merrivale stone row.

merrivale stone row. dartmoor. part of a complex of two stone circles, a double row (of which this is the southerly) a single row, a large cist, stone cairns, hut circles and standing stones. this double stone row is 264m long but just .9m wide and aligned 2degrees further to the north than the east west alignment of the northern double row. it terminates at the western end with paired pillars and a ground slab. it’s eastern end like the northern row has a triangular stone set against the line of the row. along its length, not quite at its centre is a small cairn circle 3.6m in diameter with its severn stones enclosing a cist

pentre ifan cromlech.

pentre ifan cromlech. this extraordinary floating stone monument has two explanation for its construction and use – one the more traditional is that it is a neolithic communal burial chamber with the 16 tonne capstone forming its lid and that it would have been the business end of a long barrow with a court at its front facing in this case south , these is evidence of this mound with some of its cur stone still present in a deteriorated form at the site. another more radical explanation is what we see now is closer to its original form and that indeed the stone was intended to be seen to float. that it was a expression of the builder’s prowess and skill. the capstone as is the case here has a flat under as a result of it being split from and even larger erratic and this was important – other similar monuments have their underside fearfully pecked away to achieve the same result. It was raised to this position gradually using stones props and levers and the three main supports then placed into position. other large were then added. these floating stones were. it is suggested a highly augmented version of the standing stone monuments and were announcing the presence of a tribal territory or a special or sacred place. what we do know is that it was in use over a extended period of time and may well have been used in different ways and meaning different things over the course of its existence. so both propositions might be true

mulfra quoit. neolithic chambered tomb.

mulfra quoit. neolithic chambered tomb. standing just south west of the summit of mulfra hill this has thee remaining uprights and a dislodged capstone. a depression on the underside of this stone suggests it might have located the capstone on