Merrivale
Megalithic complex
SX 553 746
This site is close to the A384 about three miles west of Two Bridges and
there is parking space near. Surprisingly the sites are not signposted on
Dartmoor. As you drive along the road when you see the quarry ahead park
in the space on the left. The site includes 3 stone circles, a stone
avenue, a double row, a single row, a large cist, standing stones, hut
circles and a large pound (enclosure).
About 100m further south is a double row aligned east – west then a further 25m south across an old leat is a stone avenue almost in the same alignment.
The northern circle and avenue
The northern stone circle is almost in the centre of this stone avenue. It is very small, only about 3.5m across, consisting of 7 stones.
The double row is about 180m long and ends in the east with a 4ft (1.2m) pillar. The avenue ends in the east with a large triangular stone and in the west with a pair of terminal stones.
Just to the south of the avenue is a cist chamber covered by a large split capstone, the missing section was cut out to make a gatepost.
In a clockwise direction from here you can walk to a 6ft (1.8m) standing stone to the SW then cross to the west passing some large flat granite slabs to reach the southern circle, standing stone and cairns. See Merrivale 2 for more on this complex
Oct
2001
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