Featured: Explore Scotland (and everywhere else) with our Megalithic Portal iPhone app

Explore Scotland (and everywhere else) with our Megalithic Portal iPhone app

Sign the Petition to protest against building a Hotel on Castle Hill hillfort

Sign the Petition to protest against building a Hotel on Castle Hill hillfort

Who's Online

There are currently, 463 guests and 4 members online.

You are a guest. To join in, please register for free by clicking here

Sponsors

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

Submitted by TimPrevett on Friday, 10 November 2006  Page Views: 28200

Neolithic and Bronze AgeSite Name: Porlock Circle
Country: England County: Somerset Type: Stone Circle
Nearest Town: Porlock  Nearest Village: West Porlock
Map Ref: SS84514467  Landranger Map Number: 181
Latitude: 51.189549N  Longitude: 3.653994W
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.
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

Internal Links:
External Links:

I have visited· I would like to visit

bishop_pam visited on 28th Apr 2019 - their rating: Cond: 3 Amb: 4 Access: 4

SandyG visited on 4th Mar 2016 - their rating: Cond: 2 Amb: 4 Access: 4

BolshieBoris visited on 1st Jul 1997 - their rating: Cond: 2 Amb: 3 Access: 4

TheCaptain TimPrevett mdensham have visited here

Average ratings for this site from all visit loggers: Condition: 2.33 Ambience: 3.67 Access: 4

Porlock Circle
Porlock Circle submitted by thecaptain : View roughly northwest across the circle, with the large prone stone in the foreground and the next largest stone on the western side in the distance. The diameter is about 25 metres and I counted 16 stones, but many of these are just loose stones on the surface. (Vote or comment on this photo)
The Porlock Allotment Circle is a much damaged stone circle on Exmoor in Somerset. It can be found just behind the hedge to the west of the minor road from the A39 to Exford, not far south from the Whit Stones.

If visiting from the Whit Stones, turn left out of the car park, then turning right off the A39 fairly soon, heading southbound towards Exford. Before long, you will see a small bridge in a dip ahead of you, and to your right, a sheepfold. The stone circle is just before the sheepfold. We parked just after the bridge, on the left hand side as there was room, but be aware of some ditches nearby.

I first looked for the stone row, which should point SE, across the road from the circle, but after 20 minutes of stomping through the heather and checking and re-checking the map, I had no success. So I then crossed the road, and found the circle with no problem. It is just to your right when you go through the gate.

What I found was a very spread out circle, consisting of 20 stones, many of which have been placed there very recently, and are very loose. The stones range in height from 7 inches, to 32 inches, though some are sunken. One fallen stone, on the east side is 6 feet long, with a couple outliers just to the NW. There was a also a sunken stone in the middle, with offerings left: polished crystals (such as quartz), polished pebble, 50p, 20p, 10p and 2p coins, sea shells, berries, a button, and decomposing remains of fruit!
You may be viewing yesterday's version of this page. To see the most up to date information please register for a free account.


Porlock Circle
Porlock Circle submitted by thecaptain : Just uphill to the north is another little standing stone, and the remains of a cairn. It looks possible that there was once more stones here. Is this the remains of another little row associated with the circle ? This is the view to the south from the cairn over the circle. (Vote or comment on this photo)

Porlock Circle
Porlock Circle submitted by TimPrevett : Porlock Allotment Stone Circle and Stone Row (Vote or comment on this photo)

Porlock Circle
Porlock Circle submitted by SandyG : View from east. (Vote or comment on this photo)

Porlock Circle
Porlock Circle submitted by SandyG : Three stones. View from south. (Vote or comment on this photo)

Porlock Circle
Porlock Circle submitted by SandyG : A small stone and a much bigger one. View from south east (Scale 1m).

Porlock Circle
Porlock Circle submitted by SandyG : View from north east.

Porlock Circle
Porlock Circle submitted by SandyG : Mound adjacent to the stone circle maybe a cairn (Scale 1m).

Porlock Circle
Porlock Circle submitted by Bladup : Porlock Stone Circle.

Porlock Circle
Porlock Circle submitted by Bladup

Porlock Circle
Porlock Circle submitted by Bladup

Porlock Circle
Porlock Circle submitted by Bladup

Porlock Circle
Porlock Circle submitted by Bladup : Some of the stones of Porlock Stone Circle.

Porlock Circle
Porlock Circle submitted by thecaptain : View of the "large" stone still standing on the western side of the circle, and its neighbour. My bag and the grass give a good idea of the small scale of these Exmoor "megaliths".

Porlock Circle
Porlock Circle submitted by thecaptain : View south over the eastern arc of the circle. Spot the stones, I see 5.

Porlock Circle
Porlock Circle submitted by thecaptain : There are at least three (relatively) large stones still in place, the largest being just under 2 metres in length, but laying flat on the ground. This is the view of the northeastern arc of the circle, with the large stone in the foreground. About 6 stones can be seen in this picture with a bit of care.

Porlock Circle
Porlock Circle submitted by bec-zog : Porlock Common: The much damaged stone circle

Porlock Circle
Porlock Circle submitted by bec-zog : Porlock Common: The much damaged stone circle

Porlock Circle
Porlock Circle submitted by bec-zog : PORLOCK; Cairn adjacent to stone circle.

Porlock Circle
Porlock Circle submitted by TimPrevett : Porlock Allotment Stone Circle and Stone Row SS848447 Date Visited Wednesday 3rd May 2000 Not far at all from the Whit Stone is the Porlock Allotment Circle and Row. If visiting from the Whit Stones, turn left out of the car park, then turning right off the A39 fairly soon, heading southbound towards Exford. Before long, you will see a small bridge in a dip ahead of you, and to your right, a... (1 comment)

Do not use the above information on other web sites or publications without permission of the contributor.
Click here to see more info for this site

Nearby sites

Click here to view sites on an interactive OS map

Key: Red: member's photo, Blue: 3rd party photo, Yellow: other image, Green: no photo - please go there and take one, Grey: site destroyed

Download sites to:
KML (Google Earth)
GPX (GPS waypoints)
CSV (Garmin/Navman)
CSV (Excel)

To unlock full downloads you need to sign up as a Contributory Member. Otherwise downloads are limited to 50 sites.


Turn off the page maps and other distractions

Nearby sites listing. In the following links * = Image available
 67m ESE 103° Porlock Common SW* Multiple Stone Rows / Avenue (SS8457544654)
 500m W 273° Porlock Allotment NE* Standing Stones (SS84014471)
 526m SW 235° Coley Water, South* Stone Row / Alignment (SS84074438)
 1.4km N 352° Porlock Common North East* Stone Row / Alignment (SS8434946032)
 1.4km E 79° Berry Castle (Exmoor) Hillfort (SS859449)
 1.5km SW 231° Porlock Allotment SW* Multiple Stone Rows / Avenue (SS8335543785)
 1.6km WSW 239° Hoscombe SE* Stone Row / Alignment (SS8311443876)
 1.6km WSW 248° Hoscombe NW Standing Stones (SS830441)
 1.8km NNE 26° Whit Stones* Standing Stones (SS8532846255)
 2.5km SSW 198° Alderman's Barrow* Round Barrow(s) (SS837423)
 2.6km SW 215° Madacombe Barrows Barrow Cemetery (SS830426)
 2.6km SSW 212° Madacombe* Stone Row / Alignment (SS831425)
 2.6km WSW 251° Kittuck* Multiple Stone Rows / Avenue (SS8203443885)
 2.8km SSE 155° Wilmersham Common North* Stone Row / Alignment (SS8561242129)
 2.9km NNW 337° Culbone Hill* Stone Row / Alignment (SS83434738)
 2.9km SSE 156° Wilmersham Common South* Multiple Stone Rows / Avenue (SS85664197)
 3.0km S 183° Almsworthy* Stone Circle (SS8430941698)
 3.0km NNW 333° Culbone Stone* Early Christian Sculptured Stone (SS8321047374)
 4.0km SSE 154° Hoar Moor (E)* Standing Stone (Menhir) (SS86214106)
 4.1km SSE 160° Hoar Moor (W) Standing Stone (Menhir) (SS85864075)
 4.3km SSW 213° Larkbarrow Corner Standing Stone* Standing Stone (Menhir) (SS82084116)
 4.3km SSW 210° Larkbarrow Corner Stone Setting* Standing Stones (SS82224097)
 4.3km SE 135° Rowbarrow Group* Barrow Cemetery (SS87544154)
 4.4km SSW 210° Wester Mill Multiple Stone Rows / Avenue (SS822409)
 4.5km WSW 241° Swap Hill* Standing Stones (SS80554261)
View more nearby sites and additional images

<< Badami Cave temple

Drakemire hillforts >>

Please add your thoughts on this site

Understanding the Neolithic

Understanding the Neolithic

Sponsors

Auto-Translation (Google)

Translate from English into:

"Porlock Circle" | Login/Create an Account | 3 News and Comments
  
Go back to top of page    Comments are owned by the poster. We aren't responsible for their content.
Re: Porlock Circle by tombraider on Thursday, 02 July 2015
(User Info | Send a Message)
this has always had a very dodgy home-made look to it, with hand-sized stones lying loose as if placed by passing picnickers
[ Reply to This ]

Re: Porlock Circle by coldrum on Wednesday, 07 October 2009
(User Info | Send a Message)
Pastscape:

http://www.pastscape.org.uk/hob.aspx?hob_id=36228
[ Reply to This ]

Re: Porlock Circle by TheCaptain on Friday, 10 November 2006
(User Info | Send a Message)
Porlock Common Stone Circle, Exmoor, Somerset.
Visited Sunday, 24th September 2006.
SS8451 4467, Alt 407m, Access 5, Ambience 4, Condition 2

Drive south along the Exford road from Whitstone Post junction, and after a couple of kilometres there is a place to park by the little bridge just south of the gated entrance to the sheepfold beside the stone circle. The circle is easily found just inside the field to the west of the road, and just north of the sheepfold.

The diameter is about 25 metres and somebody has made a little stone box full of tat in the middle. A geocache ? I counted 16 stones, but many of these are just loose stones placed on the surface. There are at least three (relatively) large stones still in place, the largest being just under 2 metres in length, but laying flat on the ground. Most of the stones are tiny, but several do obviously stand proud of the ground and are well fixed.

The circle is not in a very prominent position, and the views are not far in any direction, it being in a sort of hollow not far from a stream.

Just uphill to the north is another little standing stone, and the remains of a cairn. It looks possible that there was once more stones here. Is this the remains of another little row associated with the circle ?
[ Reply to This ]

Your Name: Anonymous [ Register Now ]
Subject:


Add your comment or contribution to this page. Spam or offensive posts are deleted immediately, don't even bother

<<< What is five plus one as a number? (Please type the answer to this question in the little box on the left)
You can also embed videos and other things. For Youtube please copy and paste the 'embed code'.
For Google Street View please include Street View in the text.
Create a web link like this: <a href="https://www.megalithic.co.uk">This is a link</a>  

Allowed HTML is:
<p> <b> <i> <a> <img> <em> <br> <strong> <blockquote> <tt> <li> <ol> <ul> <object> <param> <embed> <iframe>

We would like to know more about this location. Please feel free to add a brief description and any relevant information in your own language.
Wir möchten mehr über diese Stätte erfahren. Bitte zögern Sie nicht, eine kurze Beschreibung und relevante Informationen in Deutsch hinzuzufügen.
Nous aimerions en savoir encore un peu sur les lieux. S'il vous plaît n'hesitez pas à ajouter une courte description et tous les renseignements pertinents dans votre propre langue.
Quisieramos informarnos un poco más de las lugares. No dude en añadir una breve descripción y otros datos relevantes en su propio idioma.