contributor.
Click here to see more info for this site

Nearby sites

Click here to view sites on an interactive OS map

Key: Red: member's photo, Blue: 3rd party photo, Yellow: other image, Green: no photo - please go there and take one, Grey: site destroyed

Download sites to:
KML (Google Earth)
GPX (GPS waypoints)
CSV (Garmin/Navman)
CSV (Excel)

To unlock full downloads you need to sign up as a Contributory Member. Otherwise downloads are limited to 50 sites.


Turn off the page maps and other distractions

Nearby sites listing. In the following links * = Image available
 156m NNE 25° Buckland Ridge South Ring Cairn (SX73577324)
 200m S 179° Stidwell* Holy Well or Sacred Spring (SX735729)
 2.1km N 354° Wittaburrow Cairn* Cairn (SX73347521)
 2.4km N 357° Blackslade Down Cairn and Cist* Cist (SX7341275510)
 2.7km N 352° Tunhill Rocks* Ancient Village or Settlement (SX7318975796)
 2.7km NNE 24° Rippon Tor* Cairn (SX74667558)
 2.8km N 4° Foales Arrishes* Ancient Village or Settlement (SX73777587)
 3.2km N 10° Seven Lords' Lands* Stone Circle (SX74127623)
 3.3km N 359° Top Tor row Stone Row / Alignment (SX735764)
 3.3km NW 325° Dunstone Cup Stone Rock Art (SX71677585)
 3.4km N 360° Top Tor Cairns* Cairn (SX7357476472)
 4.1km NNW 334° Saxon Well* Holy Well or Sacred Spring (SX718768)
 4.2km SSE 152° St Gudula's Well* Holy Well or Sacred Spring (SX754694)
 4.4km W 270° Sherberton Common Multiple Stone Rows / Avenue (SX691732)
 4.7km S 189° Hembury Castle* Hillfort (SX7263868449)
 4.8km W 272° Sherril Down Multiple Stone Rows / Avenue (SX687734)
 5.0km W 273° Ouldsbroom Cross* Ancient Cross (SX6850173504)
 5.1km W 281° Corndon Down Cairns* Barrow Cemetery (SX68557420)
 5.2km WNW 287° Corndon Down N Cairns* Barrow Cemetery (SX68587473)
 5.2km N 352° Chinkwell Tor Cairn* Cairn (SX7293078250)
 5.4km W 277° Money Pit cairn* Stone Circle (SX6818173865)
 5.4km W 277° Yar Tor SE* Multiple Stone Rows / Avenue (SX68187388)
 5.4km W 276° Money Pit Cairns* Cairn (SX68147384)
 5.5km W 278° Yar Tor NW* Multiple Stone Rows / Avenue (SX6806674043)
 5.5km NNE 21° Smallacombe Rocks Settlement* Ancient Village or Settlement (SX7558378211)
View more nearby sites and additional images

<< Hindmose Langdysse

The Godstone >>

Please add your thoughts on this site

Prehistoric Settlements

Prehistoric Settlements

Sponsors

Auto-Translation (Google)

Translate from English into:

"Ten Commandments Stone" | Login/Create an Account | 4 News and Comments
  
Go back to top of page    Comments are owned by the poster. We aren't responsible for their content.
Re: Ten Commandments Stone by DartmoorDog on Saturday, 23 February 2019
(User Info | Send a Message)
Visited a couple of times since the inscription was renewed.
[ Reply to This ]

Re: Ten Commandments Stone by AngieLake on Wednesday, 02 June 2010
(User Info | Send a Message)
I thought it was ok to post it as I did .. "a natural stone/erractic/or other natural feature". Anyone visiting Dartmoor to look at megalithic sites might be quite interested to see this as part of their itinerary, I'd have thought?
I'm always recommending Meg P to people I meet who are interested in stones. That's how I got into the website myself, while using it to plan visits on holidays around Britain.
I guess it's up to Andy to decide.
[ Reply to This ]

Re: Ten Commandments Stone by TheCaptain on Wednesday, 02 June 2010
(User Info | Send a Message)
Sorry, but am I missing something here? megalithic prehistoric relevance? its less than 100 years old. Why post it here and quote another website?
[ Reply to This ]

Re: Ten Commandments Stone by AngieLake on Tuesday, 01 June 2010
(User Info | Send a Message)
Since adding this site page I found a Dartmoor National Park guide 'Walks 4', and an interesting piece about the stonemason.

"Some thirty years later he described his experience:
"Day after day I was on my knees chipping away and, though in an attitude of prayer, I wondered if the originator of the Commandments suffered from aching back and sore knees, as I did.
".... Several people visited the tor whilst I was there and various remarks were passed. One lady was disappointed to find I was not a monk from Buckfast Abbey, but, as her sister remarked to her: 'He hasn't got the face of one, my dear'.
"..... Having survived the elements, and roughing it, it was with mixed feelings that I gathered up my tools to leave this beautiful place, and so it was with reluctance that I shaved off my beard before returning to 'civilisation' having by this time the appearance of a true moorman..."

[DNP quote:] "If you glance from the inscribed stone into the valley below you will see Buckland Church where lie the mortal remains of the originator of this unusual and time-defying monument."
[Angie:] Buckland-in-the-Moor is a 'chocolate-box'-type village of thatched cottages, and the clock face on the church is unique in that instead of numbers, it has the letters that spell 'MY DEAR MOTHER'.
[ Reply to This ]

Your Name: Anonymous [ Register Now ]
Subject:


Add your comment or contribution to this page. Spam or offensive posts are deleted immediately, don't even bother

<<< What is five plus one as a number? (Please type the answer to this question in the little box on the left)
You can also embed videos and other things. For Youtube please copy and paste the 'embed code'.
For Google Street View please include Street View in the text.
Create a web link like this: <a href="https://www.megalithic.co.uk">This is a link</a>  

Allowed HTML is:
<p> <b> <i> <a> <img> <em> <br> <strong> <blockquote> <tt> <li> <ol> <ul> <object> <param> <embed> <iframe>

We would like to know more about this location. Please feel free to add a brief description and any relevant information in your own language.
Wir möchten mehr über diese Stätte erfahren. Bitte zögern Sie nicht, eine kurze Beschreibung und relevante Informationen in Deutsch hinzuzufügen.
Nous aimerions en savoir encore un peu sur les lieux. S'il vous plaît n'hesitez pas à ajouter une courte description et tous les renseignements pertinents dans votre propre langue.
Quisieramos informarnos un poco más de las lugares. No dude en añadir una breve descripción y otros datos relevantes en su propio idioma.