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<< Our Photo Pages >> Cut Hill Stone Row - Stone Row / Alignment in England in Devon

Submitted by Andy B on Sunday, 11 April 2010  Page Views: 15590

Neolithic and Bronze AgeSite Name: Cut Hill Stone Row
Country: England County: Devon Type: Stone Row / Alignment
Nearest Town: Okehampton  Nearest Village: Frenchbeer / Willsworthy
Map Ref: SX59928275
Latitude: 50.627576N  Longitude: 3.981874W
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.
1 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

graemefield TheCaptain would like to visit

SandyG visited on 6th May 2018 - their rating: Cond: 2 Amb: 5 Access: 1 This is not an easy row to get to. It lies within the Okehampton Range and it is only possible to visit when live firing is not taking place. Details of firing times are available online. Access is difficult which ever direction it is approached from. After much thought, I decided that the south looked best. Car parking is available at Postbridge (SX 64667 78839). From here take the footpath leading north to SX 63444 79743. From here continue following the path to SX 62823 80230 and then along the western side of the East Dart River to SX 60837 82087. Follow the line of poles that separate the Okehampton and Merrivale Ranges to SX 59748 82645 then walk north to the row which is at the top of the hill. Allow a whole day and make sure you have map. My journey was eventful. At one point three sky larks attacked a cuckoo, another sky lark collided with me when being chased by a kestrel which then hovered for a few seconds within arms reach, in the middle of nowhere a group of people were partaking in what looked like a delicious cream tea and I was joined for part of the journey by a couple who made the final ascent pass without the expected pain.

Andy B have visited here

Cut Hill Stone Row
Cut Hill Stone Row submitted by Andy B : Granite Stone Row Here is the roof of Dartmoor, from the top you can see right all across Dartmoor. In the picture is a piece of granite probably Megalithic in age and is in a series of stones running along the top of this hill. This row is unique within Dartmoor as it the only one with equal spacing within the row and above 600m, 100m above any other row in Dartmoor. The peat has washed away fr... (Vote or comment on this photo)
Stone Row in Devon. Cut Hill, 603m high, is no ordinary hill, being one of only five Dartmoor points above 600m in altitude. To reach it requires a walk of about two hours from whatever direction. The hill has no rocky outcrops breaking its surface, but has a smooth domed shape. It is impressive and powerful, especially when approaching from the east, up the East Dart River. Its western flanks form the watershed of the River Tavy.

The stone row, aligned 52º/232º (approximately NE/SW), is situated on the top of Cut Hill (SX 59928275) within an area of extensive but partially eroding blanket peat. It consists of six large slabs of granite all lying flat in the same orientarion (approximately ESE/WNW). Five of the slabs are visible within a 100m strip of ground where the peat has eroded by either natural or human agency, and appear to be on a prehistoric land surface about 1.4m lower than the present top surface of the peat. They are spaced between 19m and 29.5m apart, and so regular in line and proportion that they give the impression of railway sleepers. From the south-west end the stones have the following maximum dimensions (in metres) in plan: 2.3 x 0.9; 2.4 x 0.8: 1.85 x 0.7; 1.9 x 1.2; 2.6 x 0.7; 2.1 x 1.05. Each stone appears to be approximately 0.20m thick. In other words, they are all carefully chosen slab-like stones, which, if upright, would have their thinnest profile visible when looking along the axis of the row.

The recorded length of the row formed by the six stones is 123m. A seventh probable stone lies 34.5m further north-east, almost entirely buried bv peat, and with only 0.8 x 0.5m of its surface visible. Preliminary probing suggests thax it is 1.15m wide and at least 1.7m long. Its visible long side is orientated SE/NW. The most south-westerly stone has what appear to be small packing stones still in situ at its north-west end. One of these is visible on its south side, and six are visible close together on the north side. The largest of these packing stones is about 0.40m long.

The row is tangential to a ditched barrow on the very highest point of Cut Hill, 58m WSW of the most south-westerly stone of the row. A projected line of the row would pass within about 22m of the centre of the barrow. The barrow itself consists of a superficially almost stone-free mound some 14m in diameter and about 1.5m in height. Beyond the mound there are suggestions of a berm about 1.5m wide, and then a surrounding ditch about 2m wide, defined by an outer ring bank also up to about 2m wide. Not all these elements are distinct all the way round the barrow. The waterlogged ditch is a particularly unusual feature to be visible on a Dartmoor barrow.

The discovery radically alters the perception of prehistoric presence on Dartmoor. Within a 3 km radius of the hill, virtually no prehistoric structures had previously been identified. The large cairn known as Quintin’s Man can be seen 2.6 km to the north-east; the standing stone known as Beardown Man is 3.2 km almost due south; the large settlement at Watern Oke is 3.3 km to the west; and a small settlement on the west bank of the West Dart River is some 2.6 km to the south-south-east.

Source: Prehistoric Society Newsletter

Update September 2019: For more information also refer to:
Prehistoric Dartmoor Walks (PDW): the Cut Hill Stone Row;
Pastscape: Monument No. 1405946;
Devon and Dartmoor HER: MDV69604 (Cut Hill Stone Row, Lydford); and
The Stone Rows of Great Britain: Cut Hill, which includes a description, photographs of the alignment and the individual stones, a plan of the row with its associated cairns and Access information.

SRoGB notes that "this is not and easy row to get to. It lies within the Okehampton Range and it is only possible to visit when live firing is not taking place". They also state "this is the only (stone) row in Britain with a recognised date".

Note: Dartmoor megaliths linked to death rites
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Cut Hill Stone Row
Cut Hill Stone Row submitted by SandyG : Plan of Cut Hill stone row showing the position of the numbered stones. Source: Google Earth and Fyfe, R. & Greeves, T, 2010, 59. (Vote or comment on this photo)

Cut Hill Stone Row
Cut Hill Stone Row submitted by SandyG : Stone 9. View from north west (Scale 1m). (Vote or comment on this photo)

Cut Hill Stone Row
Cut Hill Stone Row submitted by SandyG : Stone 8. View from east (Scale 1m). (Vote or comment on this photo)

Cut Hill Stone Row
Cut Hill Stone Row submitted by SandyG : Stone 7. View from south (Scale 1m). (Vote or comment on this photo)

Cut Hill Stone Row
Cut Hill Stone Row submitted by SandyG : Stone 6. View from south (Scale 1m).

Cut Hill Stone Row
Cut Hill Stone Row submitted by SandyG : Stone 5. View from south (Scale 1m). All these stones were originally covered in peat. This photograph gives a graphic idea of just how much has been removed.

Cut Hill Stone Row
Cut Hill Stone Row submitted by SandyG : Stone 4. View from above and south west (Scale 1m). Stone 5 and peat exposures visible beyond.

Cut Hill Stone Row
Cut Hill Stone Row submitted by SandyG : Stone 4. View from north east (Scale 1m). Cairn behind the ranging rod and barrow on the skyline.

Cut Hill Stone Row
Cut Hill Stone Row submitted by SandyG : Stone 3. View from north east (Scale 1m). The barrow is clearly visible on the skyline.

Cut Hill Stone Row
Cut Hill Stone Row submitted by SandyG : Stone 3. View from above and south west (Scale 1m). Cairn and stone 4 visible beyond.

Cut Hill Stone Row
Cut Hill Stone Row submitted by SandyG : Stone 2. View from north east (Scale 1m). The barrow is just to the left of the figures on the skyline.

Cut Hill Stone Row
Cut Hill Stone Row submitted by SandyG : Stone 2. View from above and south west (Scale 1m).

Cut Hill Stone Row
Cut Hill Stone Row submitted by SandyG : Stone 1. View from south east.

Cut Hill Stone Row
Cut Hill Stone Row submitted by SandyG : Stone 1. View from above and SSW (Scale 1m).

Cut Hill Stone Row
Cut Hill Stone Row submitted by SandyG : Stone 1. View from above and south west (Scale 1m).

Cut Hill Stone Row
Cut Hill Stone Row submitted by SandyG : Looking south west along the row.

Cut Hill Stone Row
Cut Hill Stone Row submitted by Andy B : Cut Hill stone row, 13 May 2008, looking NEwards from Stone 1 Photo copyright Tom Greeves, used with permission

Cut Hill Stone Row
Cut Hill Stone Row submitted by Andy B : Cut Hill is in North Dartmoor. It is one of the most isolated places of Dartmoor. The panoramic views from the summit are among the best that Dartmoor offers. Cut Hill is largely surrounded by wet and tussocky ground. The high fen is not far away. The word Cut derives from an old drovers' track - Cut Lane - which cuts through the fen that separates the Dart and Tavy valleys and thus allowed the mo...

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Nearby sites listing. In the following links * = Image available
 97m W 266° Cut Hill Cairn* Cairn (SX5982382745)
 2.4km ENE 61° Quintins Man Cairn (SX62098386)
 3.1km E 87° Sittaford Stone Circle* Stone Circle (SX63018281)
 3.1km S 184° Beardown Man* Standing Stone (Menhir) (SX59617963)
 3.3km NNE 32° Whitehorse Hill cist* Cist (SX6172485476)
 3.5km E 90° Sittaford Tor Cairn* Cairn (SX6346182650)
 3.5km SSW 196° Maiden Hill* Cairn (SX58837938)
 3.7km NNE 26° Hangingstone Hill Cairn (SX61668606)
 4.0km E 83° Grey Wethers.* Stone Circle (SX63878313)
 4.0km SSW 198° Conies Down* Multiple Stone Rows / Avenue (SX5857378988)
 4.0km SW 235° Limsboro Cairn (SX5656780550)
 4.1km E 87° Sittaford Tor pound* Misc. Earthwork (SX64018288)
 4.1km E 91° Sittaford Marsh Hut Circles* Ancient Village or Settlement (SX6402982560)
 4.1km S 170° Crow Tor* Cairn (SX6052478663)
 4.1km E 87° South Teignhead* Cairn (SX64088284)
 4.2km ESE 106° Lade Hill Brook Beehive Hut* Ancient Mine, Quarry or other Industry (SX63938145)
 4.2km E 90° White Ridge Standing Stone* Standing Stone (Menhir) (SX6416282653)
 4.2km E 90° White Ridge pound* Ring Cairn (SX6416882656)
 4.4km ESE 103° White Ridge SW cairn* Round Cairn (SX64158162)
 4.4km E 101° White Ridge SW settlements* Ancient Village or Settlement (SX64258181)
 4.6km ESE 123° Broadun Ring* Ancient Village or Settlement (SX6369980178)
 4.6km SE 126° Broadun Settlement* Ancient Village or Settlement (SX6354179928)
 4.6km SW 221° White Barrow (Cocks Hill) Cairn (SX568793)
 4.7km S 174° Beardown Cairn and Cist* Cist (SX60317808)
 4.8km SSE 154° Higher White Tor stone row* Multiple Stone Rows / Avenue (SX6191778362)
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"Cut Hill Stone Row" | Login/Create an Account | 7 News and Comments
  
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Re: Dartmoor's Megaliths much older than Previously Thought by AngieLake on Monday, 19 April 2010
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It's taken the Daily Mail a long time to catch up on this news but at least they've a great pic of Stonehenge with the article:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1266875/Row-ancient-stones-Dartmoor-older-Stonehenge.html

For anyone interested in my 'spine' theory on the outer face of Stone 16, nearest the Great Trilithon, it shows well in this photo.
[ Reply to This ]

Dartmoor's Megaliths much older than Previously Thought by Andy B on Friday, 16 April 2010
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LITTERED across the hills of Dartmoor in Devon, southern England, around 80 rows and circles of stones stand sentinel in the wild landscape. Now, striking similarities between one of these monuments and Stonehenge, 180 kilometres to the east, suggest they may be the work of the same people.

"The row of nine stones on Cut Hill was discovered in 2004 on one of the highest, most remote hills of Dartmoor national park. "It is on easily the most spectacular hill on north Dartmoor," says Andrew Fleming, president of the Devon Archaeological Society. "If you were looking for a distant shrine in the centre of the north moor, that's where you would put it."

"Ralph Fyfe of the University of Plymouth and independent archaeologist Tom Greeves have now carbon-dated the peat surrounding the stones. This suggests that at least one of the stones had fallen - or been placed flat on the ground - by between 3600 and 3440 BC, and another by 3350 to 3100 BC (Antiquity, vol 84, p 55).

"That comes as a surprise to archaeologists, who, on the strength of artefacts found nearby, had assumed that Dartmoor monuments like Cut Hill and Stall Moor (pictured) dated from the Bronze Age, around 2100 to 1600 BC. Instead, Fyfe suggests that Cut Hill is from the Neolithic period, the same period that Stonehenge was built.

"Unlike Stonehenge, the 2-metre-tall Cut Hill stones lie flat on the ground, parallel to each other and between 19 metres and 34.5 metres apart, like the sleepers of a giant railway track. Packing stones discovered at the end of one of the megaliths suggest at least one of them stood erect at some point, but the regularity of their current layout makes it likely they were deliberately placed that way, Greeves says.

"What's more, the stones' alignment with the summer and winter solstices seems identical to that of Stonehenge, Newgrange in Ireland and Maes Howe in Scotland. "It could be coincidence, but it's striking," says archaeologist Mike Pitts."

Source:
http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg20627565.200-do-dartmoors-ancient-stones-have-link-to-stonehenge.html
[ Reply to This ]
    Re: Dartmoor's Megaliths much older than Previously Thought by TheCaptain on Friday, 16 April 2010
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    "Cut Hill is easily the most spectacular hill on north Dartmoor". Hmmm. I suppose that could be his opinion, but I doubt it would be many peoples.

    I dont even remember Cut Hill from when I walked there many years ago, except that it was a long old slog to get there, miles from anywhere, and pretty featureless all around. In my way of thinking there are far more spectacular hills, either with teriffic tor formations, or with fabulous views over almost the whole of Devon and Cornwall.
    [ Reply to This ]

Dartmoor megaliths linked to death rites by Andy B on Sunday, 11 April 2010
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Nine megaliths in a remote part of Dartmoor, England, share features in common with Stonehenge, and may shed light on the meaning behind these prehistoric stone monuments, according to a report in the latest issue of British Archaeology.

The Dartmoor megaliths, which were recently carbon-dated to around 3500 B.C., could predate Stonehenge, but both sites feature large standing stones that are aligned to mark the rising of the midsummer sun and the setting of the midwinter sun. Yet another Dartmoor stone monument, called Drizzlecombe, shares the same orientation.

The Dartmoor megaliths, described in a study in the current issue of the journal Antiquity, are now lying flat, since the stones in a row fell, or were individually pushed, over. The toppling was fortuitous for historians, however, since peat above and the below the stones permitted the carbon dating, which is extremely rare for such monuments.

Tom Greeves, who discovered the Dartmoor stones at a site called Cut Hill and is co-author of the Antiquity paper, said it is "remarkable that a previously unrecorded stone row with very large stones has been noted for the first time on one of Dartmoor's highest and remotest hills."

He added that to reach their location "requires a walk of about two hours from whatever direction."

A ditched barrow (a mound of earth or stones) exists very close to the Cut Hill stones, providing further evidence that burials and possible death-related rituals might have taken place there.

More at Discovery News
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/36324067/ns/technology_and_science-science/
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Re: Cut Hill by archaeo on Sunday, 11 April 2010
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Like the Heel Stone, oriented one-seventh of circumference from North? This row has sufficient length to test that with great accuracy, it seems.
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Re: Cut Hill by Andy B on Saturday, 10 April 2010
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Six years ago Tom Greeves found a major prehistoric monument on Cut Hill, one of the highest (600m OD) and remotest parts of Dartmoor. Survey that still continues has now revealed a total of nine large megaliths exposed by peat cutting, or still buried.

The row, one of the largest amongst some 80 known on the moor, is the first ever to have been dated. It had been built by 3000BC, much older than anyone had expected. Even more remarkable is that the row’s dead straight, north-east/south-west alignment is identical to that of Stonehenge (which started in 3000BC) – indicating the rising midsummer sun and setting midwinter sun

More in British Archaeology magazine May/June 2010
http://www.megalithic.co.uk/article.php?sid=2146413832
[ Reply to This ]
    Re: Cut Hill by Equinox on Sunday, 11 April 2010
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    For the latitude of Dartmoor Midwinter Sunset would be at 230.5deg looking along the row to the SW, assuming it was dated 3000BC. It would be nice to see if there was line-of-sight to the horizon, or any mounds or notches - the base line to them would be c25miles
    [ Reply to This ]

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