Postbridge, Dartmoor

Devon 13

Image by Lubin

brazil banks Aug 26, 2008 17:26:36

Hi.
First time here, looks interesting so I'll be nosing about to see whats what (probably when I should be working but whatever ;-).
Just wondered if anyone has a good knowledge of Dartmoor and the various stone circle sites on it. Just spent the weekend trekking all over the place and my friends and I stumbled upon two little stone circles in a clearing behind a pine forest about 30 minutes amble from the National Trust carpark/information centre (which is itself just a stroll away from a beautiful stone bridge over an offshoot of the River Dart - guess)
I've found articles relating to the Grey Wethers circles but these were much, much smaller (maybe 3-4 metres in diameter and about 6 meters apart) and one of them had a large, flat stone over a very deep water-filled hole (excuse the laymans terms).
So, anyone know what we found?
Cheers
BB

sam Aug 26, 2008 20:01:17

Replying to brazil banks

Dartmoor is covered in stuff (technical term there) - could it be the cairns in the woods at Bellever Tor? There are several circles/cairns/cists.

http://www.themodernantiquarian.com/site/638/bellever.html

If it isn't Bellever, try looking at the nearby sites to it, as it sounds like it's in the right area at least.

cheers

sam

Lubin Aug 26, 2008 20:55:50

Replying to brazil banks

Which direction did you go from Postbridge and how far? The only twin circles I can think of on the moor are Grey Wethers. You may have been looking at the remains of a pair of roundhouses.

Peace , Lubin

brazil banks Aug 26, 2008 21:37:58

Replying to brazil banks

Thanks Sam and Lubin. It doesn't look like Bellever Sam. My camera was accidentally packed by my London-dwelling guests (I live just south-east of Dartmoor) so until I get it back I can't post any images.
Lubin, we crossed the road from the carpark and walked up a main pathway which then split. To the left we saw lots of people walking up an incline to open land. Ahead of us we saw a dark and quite intimidating pine forest with not a soul in sight. So we went straight on (of course). After about 20 minutes of trekking along the park we decided to cut left through the woods. This led out on a scrub of land covered in knee-high grasses. It was here that we found the circles. we could see the road that runs from Postbridge down to Princetown in front of us (if that helps).
Cheers
BB