<< Our Photo Pages >> Devils Den - Burial Chamber or Dolmen in England in Wiltshire

Submitted by thecaptain on Tuesday, 27 February 2024  Page Views: 38887

Neolithic and Bronze AgeSite Name: Devils Den Alternative Name: The Devil's Den
Country: England County: Wiltshire Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen
Nearest Town: Marlborough  Nearest Village: Fyfield
Map Ref: SU1521169654  Landranger Map Number: 173
Latitude: 51.425693N  Longitude: 1.782613W
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

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I have visited· I would like to visit

tlcearth 43559959 PAB Traumrealistin KieKa cappy Couplands would like to visit

Twiff13 visited on 26th Aug 2023 - their rating: Cond: 4 Amb: 4 Access: 3 We parked at the top of the area, by the gallops (race track oval) and had a great view of the downs and the valley; it was a beautiful afternoon for walking. I walk on sticks (crutches left in the car) and the ground was good to walk on, a bit bumpy in places, but expected for late Summer pasture. The land is well maintained amd sometimes livestock in the fields so please keep your dogs on a lead. We followed the path on the OS map down a steep incline and then to a bottom field which looked like a small circle of large stones with a Hawthorn in the centre. Going through the gate, we walked through an overgrown pathway in the next field, fenced off and kept wild into the field where the dolmen is, here the path was properly mown short through the long grass. We could see large stones in the field leading up to Devil's Den which I thought could have been a small avenue of stone but later found out that this was a passage grave (see description on this site), so probably the remains of that? It's an impressive site, in a wonderful location, a great spot to sit and take in the surrounding views and appreciate the huge stones. Late Summer means long grasses so the smaller stones surrounding the dolmen could not be seen - thankful for the gallery on here!. By now, my knees were very painful so we decided to walk the track back to the road - this would be accessible by an all-terrain mobility vehicle, definitely not wheelchair accessible. Nevertheless, I managed to walk it without any drama. A really good visit.

Hordernm visited on 14th Apr 2023 - their rating: Cond: 4 Amb: 4 Access: 3

SimonBlackmore visited on 9th Apr 2023 - their rating: Cond: 3 Amb: 4 Access: 4

SimonBlackmore visited on 9th Apr 2023 - their rating: Cond: 3 Amb: 4 Access: 4

NDM visited on 4th Mar 2023 - their rating: Cond: 4 Amb: 5 Access: 2

philw visited on 19th Jul 2020 - their rating: Cond: 3 Amb: 5 Access: 2

KimIannucci visited on 29th Jul 2015 - their rating: Cond: 3 Amb: 4 Access: 3

mochyndeaer visited on 2nd Apr 2013 - their rating: Cond: 3 Amb: 5 Access: 4

SolarMegalith visited on 12th Mar 2011 - their rating: Cond: 4 Amb: 5 Access: 4

custer visited on 16th Jan 2011 - their rating: Cond: 3 Amb: 4 Access: 3 Short walk from the car park. Ideal point to further explore Fyfield Down and the fields of Sarsens. Nicely fenced off area, allowing access up to the stones. Great place.

johnstone visited on 1st Jul 2010 - their rating: Cond: 3 Amb: 4 Access: 4

TheCaptain visited on 16th Sep 2007 - their rating: Cond: 3 Amb: 3 Access: 4 As I was driving westwards along the A4 Sunday afternoon, I decided to stop in at the Devils Den for a look round, having not been there for many years - the stony delights a bit further west usually taking my attention. Knowing it is difficult to park on the A4 in order to walk up the track from Clatford Bottom, I decided to take the little road to the north, I believe towards Manstone farm, where there is a fairly large car park near to the racing stables. From there it is a pleasant walk along the ridge before dropping down into the valley where the Devils Den resides, with some nice views over the site as a whole to be had on the way (it always strikes me what a strange place this is for such a monument, low down in the valley like it is). Unfortunately, when down on the overgrown trackway along the sarsen scattered valley bottom, there was no way into the field of the dolmen, with fences, nettles and much scrub preventing access to its field. Even getting to a point quite close by is not recommended in shorts - quite a painful experience ! I can only assume that the landowners are perhaps letting a fairly large strip of land become completely overgrown in order to deter people from clambering over the fences to go for a closer look.

TheCaptain visited on 25th Jul 2002 - their rating: Cond: 3 Amb: 3 Access: 4

graemefield visited on 8th Aug 1992 - their rating: Cond: 3 Amb: 4 Access: 3

NickyD visited - their rating: Cond: 3 Amb: 5 Access: 2

Phillwhite visited - their rating: Cond: 2 Amb: 4 Access: 3

NDM visited - their rating: Cond: 4 Amb: 4 Access: 3

Humbucker Andy B Bladup mdensham have visited here

Average ratings for this site from all visit loggers: Condition: 3.24 Ambience: 4.18 Access: 3.24

Devils Den
Devils Den submitted by Andy B : Ben Edge's painting of the Devil's Den (and the dolmen of course) has inspired a new opera by Isabella Gellis, which will be performed by the Shadwell Opera this June 2024 at the Nevill Holt festival in Leicestershire. Ben Edge's page is here http://www.benedge.co.uk - he has started a new podcast with Dr Kathryn Roberts Parker, you can listen to that here: http://www.kathrynrobertsparker.com... (Vote or comment on this photo)
Burial Chamber (Dolmen) with Cup Marked Capstone in Wiltshire. Reconstructed in 1921. All that remains are two standing stones and a capstone with two fallen stones underneath. This was originally placed in the south-eastern end of a long mound which was described in the 1920s as being around 230ft long.

For more information see Pastscape Monument No. 220591 and Historic England List ID 1012321.

The Northern Antiquarian also has a page for this site - see their entry for the Devil’s Den, Clatford, Wiltshire. TNA include directions for reaching the site, old drawings of the stones, a photograph and a brief archaeology & history.

TNA have a separate page for the cup marks on top of the capstone - see Devil’s Den Cups, Clatford, Wiltshire, which says the 2inch across, 0.5inch deep cup marks have not been included in any Wiltshire archaeological survey, together with photographs.

The Journal of Antiquities also includes a page for The Devil’s Den, Marlborough, Wiltshire, which includes photographs, a description, local tradition and a list of reference sources for more information.

Note: Ben Edge's painting of the Devil's Den has inspired a new opera by Isabella Gellis, which will be performed by the Shadwell Opera this June 15th 2024 at the Nevill Holt festival in Leicestershire
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Devils Den
Devils Den submitted by JimChampion : May 2024. Several paragliders soaring above (but not visible from this angle). The ground was warm and just about dry enough to lie flat on to take a photo from this traditional angle. Spring has definitely sprung now in this valley. (2 comments - Vote or comment on this photo)

Devils Den
Devils Den submitted by AKFisher : Pencil art of Devils Den, Fyfield Down, Avebury. PIcture credit: Tony Galuidi. (Vote or comment on this photo)

Devils Den
Devils Den submitted by NDM : My favourite spot (Vote or comment on this photo)

Devils Den
Devils Den submitted by NDM : The Devils Den, February 2023 (Vote or comment on this photo)

Devils Den
Devils Den submitted by Bladup : Devils Den at Midsummer

Devils Den
Devils Den submitted by Bladup : Devils Den

Devils Den
Devils Den submitted by Bladup : Devils Den and a bee

Devils Den
Devils Den submitted by Bladup : Devils Den

Devils Den
Devils Den submitted by Bladup : Devils Den and the Sun

Devils Den
Devils Den submitted by Horatio : This really shows of that chunk of a capstone at 17 tons! The two side views of these stones out shine the front and back views, some of which I'll post at a later stage

Devils Den
Devils Den submitted by Horatio : The entrance to a long mound, described in the 19020s asbeing about 70mtrs. Shame that this is all that remains but still, pretty impressive

Devils Den
Devils Den submitted by Antonine : https://tracycampbell.picfair.com

Devils Den
Devils Den submitted by Antonine : Visited Summer 2020

Devils Den
Devils Den submitted by Humbucker : The Devils Den with the setting sun. (3 comments)

Devils Den
Devils Den submitted by Humbucker : Sunset at The Devils Den - looking West

Devils Den
Devils Den submitted by Humbucker : The Devils Den after sundown. (4 comments)

Devils Den
Devils Den submitted by deepermindfulness : close up of the Devil's den stones

Devils Den
Devils Den submitted by philw : Devils Den, near Avebury. Pic taken 19th July 2020. A brilliantly peaceful place.

Devils Den
Devils Den submitted by Mike Attwell : Devil's Den in April 1979. Taken shortly after a heavy shower.

Devils Den
Devils Den submitted by Humbucker : Last glimmer of sun at The Devils Den February 2020

Devils Den
Devils Den submitted by Humbucker : The Devils Den taken in February 2020 (2 comments)

Devils Den
Devils Den submitted by Humbucker : The Devils Den looking west. I liked the vapour trails in the sky even though they're not very Neolithic!

Devils Den
Devils Den submitted by Humbucker : The Devils Den looking east on August 1st - a blisteringly hot day!

Devils Den
Devils Den submitted by Postman : Blue

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"Devils Den" | Login/Create an Account | 10 News and Comments
  
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New Devils Den Opera at the Nevill Holt festival, 15th June in Leicestershire by Andy B on Tuesday, 27 February 2024
(User Info | Send a Message)
Ben Edge's painting of the Devil's Den (and the dolmen of course) has inspired a new opera by Isabella Gellis, which will be performed by the Shadwell Opera this June 15th 2024 at the Nevill Holt festival in Leicestershire.

A tale of superstition and sacrifice rooted in English folklore, concerning a child, a rabbit, a devil, a druid and their mysterious connection to a celebrated “dolmen”, or ancient burial chamber. A chorus of Morris dancers punctuate the drama, leading us through moments of exuberance, severity, tenderness and into the hysterical ruckus of a charivari.
More details and booking at nevillholtfestival.com/whats-on/.

Ben Edge's page is here http://www.benedge.co.uk - he has started a new podcast with Dr Kathryn Roberts Parker, you can listen to that here: http://www.kathrynrobertsparker.com/folkthis
[ Reply to This ]

Re: Devils Den by Anonymous on Friday, 11 July 2014
Has anyone measured the azimuth of the openings? In other words, do the openings face north/south or east/west? I am looking for specific measurements - all I need one b/c the openings are opposite each other (i.e.,180 degrees). For example, the openings may face 57 degrees northeast and 237 degrees southwest. Does anyone have that information or is there some publication that is readily available that contains it? Thanks.
[ Reply to This ]

Re: Devils Den by Anonymous on Thursday, 30 January 2014
I am a photographer lucky enough to live and work in the southwest. I was recently given a superb etching of the devils den which I then went on to visit & set up my own interpretation of at the den itself.http://maps.google.com/?q=51.2852,-2.48594
There was not a soul about (living) just myself and a red kite circling above me and the stones while I just laid there with my cameras at a low level and long exposure .early 2013
[ Reply to This ]

Devils Den crop circle by Andy B on Monday, 21 June 2010
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See the Google aerial view linked above for a very nice crop circle
[ Reply to This ]

Stonehenge and Avebury seminar at Devizes, May 2010 by Andy B on Monday, 21 June 2010
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Mike Parker Pearson (MPP) spoke about “Future research priorities.” He’s interested in where the people came from, and envisages more isotope analysis like that which determined the origins of the Amesbury Archer. So the Beaker People Project will sample a proportion of the well-preserved skeletal remains of the Beaker period, aiming to reconstruct individuals’ diet and mobility. He wondered whether Stonehenge was a specific place of pilgrimage, and appeared to answer his own question by saying that there are similar results from other equivalent sites … but I’m afraid that I didn’t capture the details of what I presume are still pilot studies.

He also talked about some post-excavation research for the Stonehenge Riverside Project that he called “Feeding Stonehenge.” This involves analyzing the large quantities of pig and cattle remains from Durrington Walls. I’m not sure how definite these results are, but he said that the animals are raised off the chalk, and are therefore imported, and that all the evidence points to temporary settlement. Interestingly, the evidence from the pigs points to slaughtering at two peak points in the year: midwinter and, less convincingly, midsummer. All of those straws seem to point to a pattern of twice-yearly solstitial use. He plans to look for similar patterns at Avebury, but he suggested that it would not be the same at Avebury, where there are no strong solstitial alignments. However, there do appear to be spring/May Day alignments. And that raises the interesting possibility that perhaps Avebury and Stonehenge were used in a complementary way at different times of the year, by a widespread Wessex people. Just my speculation.

Mike wouldn’t be Mike without leaving us a little surprise. On this occasion, he told us of some recent fieldwork he’d done near the Devil’s Den, a cromlech at the bottom of the long valley running south from Fyfield Down and the Grey Wethers, a valley that must have been a stone chute for the sarsens sliding down the valley sides. MPP said that he and Mike Pitts had spotted large depressions in the valley above the Den, and he suggested that these might have been the resting places of sarsen stones before they made the journey to Stonehenge. So, what would that journey have been? It’s very unlikely that they’d have been dragged up the valley and then down again to Avebury. So the only reasonable suggestion is that they went down Clatford Bottom, the valley continuation to Clatford, and crossed the river Kennet. Crossing the Kennet would require a causeway – and MPP thinks he’s spotted one beside the existing bridge. Exciting, or what? The obvious route then is to take the easy slopes through Lockeridge to Knap Hill, and then down to Marden henge, and the headwaters of the Avon. Perhaps the Marden henge monumentalizes the crossing of the Avon? The Clatford hypothesis should be easy enough to test and, if MPP is right about a heavily-piled Kennet causeway strong enough to carry stones weighing up to 50 tons, there could still be some mud-preserved remains in the river bottom. And that could lead to an RC dating that would date Stonehenge precisely.
More at
http://www.eternalidol.com/?p=7267
[ Reply to This ]

Re: Devils Den by brigantia on Tuesday, 17 November 2009
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Cup-Markings found on Devil's Den Capstone

PeteG, PaulB, Mikki, Geoff & June visited this collapsed long barrow on Sunday, 15 November, 2009, and were fortunate to discover a coupla cup-markings on top of the capstone. A profile of this can be seen here:

The Devil's Den Cup-Markings, Clatford, Wiltshire

[ Reply to This ]

Re: Devils Den by Anonymous on Sunday, 25 January 2009
24th January 2009
How to get there. Just outside Marlborough on the West side is a sign directing you to Manton House, follow this road and you eventually come to a car park where there is a map to show you the way.
No longer is it surrounded by growth. It is now fenced in with multiple access gates and seeded I think with what will be pasture.
After you have visited the Devil travel up the valley to see the stones.
Enjoy.
Chaz Bird
[ Reply to This ]
    Re: Devils Den by rogerkread on Saturday, 09 October 2010
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    Visited on 6th October 2010, parking as directed - you can see the dolmen for a large part of the walk down to it, nicely fenced in a little open access paddock surrounded by grazing sheep. However, for me, not a great dolmen - unlikely-looking arrangement of stones (in comparison with eg well built Pembrokeshire or Anglesey cromlechs) stuck together with lots of concrete. Is there any evidence that the current appearance is anything other than highly speculative?
    [ Reply to This ]

Re: Devils Den by TheCaptain on Tuesday, 18 September 2007
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As I was driving westwards along the A4 Sunday afternoon, I decided to stop in at the Devils Den for a look round, having not been there for many years - the stony delights a bit further west usually taking my attention.

Knowing it is difficult to park on the A4 in order to walk up the track from Clatford Bottom, I decided to take the little road to the north, I believe towards Manstone farm, where there is a fairly large car park near to the racing stables. From there it is a pleasant walk along the ridge before dropping down into the valley where the Devils Den resides, with some nice views over the site as a whole to be had on the way (it always strikes me what a strange place this is for such a monument, low down in the valley like it is).

Unfortunately, when down on the overgrown trackway along the sarsen scattered valley bottom, there was no way into the field of the dolmen, with fences, nettles and much scrub preventing access to its field. Even getting to a point quite close by is not recommended in shorts - quite a painful experience ! I can only assume that the landowners are perhaps letting a fairly large strip of land become completely overgrown in order to deter people from clambering over the fences to go for a closer look.
[ Reply to This ]
    Re: Devils Den by Anonymous on Monday, 31 March 2008
    It's very easy to get to from Manton/Fyfield Down. Turn off the A4 towards Manton Stud and there is a car park about 1 mile along this road. Walk along the marked footpath and Devil's Den can quickly be seen from the Downs. It's accessible through a farm gate at the foot of the hill.
    [ Reply to This ]

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