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<< Our Photo Pages >> Headless Cross (Moretonhampstead) - Modern Stone Circle etc in England in Devon

Submitted by AngieLake on Monday, 24 November 2008  Page Views: 7534

Modern SitesSite Name: Headless Cross (Moretonhampstead) Alternative Name: The Maximajor Stone
Country: England County: Devon Type: Modern Stone Circle etc
Nearest Town: Moretonhampstead
Map Ref: SX77068781
Latitude: 50.676928N  Longitude: 3.74135W
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.
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.
5 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 26th Feb 2019 - their rating: Cond: 3 Amb: 3 Access: 5 Beautiful sunny week in February, the hottest on record with 21 degrees recorded at Kew. So I decided a day on Dartmoor was required, and that I should visit Mardon Down to see the stone circle and other monuments in the vicinity, plus visit a couple of pubs. Two hours to drive down, and I was out on the moors before 12:00, having parked in a car parking area opposite what is marked as the Headless Cross. Turns out that the stone here now is a fairly modern replacement for the original stone, which was broken by either a car accident or an act of vandalism, depending on what story you see. It also seems to state that this never was a cross in the traditional sense, but probably a menhir (known as the Maximajor Stone), which acted as a guide stone in more recent times, much like many of the moorland crosses.

AngieLake have visited here

Headless Cross (Moretonhampstead)
Headless Cross (Moretonhampstead) submitted by AngieLake : The Headless Cross, or Maximajor Stone (of Dartmoor Legend) marks the start of the NE end of the ridgeway track over Mardon Down. Thought to be a replacement for a pre-existing ancient menhir. (See site page for more.) (Vote or comment on this photo)
Modern Stone Circle / Monolith in Devon

The following is taken from the Legendary Dartmoor website, regarding the legend surrounding this cross. (It makes a good read .... all about a Giant who lived on Mardon Down!)

At the end of the piece is an extract from Butlers about the sites on the ridge, followed by the known history of this stone.

Quote: "As far as the 'Headless Cross' is concerned, Gerrard, 1997, p.63 considers that this is a menhir or standing stone and that it may have been re-used or re-named for Christian purposes. There are no visible signs of this stone ever having had a cruciform shape so it can be dismissed that any head or arms have been lost. Strangely enough there are no incised crosses on the stone either so the stone is a 'cross' in name only.

**Sandles, 1997 p.66 states that the present stone stands at 1.69 metres and at the widest point has a circumference of 1.195m. He also points out that the present stone is in fact a replica that was erected by the Dartmoor National Park in 1992. This was because some vandals drove a car into the stone and set it alight. The resultant heat broke the stone into three pieces thus rendering it irreparable.** " (End of quote - and my asterisks, btw.)

It is easy to access, being on a level grassy area next to a minor road NE of Moretonhampstead. Very popular venue for dog-walkers, too! The NE end of the ridgeway track over Mardon Down leads uphill behind it.

The stone is also featured on the Prehistoric Dartmoor Walks (PDW) website - see their entries for the Maximajor Stone Standing Stone and the Mardon Down Stone Circle & Cairns.

This possible standing stone is recorded as Pastscape Monument No. 445360, and as MDV8281 (Headless Cross, Mardon Down, Mortonhampstead) on the Devon and Dartmoor HER. This stone is not a Scheduled Ancient Monument.
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Headless Cross (Moretonhampstead)
Headless Cross (Moretonhampstead) submitted by Bladup : Headless Cross standing stone. (Vote or comment on this photo)

Headless Cross (Moretonhampstead)
Headless Cross (Moretonhampstead) submitted by Bladup (Vote or comment on this photo)

Headless Cross (Moretonhampstead)
Headless Cross (Moretonhampstead) submitted by Bladup (Vote or comment on this photo)

Headless Cross (Moretonhampstead)
Headless Cross (Moretonhampstead) submitted by AngieLake : Headless Cross, or The Maximajor Stone (of legend), marks the NE end of the ridgeway path across Mardon Down. Ample parking near the minor road in background. (See site notes for more.) (Vote or comment on this photo)

Headless Cross (Moretonhampstead)
Headless Cross (Moretonhampstead) submitted by AngieLake : The Headless Cross, or Maximajor Stone marking the NE end of the ridgeway path over Mardon Down. Ample parking nearby, from a minor road. Thought to be a replacement for a pre-existing menhir. (See site notes.)

Do not use the above information on other web sites or publications without permission of the contributor.
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Nearby sites listing. In the following links * = Image available
 264m SW 216° Marden Down East* Ring Cairn (SX76908760)
 335m WSW 246° Mardon Down N* Stone Circle (SX76758768)
 460m SW 219° The Giant's Grave Mardon Down* Cairn (SX76768746)
 473m SW 216° Mardon Down Cairn 3* Cairn (SX7677487432)
 528m SSW 208° Mardon Down Mortar Pit* Modern Stone Circle etc (SX76808735)
 638m SSW 210° Mardon Down Ring Cairn* Ring Cairn (SX7672987264)
 688m SSW 204° Mardon Down S* Stone Circle (SX76768719)
 715m SSW 203° Mardon Down Cairn 1* Cairn (SX76768716)
 1.6km NNW 342° Wooston Castle* Hillfort (SX76608935)
 2.1km WNW 286° Butterdon Down Cairns* Barrow Cemetery (SX75028843)
 2.3km WNW 283° Butterdon Down West* Standing Stone (Menhir) (SX74788840)
 2.4km SW 220° Moretonhampstead Cross* Ancient Cross (SX7550886039)
 2.5km SSW 197° One Mill Bridge Cross* Ancient Cross (SX76268544)
 3.2km NW 313° Prestonbury Castle* Hillfort (SX7477490045)
 3.3km WNW 298° Charles Cross* Ancient Cross (SX742894)
 3.4km WNW 289° Cranbrook Castle* Hillfort (SX7386889010)
 4.1km SW 220° Horspit Cross* Ancient Cross (SX7430684741)
 4.2km S 182° Sanduck Cross* Ancient Cross (SX7681983610)
 4.6km WSW 255° Meacombe Cist Landscape Natural Stone / Erratic / Other Natural Feature (SX726867)
 4.6km WSW 257° Meacombe Cist* Burial Chamber or Dolmen (SX7249486904)
 5.0km SW 217° North Bovey* Ancient Cross (SX7399083879)
 5.3km S 171° Higher Combe Cross* Ancient Cross (SX7776482535)
 5.5km S 188° Hunter's Tor Fort* Hillfort (SX7616482412)
 5.5km S 177° South Harton Cross* Ancient Cross (SX7724982273)
 5.6km WSW 253° Chagford Druid's Well* Holy Well or Sacred Spring (SX71658625)
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"Headless Cross (Moretonhampstead)" | Login/Create an Account | 1 comment
  
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Re: Headless Cross (Moretonhampstead) by Runemage on Sunday, 11 April 2010
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Street View

http://maps.google.com/maps?t=k&q=50.676846520131,-3.7407806820048(Headless+Cross+%5BMoretonhampstead%5D)&ie=UTF8&z=16&layer=c&cbll=50.677051,-3.740927&panoid=cIuiQhA4DuHOreSiefC3-g&cbp=12,237.97,,1,7.6
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