<< Our Photo Pages >> Merrivale Menhir - Standing Stone (Menhir) in England in Devon
Submitted by TheCaptain on Sunday, 12 April 2015 Page Views: 17371
Neolithic and Bronze AgeSite Name: Merrivale MenhirCountry: England County: Devon Type: Standing Stone (Menhir)
Nearest Town: Tavistock Nearest Village: Princetown
Map Ref: SX55367459 Landranger Map Number: 191
Latitude: 50.553127N Longitude: 4.043124W
Condition:
5 | Perfect |
4 | Almost Perfect |
3 | Reasonable but with some damage |
2 | Ruined but still recognisable as an ancient site |
1 | Pretty much destroyed, possibly visible as crop marks |
0 | No data. |
-1 | Completely destroyed |
5 | Superb |
4 | Good |
3 | Ordinary |
2 | Not Good |
1 | Awful |
0 | No data. |
5 | Can be driven to, probably with disabled access |
4 | Short walk on a footpath |
3 | Requiring a bit more of a walk |
2 | A long walk |
1 | In the middle of nowhere, a nightmare to find |
0 | No data. |
5 | co-ordinates taken by GPS or official recorded co-ordinates |
4 | co-ordinates scaled from a detailed map |
3 | co-ordinates scaled from a bad map |
2 | co-ordinates of the nearest village |
1 | co-ordinates of the nearest town |
0 | no data |
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External Links:
I have visited· I would like to visit
lauraaurora visited on 6th Aug 2022 - their rating: Cond: 5 Amb: 5 Access: 4
lucasn visited on 27th Jun 2019 - their rating: Cond: 4 Amb: 4 Access: 4
Anne T visited on 14th May 2019 - their rating: Cond: 3 Amb: 4 Access: 4 Merrivale Menhir: This tall stone made up for the small size of the stones of the stone circle, and I enjoyed visiting here. My goodness, with the three stone rows, the fallen menhirs, the cairn and the pits, it was certainly interesting here. I'd taken my notes for this site with me, but the wind was so strong I was unable to get them out and read them! Now having the Butler series of "Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities" has made it much easier to understand the layout and complexities of the site, as far as I'm able.
markj99 visited on 28th Nov 2017 - their rating: Cond: 4 Amb: 5 Access: 3 I was impressed by the tallest stone in the Merrivale complex, though the double stone rows are probably more impressive.
sophiewilder visited on 23rd Mar 2014 - their rating: Cond: 5 Amb: 5 Access: 3
TwinFlamesKiss visited on 1st Feb 2014 - their rating: Cond: 4 Amb: 4 Access: 3
graemefield visited on 1st Jan 2008 - their rating: Cond: 5 Amb: 5 Access: 3
woodini254 visited on 15th Mar 1994 - their rating: Cond: 5 Amb: 5 Access: 4
Twistytwirly visited - their rating: Cond: 3 Amb: 5 Access: 4
Twistytwirly visited - their rating: Cond: 4 Amb: 5 Access: 4
Andy B visited #10 in our rundown of favourite standing stones (and pairs) in Britain
SandyG Bladup TimPrevett TheCaptain TheWhiteRider davidmorgan Andy B AngieLake cazzyjane NickyD have visited here
Average ratings for this site from all visit loggers: Condition: 4.2 Ambience: 4.7 Access: 3.6
About 10 metres to the east is a fallen slab, 2 metres in length, which may have once been a companion standing stone for the giant menhir, although there is no evidence it originally stood.
It has been noted that although the double rows cannot be seen from the base of the menhir, there are several large or special stones in the southern avenue, which when viewed from the top of the menhir would make alignments with various significant points on the skyline.
The menhir is recorded as part of Pastscape Monument No. 440047, which tells us: "(there are) Two Bronze Age standing stones with a disturbed cairn and a number of small earth fast stones. (in this general area). Located in open generally clitter-free moorland. Only one of the two stones still stands; it is 3.2 metres high and tapers from the base which is 0.7 by 0.5 metres in section. Whether the stone was once the focus or terminus of a stone rows is uncertain".
The stone is also recorded as MDV53395 (Standing Stone, Merrivale) on the Devon and Dartmoor HER, and scheduled as part of Historic England's entry for Historic England List ID 1013430.
Prehistoric Dartmoor Walks also features two entries for this menhir - see their webpage for the Merrivale Standing Stone and the Merrivale Ceremonial Complex [Photo Set 2].
Butler, in volume 3 of "Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities" (p28) adds: 'the stone is 42m almost due south from the stone circle and "still stands in its original position'.
Note: AngieLake writes: This shot shows the "smaller pillar" (as described by Butler) in the foreground. There is no evidence that this pillar ever stood upright, but it was erected in 1895, toppling again a few years later. More in the photo caption. [Update July 2019: This pillar now has its own site page - see nearby sites below]
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Nearby sites listing. In the following links * = Image available
6m SW 224° Merrivale row 4* Stone Row / Alignment (SX5535674586)
10m E 88° Merrivale Second Menhir and Cairn* Standing Stone (Menhir) (SX55377459)
11m W 279° Merrivale 5* Stone Row / Alignment (SX5534974592)
16m W 268° Merrivale 6* Stone Row / Alignment (SX5534474590)
41m NNW 344° Merrivale circle* Stone Circle (SX55357463)
125m NNW 330° Cairn south of Stone Row B (Merrivale)* Cairn (SX553747)
142m NE 38° Merrivale Stone Slabs 1 and 2* Stone Row / Alignment (SX55457470)
171m NNW 338° Merrivale NW* Stone Circle (SX55307475)
174m N 10° Merrivale SW row 3* Stone Row / Alignment (SX5539474761)
184m N 11° Merrivale Centre S* Cairn (SX55407477)
193m NNE 20° Merrivale Centre N* Cairn (SX55437477)
215m NE 35° Merrivale Cists* Burial Chamber or Dolmen (SX5549074762)
216m NNE 32° Merrivale* Multiple Stone Rows / Avenue (SX55487477)
219m NNE 23° Merrivale North Row* Multiple Stone Rows / Avenue (SX55457479)
253m N 351° Merrivale N circle* Stone Circle (SX5532674841)
275m NE 45° Merrivale Centre Row* Multiple Stone Rows / Avenue (SX55567478)
284m NE 38° Merrivale NE circle* Stone Circle (SX55547481)
433m NNE 25° Merrivale settlement* Ancient Village or Settlement (SX5555174979)
859m SSE 155° King's Tor* Rock Outcrop (SX557738)
996m E 96° Yellowmeade Farm* Cairn (SX56357446)
1.1km WSW 258° Vixen Tor* Cist (SX5424074392)
1.9km W 259° Windy Post Cross* Ancient Cross (SX53437428)
2.0km W 268° Barn Hill Cairn (SX53337458)
2.1km NE 47° Mis Tor Farm Cairn (SX56927594)
2.2km SE 140° Walkhampton Enclosed Settlement* Ancient Village or Settlement (SX56747286)
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