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Sacred Stones in Indian Civilization: with Special Reference to Megaliths

Sacred Stones in Indian Civilization: with Special Reference to Megaliths

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<< Our Photo Pages >> Withypool Circle - Stone Circle in England in Somerset

Submitted by thecaptain on Friday, 17 November 2006  Page Views: 20800

Neolithic and Bronze AgeSite Name: Withypool Circle Alternative Name: Withypool Hill Circle
Country: England County: Somerset Type: Stone Circle
Nearest Town: Dulverton  Nearest Village: Withypool
Map Ref: SS83833431  Landranger Map Number: 181
Latitude: 51.096293N  Longitude: 3.660374W
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
3 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.
4 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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I have visited· I would like to visit

Starryways visited on 4th Aug 2022 - their rating: Cond: 3 Amb: 5 Access: 3 Its easy access if you drive south out of Withypool for a few minutes on Worth Lane- you will find a layby at 51.09909/ -3.6492. Cross the road onto the moor proceed due E on gentle slope to highest point which is a tumulus on OS map- a modern cairn on top. The circle is a couple of hundred yards south west of the cairn. Hard to see if you are not looking for it. Do not park in the village and access the moor via the edge of Withypool- it is a horrid walk up steep contours to to top through thick heather with good chance of turning or breaking an ankle or getting bitten by an adder, we saw two. The circle is full of the detritus of Exmoor conservation who have not removed their rubbish of various signposts. Its a lovely place with lovely views. We could only count 25 stones, through thick heather.

Starryways visited on 4th Aug 2022 - their rating: Cond: 3 Amb: 5 Access: 3 Its easy access if you drive south out of Withypool for a few minutes on Worth Lane- you will find a layby at 51.09909/ -3.6492. Cross the road onto the moor proceed due E on gentle slope to highest point which is a tumulus on OS map- a modern cairn on top. The circle is a couple of hundred yards south west of the cairn. Hard to see if you are not looking for it. Do not park in the village and access the moor via the edge of Withypool- it is a horrid walk up steep contours to to top through thick heather with good chance of turning or breaking an ankle or getting bitten by an adder, we saw two. The circle is full of the detritus of Exmoor conservation who have not removed their rubbish of various signposts. Its a lovely place with lovely views. We could only count 25 stones, through thick heather.

bishop_pam visited on 27th Apr 2019 - their rating: Cond: 3 Amb: 4 Access: 3

BolshieBoris visited on 1st Jul 1997 - their rating: Cond: 3 Amb: 4 Access: 3

TheCaptain TimPrevett mdensham have visited here

Average ratings for this site from all visit loggers: Condition: 3 Ambience: 4.5 Access: 3

Withypool Circle
Withypool Circle submitted by thecaptain : Some of the many stones still in place in the northern arc of Withypool stone circle, seen here looking east. (Vote or comment on this photo)
This little known stone circle on Withypool Hill in Exmoor national park is a delight to find and visit, despite the stones being small and hard to find.

I counted 37 stones around the circumference, several of which were just loose on the surface, but the majority were still fast in the ground, and facing slab side inwards. Most of the stones are much less than a foot high, the biggest being less than half a metre, or 18 inches.

The spacing of the stones looks to have originally been about a metre apart from each other, and there are several sections with about 4 stones together with this spacing. I paced out the diameter of the circle to be just under 40 metres, so that would have meant over 100 stones originally.

The grass and heather here is thankfully fairly short, and it all looks beautiful in the low golden evening sunlight, but there was lots of water in the air making the views hazy when I visited.

Park by the cattle grid to the east of the hill and walk along the well used track for half a mile, and then the circle is a couple of hundred metres north towards the top of the hill.
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Withypool Circle
Withypool Circle submitted by thecaptain : My favourite stone of Withypool stone circle. It's situated in the northeast of the circle, on the uphill side. (Vote or comment on this photo)

Withypool Circle
Withypool Circle submitted by thecaptain : The eastern part of Withypool stone circle seen looking northish towards the top of the hill. (Vote or comment on this photo)

Withypool Circle
Withypool Circle submitted by TimPrevett : Withypool Hill Stone Circle SS836343 Counted 30 stones, many under the heather & some lying loose on the ground. It is a large diameter circle making it impossible to photograph as a whole. There are four larger stones at the top end of the circle and four more the same at the bottom end. Photo, visit & text by Roger Gay, South Molton, Devon. Scanning & editing by Tim Prevett. (5 comments - Vote or comment on this photo)

Withypool Circle
Withypool Circle submitted by Bladup : Withypool Circle. (Vote or comment on this photo)

Withypool Circle
Withypool Circle submitted by mattimpey : My favourite stone in the Withypool Stone Circle has two quartz flashes running through it (Me in the picture for scale). (1 comment - Vote or comment on this photo)

Withypool Circle
Withypool Circle submitted by mattimpey : A closer picture of a stone in the Withypool Stone Circle.

Withypool Circle
Withypool Circle submitted by mattimpey : One of stones of the Withypool Stone Circle.

Withypool Circle
Withypool Circle submitted by mattimpey

Withypool Circle
Withypool Circle submitted by mattimpey

Withypool Circle
Withypool Circle submitted by mattimpey : Two of the Stones of the Withypool Stone Circle can just be seen below the grass and heather. Some of the stones are loose on the surface and may have been added by keen visitors to make the circle more complete.

Withypool Circle
Withypool Circle submitted by thecaptain : The position of Withypool stone circle seen here looking south from the top of the hill. Having been here and taken this photo, the circle is quite clear to make out in this picture, but for peple who have not been there, it would be practically impossible to visualise from this reduced photo, so I have marked the position in (obscuring many of the tiny stones).

Withypool Circle
Withypool Circle submitted by thecaptain : The western arc of Withypool stone circle, seen here looking south.

Withypool Circle
Withypool Circle submitted by thecaptain : The north eastern part of Withypool stone circle seen looking south-ish.

Withypool Circle
Withypool Circle submitted by thecaptain : The south western part of Withypool stone circle seen looking northwest up the Barle valley.

Withypool Circle
Withypool Circle submitted by bec-zog : WITHYPOOL; Somerset , Exford SS 838 343 A 36.4m diam circle is located on side of the hilltop, with stones up to .46m high.( above groung level) A cairn is located to the NW. There are traces of a stone row to the S leading up hill to the site.

Withypool Circle
Withypool Circle submitted by bec-zog : WITHYPOOL; Somerset , Exford SS 838 343 A 36.4m diam circle on side of hilltop, with stones up to .46m high.

Withypool Circle
Withypool Circle submitted by bec-zog : WITHYPOOL; Somerset , Exford SS 838 343 A 36.4m diam circle on side of hilltop, with stones up to .46m high.

Withypool Circle
Withypool Circle submitted by bec-zog : WITHYPOOL; Somerset , Exford SS 838 343 A 36.4m diam circle on side of hilltop, with stones up to .46m high. A secondary cairn is located to the NW. possibly stone row to S.

Withypool Circle
Withypool Circle submitted by bec-zog : WITHYPOOL; Somerset , Exford SS 838 343 A 36.4m diam circle side of hilltop, with stones up to .46m high. A secondary cairn is located to the NW. possibly stone row to S.

Withypool Circle
Withypool Circle submitted by bec-zog : WITHYPOOL; Somerset , near Exford @ SS 838 343 A 36.5m diam circle on side of hilltop, with stones up to .46m high. A secondary cairn is located to the NW.A possibly stone row located to S.

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 228m NE 51° Withypool Hill Barrow* Round Barrow(s) (SS84013445)
 2.0km W 276° Green Barrow* Round Barrow(s) (SS81793456)
 3.7km SE 126° Tarr Steps Prehistoric Bridge* Ancient Trackway (SS86773211)
 3.8km E 89° Wambarrows* Barrow Cemetery (SS87613431)
 4.0km WSW 238° Twitchen barrows* Barrow Cemetery (SS804323)
 5.0km SSE 166° West Anstey Long Stone* Standing Stone (Menhir) (SS84932942)
 5.2km E 97° Caratacus Stone* Standing Stone (Menhir) (SS88973355)
 5.3km NW 304° Cow Castle* Hillfort (SS795374)
 5.4km SSE 161° West Anstey Barrows* Barrow Cemetery (SS85452918)
 5.7km WNW 301° Horsen Stone Rows Multiple Stone Rows / Avenue (SS790373)
 6.4km SE 134° Brewer's Castle Hillfort (SS88332977)
 6.6km WNW 283° Long Holcombe (N) Standing Stone (Menhir) (SS77383593)
 6.7km SE 134° Mounsey Castle Hillfort (SS88562955)
 6.7km NNE 16° Hoar Moor (W) Standing Stone (Menhir) (SS85864075)
 6.8km NNW 345° Wester Mill Multiple Stone Rows / Avenue (SS822409)
 6.8km NNW 345° Larkbarrow Corner Stone Setting* Standing Stones (SS82224097)
 7.0km W 278° Long Holcombe (S)* Standing Stone (Menhir) (SS76943543)
 7.1km NNW 344° Larkbarrow Corner Standing Stone* Standing Stone (Menhir) (SS82084116)
 7.2km NNE 18° Hoar Moor (E)* Standing Stone (Menhir) (SS86214106)
 7.4km N 2° Almsworthy* Stone Circle (SS8430941698)
 7.5km W 278° The Buttery Stone* Standing Stone (Menhir) (SS76403550)
 7.9km NNE 12° Wilmersham Common South* Multiple Stone Rows / Avenue (SS85664197)
 7.9km WNW 299° Halscombe* Multiple Stone Rows / Avenue (SS7702238336)
 8.0km N 358° Alderman's Barrow* Round Barrow(s) (SS837423)
 8.0km NNE 12° Wilmersham Common North* Stone Row / Alignment (SS8561242129)
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"Withypool Circle" | Login/Create an Account | 3 News and Comments
  
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Re: Withypool by Starryways on Tuesday, 09 August 2022
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Its easy access if you drive south out of Withypool for a few minutes on Worth Lane- you will find a layby at 51.09909/ -3.6492. Cross the road onto the moor proceed due E on gentle slope to highest point which is a tumulus on OS map- a modern cairn on top. The circle is a couple of hundred yards south west of the cairn. Hard to see if you are not looking for it. Do not park in the village and access the moor via the edge of Withypool- it is a horrid walk up steep contours to to top through thick heather with good chance of turning or breaking an ankle or getting bitten by an adder, we saw two. The circle is full of the detritus of Exmoor conservation who have not removed their rubbish of various signposts. Its a lovely place with lovely views. We could only count 25 stones, through thick heather.
[ Reply to This ]

Re: Withypool by Gongoozler on Saturday, 22 August 2020
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When visited in 2019, the circle had been surrounded by cut gorse bushes. Notices explained that this was to help protect the stones from horse riders and trail bikes.
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Re: Withypool by hazxan on Saturday, 25 November 2006
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Thank you for the excellent photos. I'll try to find Withypool circle next time I'm on Exmoor!
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