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<< Our Photo Pages >> Yelland - Multiple Stone Rows / Avenue in England in Devon

Submitted by archaeologyh on Wednesday, 04 February 2004  Page Views: 22229

Neolithic and Bronze AgeSite Name: Yelland Alternative Name: Isley Marsh Stone Row
Country: England
NOTE: This site is 2.5 km away from the location you searched for.
County: Devon Type: Multiple Stone Rows / Avenue
Nearest Town: Barnstable / Bideford  Nearest Village: Yelland
Map Ref: SS4912532889  Landranger Map Number: 180
Latitude: 51.075438N  Longitude: 4.155062W
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
 5

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Yelland
Yelland submitted by archaeologyh : E.H. Rogers standing at the end of The Yelland Multiple Stone Row (approx 1932). The site is now covered by tidal silt and is located within the RSPB nature reserve of Isley Marsh. (Vote or comment on this photo)
Double Stone Row in Devon

E.H. Rogers standing at the end of The Yelland Multiple Stone Row (approx 1932). The site is now covered by tidal silt and is located within the RSPB nature reserve of Isley Marsh.

Update August 2019: This stone row is recorded on the Stone Rows of Great Britain website - see their entry for the Yelland Stone Row, which includes a description, a photograph and a plan of the row. SRoGB tells us the row is 34.5m long, and comprises 22 small and medium stones.

The row is also recorded as Pastcape Monument No. 33321, which adds "(this is a) double stone row partly in (a) tidal area)", and scheduled as Historic England List ID 1003847 (Double stone alignment on Isley Marsh 535m north of Lower Yelland Farm).

Note: The stone rows are by a river and should be visited at low tide.
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Yelland
Yelland submitted by archaeologyh : Aerial photo showing position of Yelland Stone Row. Map Ref SS490330. Copyright Robert Don 2004.IoA (Vote or comment on this photo)

Yelland
Yelland submitted by lauraaurora : Information panel for Yelland Stone Row. (Vote or comment on this photo)

Do not use the above information on other web sites or publications without permission of the contributor.

Nearby Images from Geograph Britain and Ireland:
SS4932 : Spring Tide Debris by Tony Atkin
by Tony Atkin
©2007(licence)
SS4932 : Looking east across Isley Marsh by Roger A Smith
by Roger A Smith
©2010(licence)
SS4932 : Isley Marsh Nature Reserve by Guy Wareham
by Guy Wareham
©2019(licence)
SS4932 : Isley Marsh by DS Pugh
by DS Pugh
©2025(licence)
SS4932 : Saltmarsh north of Yelland by DS Pugh
by DS Pugh
©2025(licence)

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"Yelland" | Login/Create an Account | 10 News and Comments
  
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Re: Yelland Quay development passed by AngieLake on Tuesday, 05 July 2022
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I'm unsure where this site is in relation to the stone row, but there doesn't seem to be any mention of archaeological reasons for opposing it? See this article in Devon Live today:
https://www.devonlive.com/news/devon-news/shock-sadness-over-yelland-quay-7288162

I grew up in Braunton and often cycled down to the marshes and Crow Point when younger, and the old power station was a landmark on the opposite side of the river.
[ Reply to This ]

Re: Yelland by archaeologyh on Tuesday, 11 September 2018
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I think that its great that the site is now being explored by Dr Bates.
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Re: Yelland by AngieLake on Wednesday, 29 August 2018
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I must have missed this article, too, while I was away from home:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-5888419/Search-begins-long-lost-Bronze-Age-site-Yelland-stone-row.html
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Re: Yelland by AngieLake on Wednesday, 29 August 2018
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I was googling for further info on this site and came across an old photo on this link:
https://arstechnica.com/science/2018/07/the-lost-standing-stones-of-devon-are-still-hiding-from-archaeologists
[ Reply to This ]

Re: Search begins for the lost standing stones of Yelland by AngieLake on Friday, 29 June 2018
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Posted on: 28 June 2018
A cutting edge survey began in North Devon this week to find a mysterious, lost archaeological site known as the Yelland stone row.
The investigation, paid for by Historic England and a contribution from Devon County Council, will take place at the RSPB Nature Reserve Isley Marsh alongside the Tarka Trail, outside Barnstaple.
And once the stones have been located and evidence collected and analysed, Devon County Council’s Historic Environment Service, together with the RSPB and Historic England, hope to provide a new interpretation panel for the Tarka Trail to explain more about the site and the ancient history of the area.
A team of archaeologists will be exploring the Marshes to find the lost ancient site, which is two lines of standing stones, known as a double stone alignment. The stones disappeared from view in the 1980s after the closure of Yelland power station changed currents in the estuary and the silts built up around the site.
Analysis of the pollen and insect remains in the peat and soil will allow archaeologists to determine the nature of the environment around the area, whether it was farmland or woodland or something else. Modern dating techniques may also give a date for its construction.
The team, led by Dr Martin Bates from the University of Wales Trinity Saint David Lampeter, will be working in difficult conditions between tides, using the latest geophysical surveying techniques to explore beneath the thick blanket of silts that has covered the site.
The true nature of these prehistoric monuments is not fully understood. Stone alignments were being constructed and used from the Late Neolithic period to the Middle Bronze Age, over 3,000 years ago. They give us a rare insight into ceremonial and ritual practices during these periods.
Standing stones have already been found on Dartmoor and are widely associated with burial mounds. They also may have astrological links, but as there is no consistent alignment, it is hard to tell. The Yelland row does seem to be roughly east-west, so may link to the rising or setting of the sun.
The Yelland stone row is a nationally important site which is protected as a scheduled monument. It includes at least 18 small stones arranged in a pair of parallel rows. It is similar to the geometric stone settings of smaller stones, some less than 30cm high, found on Exmoor. In the 1930s an excavation discovered nine pairs of stones or stone sockets, a scatter of flint tools and some evidence for occupation during the Mesolithic, Neolithic and Early Bronze Age.
Dr Martin Bates said: “We are very pleased to be working at this site, bringing our expertise developed along the Welsh coastline, to South West England. Perhaps our study may help to shed light on the relationship the monument builders had with the sea.”
The site is a nature reserve and a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) due to its overwintering and migratory populations of wading birds. Rare plants can also be found there, including rare rock sea-lavender which grows along the shores. The project has been carefully planned and timed specifically to avoid disturbance to bird populations. The RSPB owns the site and supports the project to rediscover the stones.
Historic England’s Charlotte Russell said: “It’s exciting to have the opportunity to rediscover the Yelland stones which haven’t been seen in over 35 years. We need to make sure they’re safe and haven’t been damaged by flooding or bad weather. This is an important site to keep safe and pass on to future generations, and we are hoping the work here will reveal more about the site and the conditions in which the monument was built thousands of years ago. With our partners at the RSPB and Devon Historic Environment Services we’ll be unlocking the site’s secrets which have been buried in the silts for so long.”
Bill Horner, Devon County Archaeologist, said: “Rediscovering this unique site has been one of my team’s priorities for a number of years. I am really pleased that the funding has been made available by Historic England and we now have the chance to find out so much more about this fascinating but elusive monument.
Peter Otley reserves manager said: “We can’t wait to see the results of this project. We hope the stones can be found so that our wardens and volunteers can help to monitor their condition and look after the site for the future.”
Historic England hope that the investigations will provide an opportunity to collect paleao-environmental samples such as pollen and seeds, or ancient remains of insects which will reveal more about the land surface, climate and conditions surrounding the stones during the time the monument was first constructed.

Article with photos here:

https://www.devonnewscentre.info/search-begins-for-the-lost-standing-stones-of-yelland/
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Re: Yelland by Andy B on Wednesday, 02 March 2005
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Now has its own dedicated web site featuring the research of E.H. Rogers:
http://www.yelland.arcproject.co.uk
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Re: Yelland by TimPrevett on Saturday, 17 January 2004
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I believe this is located under heavy silting; we checked it out about 4 years ago, and there was nothing to be seen; I was also in contact with a relatively local stones person (are you still out there Bob?) who also had a similar opinion - that it would take excepetional tidal activity to show the stones, if they are still in situ beneath the silts of the River Taw.
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    Re: Yelland by archaeologyh on Tuesday, 03 February 2004
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    Thanks for replying Tim. I spent another day at the site over the weekend. I have been gathering together all past research on this site so if you have any info for me that would be great. I am going to use this as my dissertation so your help would be really appreciated.
    [ Reply to This ]

Re: Yelland by Anonymous on Saturday, 17 January 2004
I spent 4 days over the Christmas period researching the Yelland Stone Row. It is not visible at present due to tidal silting.

There is evidence available to support the notion that prehistoric people lived in this landscape during the Mesolithic. The surrounding farm land is of great interest and stone tools have been recovered. A full survey of the area would without a doubt yield some interesting possibilities for research.

The site of the row was first recorded in 1935 by E.H.Rogers and published in the Devon Archaeology Society Proceedings Vol 1 1929. It make for good reading.

The site should be re- assessed within the context of its surrounding landscape.
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Re: Yelland by Anonymous on Friday, 19 December 2003
I would be interested if anyone has any information regarding the stone rows at Yelland. Please mail me [email protected] if you have studied or are studying this site

Robert Don, Archaeologist- Institute of Archaeology, UCL
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