Yellowmead
Multiple stone circle
SX 575 678
Park at the same place for Drizzlecombe and walk NW for about ¾ mile. The
direct route to the circle is very boggy and it might be easier to walk
towards the stream and follow it up. The circle is quite hidden away as it
is over a rise. When you see trees in the distance keep the rocky tor
ahead in line with you and go up the gentle hill from the stream. You will
probably see the farm buildings that are beyond the circle first. Keep NW.
View of the multiple circle
This is another pleasant site to visit, it is a multiple ring that was discovered almost lost in the peat and re-erected in 1921. It is made up of four rings of stones, none of which is concentric. The outer ring is an ellipse 66 x 63ft (20.2 x 19.2m) with 24 stones surviving from a possible 37. The largest stones are to the SE at 1.3m high.
View of Yellowmead with the farm in the distance
The
second ring is also an ellipse 50 x 46ft (15.4 x 14.1m) with 27 of a
possible 42 stones in place. These stones are smaller than the outer ring.
The third ring, another ellipse, 39 x 37ft (12 x 11.3m) has 32 of a
possible 42 stones around it and again these are small.
Finally the inner ring is a circle with a diameter of almost 22ft (6.7m) and the stones form an almost continuous circle of stone almost touching each other. We counted 22 quite large stones in the circle.
Details showing the multiple rings
A short double row extends from the west and there are some possible survivors some 50m further towards the wall. It almost appears that there could have been the traces of a fifth ring as 6 stones can be made out in another arc beyond the circle. Also about 50m to the east of the circle is a small mound with 5 small stones around it.
View from the small mound Where the row meets the outer ring
Oct
2001
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