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Stone Circles, a Modern Builder's Guide to the Megalithic Revival

Stone Circles, a Modern Builder's Guide to the Megalithic Revival

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<< Our Photo Pages >> White Ridge stone row - Stone Row / Alignment in England in Devon

Submitted by Brian_Byng on Monday, 07 October 2002  Page Views: 6379

Neolithic and Bronze AgeSite Name: White Ridge stone row Alternative Name: Great Stannon row; Stannon Stone Row
Country: England County: Devon Type: Stone Row / Alignment
Nearest Town: Princetown  Nearest Village: Postbridge
Map Ref: SX65408156  Landranger Map Number: 191
Latitude: 50.618172N  Longitude: 3.90401W
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.
3 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.
2 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

TheCaptain visited on 3rd May 2022 - their rating: Cond: 2 Amb: 3 Access: 2 From the Stannon Newtake cairn with cist, I head north to the boundary wall where it is indicated on the map that the south end of White Ridge stone row is to be found (before it was discovered to run much further down the hill, which I didn't know at the time). Using my GPS I found the correct spot, and saw a couple of possible stones, then looking back south into the newtake, I could see s cleared strip of land going right down to where the cairn I couldn't get to is situated. Walking northwards, I noticed a sort of pathway which I followed, and found a few small stones, then saw a couple standing out against the horizon, confirming I was walking along the line of the stone row. I followed this north up to the top cairn, which is very denuded, but has several stones which can be made out. I have seen the stone row described as "one of the least impressive stone rows on the moor", but it has a few decent sections, and I have visited much worse.

SandyG visited on 16th May 2015 - their rating: Cond: 2 Amb: 5 Access: 3 Car parking is available at SX 66841 80585. From here take the track leading north and follow to SX 65651 81538. Cross into the newtake and head west for about 250m. The southern part of the row can be reached via a stile.

cazzyjane have visited here

Average ratings for this site from all visit loggers: Condition: 2 Ambience: 4 Access: 2.5

White Ridge stone row
White Ridge stone row submitted by Brian Byng : White Ridge. A double row @ SX 6541 8165 167m lg descending the hill from a ruined 8m dia cairn. 41 stones still show. The cairn is on the skyline when viewed from the bottom of the row. The end of the row has no obvious termination. The elevation of the cairn from the bottom of the row is 3 degrees. The true azimuth of the row is 7 degrees giving a declination of 42. A trawl through ... (Vote or comment on this photo)
This stone row is 167m long, descending the hill from a ruined 8m diameter cairn [at SX65418165; 50.618984, -3.9039010]. 41 stones still show. The cairn is on the skyline when viewed from the bottom of the row.

The end of the row has no obvious termination [Pastscape has it at SX65398146; 50.617271, -3.9041145; just south of the boundary wall].

The elevation of the cairn from the bottom of the row is 3 degrees. The true azimuth of the row is 7 degrees giving a declination of 42. A trawl through astronomical objects around Bronze Age times suggests that the star Arcturus would graze the cairn twice a year around 1850BC when viewed from the bottom of the row. This is not proof of any thing of course but it is interesting. There are other N/S rows on Dartmoor that seem to be aligned in a similar manner on this star. Arcturus is the second brightest star in the Northen skies after Sirius. It never set here at that time it was circumpolar. The fact that the cairn horizon is 162m away means that the star would not seem to extinguish as it neared the horizon as it would if the horizon was distant. - Interesting!

Update August 2019: This row is featured on the Prehistoric Dartmoor Walks (PDW) website - see their entry for the White Ridge Stone Row.

The row is also recorded as Pastscape Monument No. 443808, which tells us: "(this row is) fairly well preserved for a short distance from the cairn, hut dilapidated to an increasing degree as the newtake mall is approached to the South". The row is also scheduled as Historic England List ID 1019265, which tells us the stone alignment and cairn are "situated on a gentle south facing slope overlooking the valley of the Stannon Brook". The Devon and Dartmoor HER also includes an entry: MDV6642 (Alignment).

The row is also featured on the Stone Rows of Great Britain website: White Ridge (also known as Stannon), which includes a description, photographs, two plans of the row and its associated features, plus a discussion (with illustrations) of the landscape reveals which appear/disappear as you walk along the row.
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White Ridge stone row
White Ridge stone row submitted by SandyG : The larger stones in the row within their landscape context. View from north. (16th May 2015). (Vote or comment on this photo)

White Ridge stone row
White Ridge stone row submitted by SandyG : Reduced plan of White Ridge stone row. Click on the image to enlarge. (Source: Butler, J., 1991, 167 and hand held GPS survey by Sandy Gerrard). (Vote or comment on this photo)

White Ridge stone row
White Ridge stone row submitted by TheCaptain : The top cairn is very denuded, but has several stones which can be made out. Here looking southwards down the row, over Postbridge to Bellever Tor (Vote or comment on this photo)

White Ridge stone row
White Ridge stone row submitted by TheCaptain : The top cairn is very denuded, but has several stones which can be made out. Here looking northwards to the top of White Ridge (Vote or comment on this photo)

White Ridge stone row
White Ridge stone row submitted by TheCaptain : Nearing the top of the row, looking south over Postbridge and to Bellever Tor (Vote or comment on this photo)

White Ridge stone row
White Ridge stone row submitted by TheCaptain : In the upper part of the row, there are quite a few stones to be found. Again looking south over Postbridge and to Bellever Tor

White Ridge stone row
White Ridge stone row submitted by TheCaptain : In the upper part of the row, there are quite a few stones to be found

White Ridge stone row
White Ridge stone row submitted by TheCaptain : Looking back down the row to the south

White Ridge stone row
White Ridge stone row submitted by TheCaptain : Following the row north, there are now quite a few stones to be found

White Ridge stone row
White Ridge stone row submitted by TheCaptain : Near to a patch of rough grass, there are a couple of stones which stand out against the horizon. Looking south down the row, down to Postbridge, with Bellever Tor prominent in the background

White Ridge stone row
White Ridge stone row submitted by TheCaptain : Near to a patch of rough grass, there are a couple of stones which stand out against the horizon.

White Ridge stone row
White Ridge stone row submitted by TheCaptain : Near to a patch of rough grass, there are a couple of stones which stand out against the horizon. Looking north along the row, the top of Fernworthy forest can be seen, along with photobombing bumble bee

White Ridge stone row
White Ridge stone row submitted by TheCaptain : I noticed a sort of pathway which I followed northwards, and found a few small stones, then near to a patch of rough grass, saw a couple standing out against the horizon, confirming I was walking along the line of the stone row.

White Ridge stone row
White Ridge stone row submitted by TheCaptain : At the newtake wall, where the stone row is indicated on the map to end, there are a couple of large stones, possibly something to do with the stone row

White Ridge stone row
White Ridge stone row submitted by TheCaptain : From the Newtake wall, where it is indicated on the map that the south end of White Ridge stone row is to be found (before it was discovered to run much further down the hill, which I didn't know at the time) I looked back south into the newtake, I could see a cleared strip of land going right down to where the cairn I couldn't get to is situated.

White Ridge stone row
White Ridge stone row submitted by SandyG : A typical section of the row which is almost entirely built from small stones. View from north (Scale 1m).

White Ridge stone row
White Ridge stone row submitted by SandyG : At this point the alignment of the row shifts towards the east. View from north (Scale 1m).

White Ridge stone row
White Ridge stone row submitted by SandyG : The gap between the two lines of stones is very narrow in places. View from south (Scale 1m).

White Ridge stone row
White Ridge stone row submitted by SandyG : In places there is a very small gap between the two lines of stones. View from north (Scale 1m).

White Ridge stone row
White Ridge stone row submitted by SandyG : Until recently much of this stone row was hidden by dense gorse. View from south (Scale 1m).

White Ridge stone row
White Ridge stone row submitted by SandyG : One of the larger stones. View from south (1m).

White Ridge stone row
White Ridge stone row submitted by SandyG : The row is composed mainly of small stones that barely protrude through the surface. View from south (Scale 1m).

White Ridge stone row
White Ridge stone row submitted by SandyG : Looking north along the row with the blocking stone in the fore ground (Scale 1m).

White Ridge stone row
White Ridge stone row submitted by SandyG : Southern end of the row. View from north west (Scale 1m).

White Ridge stone row
White Ridge stone row submitted by SandyG : The southern end of the row. The tall stones measures 0.9m high and is probably a blocking stone. View from the north (Scale 1m).

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Stone Rows of Great Britain by Sandy Gerrard
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Nearby sites listing. In the following links * = Image available
 465m S 187° Stannon Newtake West Cairn and row* Multiple Stone Rows / Avenue (SX65338110)
 513m S 172° Stannon Newtake cist* Cist (SX65468105)
 726m NNW 327° White Ridge cairn* Round Cairn (SX65028218)
 1.2km W 281° White Ridge SW settlements* Ancient Village or Settlement (SX64258181)
 1.2km NNE 30° Assycombe* Multiple Stone Rows / Avenue (SX66058260)
 1.2km W 271° White Ridge SW cairn* Round Cairn (SX64158162)
 1.3km NNE 31° Assycombe Hill* Cairn (SX66108264)
 1.5km W 264° Lade Hill Brook Beehive Hut* Ancient Mine, Quarry or other Industry (SX63938145)
 1.6km NW 310° White Ridge pound* Ring Cairn (SX6416882656)
 1.6km NW 310° White Ridge Standing Stone* Standing Stone (Menhir) (SX6416282653)
 1.7km NW 305° Sittaford Marsh Hut Circles* Ancient Village or Settlement (SX6402982560)
 1.8km E 98° Water hill cairn* Cairn (SX67158128)
 1.8km NW 313° South Teignhead* Cairn (SX64088284)
 1.9km NW 312° Sittaford Tor pound* Misc. Earthwork (SX64018288)
 2.0km NNE 25° Lowton Brook West Settlement* Ancient Village or Settlement (SX663834)
 2.1km ENE 62° Hurston Ridge* Multiple Stone Rows / Avenue (SX67308251)
 2.2km ENE 62° Hurston Ridge Settlement* Ancient Village or Settlement (SX67338253)
 2.2km SSW 196° Ringhill Stone Row / Alignment (SX64737948)
 2.2km SW 229° Broadun Ring* Ancient Village or Settlement (SX6369980178)
 2.2km NW 314° Grey Wethers.* Stone Circle (SX63878313)
 2.2km WNW 298° Sittaford Tor Cairn* Cairn (SX6346182650)
 2.3km NNW 344° Fernworthy settlement* Ancient Village or Settlement (SX6481183777)
 2.3km NNW 345° Hemstone Rocks Platform Cairn Circle* Cairn (SX6485683806)
 2.4km NNW 345° Hemstone Rocks Ring Cairn and Cist* Cairn (SX6485283850)
 2.4km S 184° Maggie Cross* Ancient Cross (SX6516679216)
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"White Ridge stone row" | Login/Create an Account | 5 News and Comments
  
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Re: White Ridge by SandyG on Saturday, 01 August 2015
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I was here recently. The line of the row in Stannon Newtake has been cleared of vegetation. Sadly I did not have time to scrutinise the length within the newtake but I understand that the row continues into the newtake and therefore is much longer than shown by Butler. I have a photograph taken from White Ridge which I will submit shortly.
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Re: White Ridge by TheCaptain on Saturday, 01 August 2015
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From Anon. "The stone row which protrudes through the deep peat layer can be traced in on almost unbroken line from the cairn, down the slope to the boundary wall between Great Stannon and Little Stannon newtakes.

"The 1983 survey by Greaves and Robinson indicated that it extended into Little Stannon for a further 350m, however a few on-line earthfast stones were the only evidence for the extension visible in 1990. The vegetation in Little Stannon is only lightly grazed so consequently the ground cover is low gorse bushes, heather and thick tuft grass-which effectively hides the alignment."

Pastscape monument no. 443808
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Re: White Ridge by davidmorgan on Saturday, 01 August 2015
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I assume this is a duplicate of Stannon rows.
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    Re: White Ridge by TheCaptain on Saturday, 01 August 2015
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    checking my Butler vol2 S35, and the description given for Stannon rows fits this White Ridge rows. But there is a cairn with possible stone row described near the Stannon Newtake cairn with cist, so I think we should change it to match that. I'll have a go
    [ Reply to This ]
    Re: White Ridge by davidmorgan on Saturday, 01 August 2015
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    I've added an alternative name of "Great Stannon row" as per Pastscape, and better coordinates.
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