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(Devon Books, 1997) Finish Steps Bridge. 8Burl p344-5 & Turner pp.80-2 Easy. Vol. It was actually discovered back in 2007 by Alan Endacott, but the hard work of unearthing the stones (by the Dartmoor Preservation Association volunteers) was carried out in April 2015. There has been considerable interest, not only in Devon, in the announcement this year of a recently discovered stone circle high on Dartmoor. CANCELLATION: The event will go ahead come rain or shine. Newman points out that specifying a precise time period is misleading since the practices that define the Neolithic period varies in "their occurence, intensity and chronology depending on what region of Britain, or indeed of europe, one examines". Walking on Dartmoor - The best walking routes on Dartmoor - Countryside 7Worth (1953) On Shoveldown see p. 221, on stone circles see pp.248-264 Use Ordnance Survey Map of Dartmoor OL 28 1:25,000. Sacred Crescent Walk - 8 Stone Circles in a day Dartmoor's Daughter - Walks & Nature Connection Experiences on Dartmoor, Devon We use cookies to help us improve, promote, and protect our services. 10 of The Best Walks In Dartmoor National Park - Roaming Spices Sale, Richard Dartmoor the Official National Park Guide (Pevensey Press, 2000) Payments are refunded (less the booking fee) for cancellations no less than six weeks before your walk or experience. Find popular and cheap hotels near Fernworthy Stone Circle in Dartmoor Forest with real guest reviews and ratings. Barn Hill/Pork Hill car park. The site is a fairly accurate circle of circumference 20.2m. During successive inter-glacial periods humans returned. 30 pp.97-115 (1898) Vol 34 pp.116-7 (1902) 26Butler (1997) p.146, Baring-Gould, S, A Book of Dartmoor, (1900), (Halsgrove reprint 2002) 20Newman (2011) p.25, Gerrard (1997) p.24 Dartmoor is also home to many ancient settlements, including the Iron Age hillfort at Grimspound and the medieval village of Widecombe-in-the-Moor. Staldon stone row. These prehistoric stone circles form an approximate arc. The footpath is part of the Two Moors Way with the distinctive MW sign on the finger-post indicating the way to Gidleigh and the Mariners Way, another long distance path Mariners Way is an ancient trackway supposed to have taken its name from the sailors who founded it. It was discovered in 2009 when reservoir levels were very low and excavated in 2010 by the Time Team. This would suggest the figure for "true" stone circles is considerably smaller. The two close-set NE stones display smaller packing stones in the erosion hollows at their bases. 17Baring-Gould Fifth Report of the Dartmoor Exploration Committee, T.D.A. - The Second Millennium B.C. The stone circle was partially excavated in 1904 by the Dartmoor Exploration Committee and their work revealed the original ground surface covered with charcoal. 29 pp.145-65 (1897) And sharing lessens our impact on the environment. Hingston Stone Circle | Ancient Dartmoor in 4K - YouTube Fernworthy, Devon | South West Lakes Trust This excludes the numerous cairn circles and hut circles on Dartmoor. Vol. Some of the sites on Dartmoor consist of settlements with nearby complexes of multiple monuments; Merrivale and Shovel Down complexes both have menhirs, stone rows and a stone circle and Drizzlecombe has impressive menhirs, stone rows and associated cairn circles. Dartmoor's Daughter Emma Cunis, on the maternal power of Mother Nature These rows, some of which have little cairn-circles at their higher ends, are still an enigma: no one knows for sure why they were built. Crossing, William Guide to Dartmoor (Peninsula Press, 2001) ), see also HER MDV4226. 1014 Dartmoor Pl is a 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom apartment. Walk out of Belstone village on the western side, go through the gate and out on to the moor, then make your way towards Belstone Tor. This is a g. If you cancel after the six weeks, we would advise you please try to resell/pass on your ticket and/or we can try to re-sell your ticket (we sometimes have a waitlist although there is no guarantee) we can then offer a credit note for the ticket price (minus the 1 booking fee and minus a 5 admin fee). Carry on down the other side of the hill along the wide grassy path until you reach a small bridge over a leat. Tools from these early periods have been found on Dartmoor including eleven hand axes found at Tavistock and in 1931 Worth found a flint implement of Palaeolithic type on Brent Moor3. The Palaeolithic (c. 350000 - 10000 BC) is essentially the "old" Stone Age and can be roughly described as a hunter-gather period of development with more than one Homo species. Britain would have been uninhabited again during a further cold period known as the Loch Lomond Stadial which ended around 10,000 years ago4. Near the idyllic village of Chagford, Fernworthy Reservoir is an archaeological jewel in the heart of Dartmoor National Park. The path takes you down hill into the woods and continues downhill left at another signpost to the North Teign River, which you cross by way of a wooden footbridge SX671 875. Route is dependent on weather conditions and group pace. The circle consists of 23 granite slabs up to 2.5m high with a further 11 recumbent stones. Langstone Moor stone circle was restored in 1894. WHAT TO WEAR/BRING: Sturdy walking boots; warm layers; sunscreen; waterproof jacket and trousers (whatever the forecast); walking poles if you have them;drink/flask and snacks and picnic lunch. It is located 1km from the Grey Wethers and remarkably extends the arc pattern bringing the total to 8 stone circles in the apparent arc (see diagram above and Map of Dartmoor Stone Circles - Sittaford circle marked in blue). The walk is divided into six stages and is signed en route, apart from on the moorland itself, where the tramway is still visible and therefore self-evident. After the Church continue along the lane to a T junction where you turn left signposted to Scorhill and Creaber. Some cairn circles are found terminating stone rows, good examples being those found at Down Tor and the 2 mile long double stone row on the Erme plain. Scorhill Stone Circle. See also, Legendary Dartmoor: Dartmoor's Bronze Age Landscape of Whitmoor.Nearby sites: SX63298961, Prehistoric Dartmoor Walks: Dartmoor Site: Mardon Down Stone Circle & CairnsOS Map: SX 76764 87203NMR record: SX 78 NE 19HER record: 8289Megalithic Portal: 3376PMD: Mardon Down Stone CircleShort Name: SC Mardon DownButler Vol 5: p.148 & Fig.90Turner: G1DPD: 149Dimensions (m): 38.0Notes: Mardon Down stone circle is the biggest by circumference on Dartmoor with a diameter of 38m. The distribution of flints found from this period excludes areas of deep peat but this probably is a simple reflection of the fact that modern ploughing tends to bring them to the surface7. In 2004 a previously unknown stone row was found on the remote Cut Hill, approximately 4km west of the Grey Wethers. On Dartmoor there are over 60 known stone rows, but the most impressive examples are also the most inaccessible. No. It consists of a large internal hut circle about 12metres in diameter with an oval shaped pound around the outside. Breton, Henry Hugh, Beautiful Dartmoor And Its Interesting Antiquities, (1990) 22Fyfe, Ralph M. & Greeves, Tom (2010) Hemery, Eric High Dartmoor (Robert Hale, 1983) 6.20 km. In the 1970s a new dimension was added, with the recognition that the long-ignored reaves (ruined walls) are also prehistoric; Dartmoor now posed all sorts of questions about the . They are not for astronomical observation. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. Gerrard suggests Brisworthy stone circle could possibly be a ring cairn as a "low rubble bank, some 2.5m (8ft 2in) wide surrounds 75 per cent of the circumference"9 although Butler suggests this is probably a later feature.10, There is a possibility according to the investigations of the Dartmoor Exploration Committee that the Merrivale and Langstone Moor stone circles originally consisted of two concentric circles. Stone Circle Walk Dartmoor's Daughter - Walks & Nature Connection However, it is thought that this stone row is atypical and the bulk of Dartmoor monuments date from the late Neolithic and early Bronze Age. It is thought that the reconstruction is fairly accurate. At the sharp left bend in front of Cherryford House turn right to Scorhill and carry on up the hill under the trees to the end of the lane at he vehicle turning area and the gateway that leads out onto Scorhill Down and the open moors at SX660 877. Osprey Park Apartments in Poinciana, Poinciana, FL 34758 - Zumper 10White p. 4 Fernworthy Stone Circle Loop from Throwleigh. 3Gerrard p.24, Worth p359, see also NMR SX 66 NE 44 Worth (1953) lists 11 circles but this was prior to the discovery of the Sourton Tors circle in 1966 and does not include Mardon (perhaps not considered on the moor) or Shovel Down although he does refer to it as a "stone circle?" The path becomes more distinct as you pass Gidleigh Tor hidden amongst the trees up on your left. Summit or Nothing) | Gidleigh To Kestor Rock (Dartmoor Walk Nine Maidens Stone Circle, Belstone, Dartmoor - Britain Express Grey Wethers had a partial excavation in 1898 which uncovered remains of charcoal. Many appear to have been located to give the most impressive vista on approach, the Buttern Hill circle would have been silhouetted on the skyline when approached from the south, on the other hand the Little Hound Tor circle when approached from the west only comes to view at a distance of 100m. Tough Dartmoor walk that needs careful navigation. Prehistoric Dartmoor Walks: Suggested Walks Parking is limited on Dartmoor. It is worth a brief detour to turn right here to visit to lovely standing stone known the Three Boys with its parish boundary marks of the Gidleigh Parish (GP) and the Duchy of Cornwall (DC) lands. The sites featured are archaeological treasures and most are protected by the law, please treat these sites with respect! Taking an archaeological as well as phenomenological . Car Sharing - Please car share where possible. Searching For Stone Circles: On Dartmoor (North) - amazon.co.uk With such lack of precision in their construction it would seem most unlikely that they had an astronomical purpose. Based on Redfin's Oceanside data, we estimate the home's value is $852,323. Clustered under the shadow of Belstone Tor just outside the village is a stone circle with a Bronze Age cist - a stone-lined burial chamber known as a kistvaen on Dartmoor - at its centre. At the time only 9 stones remained standing in the north circle and 7 in the south circle. The tallest of the stones is over 8 feet high. If you cancel after the six weeks, we would advise you please try to resell/pass on your ticket and/or we can try to re-sell your ticket (we sometimes have a waitlist although there is no guarantee) we can then offer a credit note for the ticket price (minus the 1 booking fee and minus a 5 admin fee). Newman p. 26 refers to c 4000 BC - 2000 BC. (2010). apart and from 0.3m. Flickr photos, groups, and tags related to the "ringmoordown" Flickr tag. As you stand at the clapper there is a small boulder only a few yards away from the bridge that has a cross inscribed on it and a few worn words. (Red route) Over Shovel Down to Manga Farm and Teignhead Farm ruins and return via Kestor Rock to Batworthy Corner. You could then either go down to Chagford (and get the bus back to exeter) or carry on further. This 5.5 mile circular walk takes you from the village of Belstone, past intriguing Irish Man's Wall, over the hill and across a ford to Taw Plain. All the stones are quite small but they have recently been excavated by one of the Dartmoor volunteers so they are all quite visible. Some of the cairn circles have multiple circles, the best examples being the four-fold cairn circles at Yellowmead and Shovel Down. Legendary Dartmoor: Dartmoor's Prehistoric Langstone Moor, Little Hound Tor (or White Moor) Stone Circle, Dartmoor Site: Little Hound Tor Stone Circle, Legendary Dartmoor: Dartmoor's Bronze Age Landscape of Whitmoor, Dartmoor Site: Mardon Down Stone Circle & Cairns, Dartmoor Site: Merrivale Ceremonial Complex [Photo Set 2], Legendary Dartmoor: Merrivale Ceremonial Complex, Legendary Dartmoor: Scorhill Stone Circle, Dartmoor Site: Shovel Down Ceremonial Complex, Megalithic Portal: Shovel Down NW stone circle, Megalithic Portal: Sourton Tors Stone Circle. The Grey Wethers is the only example of a pair of stone circles on Dartmoor with two circles of approximately the same size separated by about 6m with centres forming an almost exact north-south axis, the stones all being over 1m in height. Fine examples include the Erme or Stall Moor Circle, The Pulpit (Trowlesworthy Warren E.), the Down Tor Circle (Hingston Hill) and the Ringmoor Down cairn circle and the Hartor cairn circle. Later Neolithic farmers were more proficient in agriculture and started deliberately clearing large areas of forest for agricultural use. With the notable exception of the Scorhill stone circle most of the stone circles were in a poor state of disrepair with most of the stones fallen and worse still the monuments had been robbed as a source of stone for newtake walls and gateposts and some Dartmoor monuments were still prone to being robbed by road builders.13 The Langstone Moor circle was one of the first to be restored for this reason (see Extract from Second Report of the Dartmoor Exploration Committee). 8 little-known prehistoric sites in Britain - HistoryExtra See also, Legendary Dartmoor: Grey WethersNearby sites: SX63878312, Prehistoric Dartmoor Walks: Dartmoor Site: Langstone Moor Stone Circle, Stone Row & SettlementsOS Map: SX 55638 78204NMR record: SX 57 NE 13HER record: 4226Megalithic Portal: 1062PMD: Langstone Moor Stone CircleShort Name: SC LangstoneButler map: 30.10Turner: G10DPD: 14Dimensions (m): 20.4Notes: The Langstone standing stone and also the stone circle were used for target practice by American troops who were stationed nearby during the Second World War. Walk alongside the Beadon Brook valley and take in the tranquility of the stream-side woodland. The original circle appears to have been c. 30m across, although no stones appear to the west of the old wall. Pettit, Paul. North-east Dartmoor: Scorhill stone circle and Kestor Rock Whilst stone circles are not unique to the British Isles the examples in the rest of Europe are typically later and smaller and usually surround burial mounds, the exception being stone circles in Brittany which are similar to those found in the south-west peninsular of England and probably have the same cultural roots2. The Neolithic period (c. 4500 - 2300 BC)15 is defined as when crop cultivation and farming start to become a central feature of life and culture. No dating evidence was found but pollen analysis suggested the row and accompanying cairn circle had been built in a forest clearing.24, The exact purpose of stone circles remains unknown. This leads to the lane taking you to the ruinous Manga Farm, well worth a visit. Fernworthy Forest Circular Walk - Full Video - Hiking On Dartmoor . Group size is limited so pre-booking is essential. There are 15 stone circles on Dartmoor (this is counting Grey Wethers as two circles) and they are all listed below with links to their location on the OS map, to their National Monument Records and to any coverage on this website. Thank you. 360 NE Hawk Cir, Waukee, IA 50263 | MLS# 666651 | Redfin Some of the stone rows and stone circles are also thought to date from the late Neolithic although most are from the early Bronze Age. This figure is often quoted by authors but it should be pointed out that Burl (1976) is including stone rings or cairn circles. Sorry we know it seems onerous but, given current government guidelines,these are currently being proposed by all guides.). ringmoordown photos on Flickr | Flickr Many of these monuments appear to be associated with nearby settlements and with burial sites. The stone circles of Dartmoor are parochial and small in character in contrast to the grand regional circles at Stanton Drew and Avesbury. At the bend you leave the tarmac lane and turn left into a footpath and over a stile. The Grey Wethers, Brisworthy and White Moor (Little Hound Tor) circles were all restored and are impressive although they have smaller stones than Scorhill. Dartmoor Stone Circles - Virtual Tour - Dartmoor's Daughter Nine Maidens at Belstone Tor - Devon Perspectives Some of the stone circles seen on the moor are believed to have been for purely ceremonial purposes. The debris of the former stones remain in place. Perfect. The first Homo Sapiens arrived on the scene around 30,000 to 50,000 years ago and soon became the sole Homo species. 6Butler (1997) p.154 There are 15 stone circles included in the Prehistoric Dartmoor Walks database, click here to skip to the listings with links to further coverage and photos. See also Legendary Dartmoor: Merrivale Ceremonial Complex. Belstone Circular Walk. Published April 4, 2022. Length: 20km. Two settlements are thought to be early Neolithic, these are found on the hilltops of White Tor and Dewerstone. It is now a boundary marker. Car Sharing - Please car share in your bubbles where possible. The outer ring of Yellowmead is the largest by diameter of these examples with a diameter that approaches 20 metres. 4 Beds. Continue up the hill and along the grassy bridle path aiming for the top of the hill ahead of you. Flint tools found recently in Norfolk show that there were humans there around 900,000 years ago1. The path leads you to the left side of the drift lane and to the left wall corner as you go out onto the moors. By continuing to use the site, you agree to cookies being used. These hunter-gathers came and went with the successive ice ages during the Palaeolithic period. 6km (3.7m) moderately easy; some rocky sections. You then come across two gates on the left, the higher of which also has the old style five bar slots, and at the top of the hill at the right hand bend there is another gateway on the left with similar slotted posts. Gutter Tor 4. Worth, R.H. Worth's Dartmoor (David & Charles, 1971), Wessex Archaeology Time Team Report: Tottiford Reservoir, Archaeological Evaluation and Assessment of Results. The monuments were probably built over a long period of time in the Bronze Age, between 2500BC and 1000BC Marked with a Blue P on the OS map, this is on B3357 opposite Cox Tor and between Moorshop and Merrivale. Butler suggests it probably originally consisted of around 61 stones many of which are probably buried under the peat where they originally fell although some have no doubt been robbed out.Nearby sites: SX76768720, Prehistoric Dartmoor Walks: Dartmoor Site: Merrivale Ceremonial Complex [Photo Set 2]OS Map: SX 55361 74641NMR record: SX 57 SE 8HER record: 4998Megalithic Portal: 116PMD: Merrivale Stone CircleShort Name: SC MerrivaleTurner: G14DPD: 17Dimensions (m): 18.6 x 20.2Notes: "A stone circle with a diameter of 20.0m. According to R.N. The length of the 2 fallen stones at the southern end is 2.6m and 2.4m". In addition there are the multiple cairn circles at Shovel Down and Yellowmead. Default listing is by Site Name, click here to order instead by: Site Name, OS, Prehistoric Dartmoor Walks: Dartmoor Site: Brisworthy Stone CircleOS Map: SX 56467 65495NMR record: SX 56 NE 64HER record: 3983Megalithic Portal: 542PMD: Brisworthy Stone CircleShort Name: SC BrisworthyTurner: G8DPD: 35Barrow Report: 29 35 Dimensions (m): 24.0 x 27.0Notes: The Brisworthy circle underwent major reconstruction carried out by Breton and the Barrow Committee in 1909. 5. The Scorhill, Brisworthy circles are located near rivers but others such as the Mardon circle are nowhere near a river. to 0.5m. Moretonhampstead 1: Mardon Down Stone Circle & Cairns ROUTE: Short walk. Hiking to its summit offers unforgettable views and a rewarding king-of-the-mountain feeling. The site is in a small clearing in Fernworthy Forrest off the path to Teignhead Farm. These settlers were responsible for the remarkable construction of the widespread and systematic field boundaries known as reaves. By continuing to use the site, you agree to cookies being used. SOUTH-WEST DARTMOOR: Yellowmead circles and Cuckoo Rock The stone circles of the British Isles are thought to have an indigenous origin and date from around 2500 - 1300 B.C1. Walk: Belstone, Dartmoor | Countryfile.com Carbon dating of the peat surrounding the recumbent stones suggests a date "around the second half of the fourth millennium BC".22 This surprising result suggest that some of the Dartmoor monuments are much older than previously thought, that is from earlier in the Neolithic. A walk to Scorhill Stone Circle - YouTube At a point opposite the end of the plantation is found the Tolmen Stone. Particularly fine examples include the Nine Stones on Belstone Common, the Soussons Common cairn circle and a fine cairn circle on Mardon Down. There are many double and a few triple stone rows on Dartmoor. Many of the stone rows on Dartmoor lead to a cairn circle and not all of these obviously include a cairn, again these are not considered to be proper stone circles. The Dartmoor stone circles are around 20-40 metres in diameter and typically consist of small stones enclosing a flat interior located on very gently inclined slopes. There are hundreds of stone circles in the British Isles that have survived mostly in the highland areas.3 It is very likely that there were many more which have not survived due to clearance and there is evidence that in some areas such structures were constructed of wood. 14Gerrard p.37 The Manor of Gidleigh was owned by the Prouz family from the 13th Century until the 16th Century and it was William de Prouz who built the fortified Manor House, now known as Gidleigh Castle, in about 1324. Dartmoor's Daughter: Dartmoor stone circles - See 335 traveler reviews, 164 candid photos, and great deals for Dartmoor National Park, UK, at Tripadvisor. Thank you. Payments are refunded (less the booking fee) for cancellations no less than six weeks before your walk or experience. For photos of this site, see: Megalithic Portal: Down Ridge - Stone CircleNearby sites: SX655127208, Prehistoric Dartmoor Walks: Dartmoor Site: Fernworthy Stone CircleOS Map: SX 65486 84126NMR record: SX 68 SE 56HER record: 6534Megalithic Portal: 530PMD: Fernworthy Stone CircleShort Name: SC FernworthTurner: G13DPD: 138Dimensions (m): 19.3Notes: The Fernworthy circle is part of a group of ceremonial monuments including 3 stone rows and 5 cairns that may once have rivalled Merrivale and Shovel Down as ceremonial centres. A short arc of seven stones remains in position on the south-east of the circle. Set in the idyllic hills of Dartmoor National Park just north of Newton Abbot, Canonteign Forest is home to some challenging hikes and stunning natural scenery. The circle is marked on Ordnance Survey . Kljune rijei: Summit Or Nothing, Gidleigh, Kestor Rock, Dartmoor Walks, Hiking on Dartmoor, dartmoor walk, scorhill stone circle, kestor rock dartmoor, dartmoor hike, summit or nothing dartmoor, short dartmoor walk, dartmoor walks, walking on dartmoor, dartmoor national park, short walks on dartmoor, north dartmoor On the way, detour to visit the mysterious Nine Maidens stone circle, climb Winter Tor, take a river dip and enjoy the views from Cosdon Beacon. The Dartmoor Way is a new 108-mile hiking route that circumnavigates Dartmoor, just within the edges of the national park. Continue down the hill to Gidleigh Cross junction where there is a welcome seat by the grassy triangle at SX672 883. Dartmoor sits upon a granite plateau, and occasionally bare granite "peaks" (called tors) break through the heather. Burrator Reservoir Walk 5. The archaeologists define stone circles as being sites which do not contain burials and as such are thought to be purely ritual monuments. Rowe, Samuel A Perambulation of Dartmoor (Devon Books, 1985) Bullet holes can be seen on the Langstone standing stone and the circle was sadly smashed to smithereens. We need to retain contact details for 21 days post-walk so please include your contact details (email and mobile/telephone when booking/paying.). Gerrard (1997) states there are 18 circles which is 4 more than Butler although he includes the 4-fold cairn circles at Yellowmead and Shoveldown and two other smaller circles which presumably would now be considered to be cairn circles. The largest by diameter are the Mardon Down stone circle (38.2 m) and the Grey Wethers (North 32.2 & South 33.6), the smallest are the Shovel Down (17.7 m) and Merrivale (19 m) circles. The path takes you steeply up and out into less dense woodland, in season bluebells carpet the area. In contrast to medieval boundaries, which tend to be higgledy-piggledy patchworks, reaves follow the contours, sometimes for miles, which must have involved a high degree of sophistication and technical skill in surveying and central planning. This stone circle is one of Dartmoor's finest: only thirty four stones remain of an original sixty five to seventy, and only twenty five of those are still standing. The first humans came out of Africa 2 million years ago. Nearest public toilets are Princetown Visitors Centre. Belstone, Dartmoor Circular Walk with Dartmoor's Daughter We will stop and spend time at each stone circle (as well as the Whitehorse Hill burial chamber of the Bronze Age Tin Priestess/Princess) for anywhere between 10-20 minutes each depending on our pace. By continuing to use the site, you agree to cookies being used. For those who wish to continue with the walk, on the blue 5-mile route, to Teignhead Farm, at the end of the plantation instead of turning left back to Batworthy simply continue up the hill in the dip between the sloped on your left and right. Many of the monumental sites on Dartmoor were partially or totally reconstructed by the Dartmoor Preservation Committee in the early twentieth century. There are also multiple stone circle groups in Cornwall such as the three stone circles known as The Hurlers on Bodmin. 323 pp55-70. There are theories that they have an astronomical connection but the evidence to support this is lacking, indeed most of the circles are, much like most of the stone rows, only very roughly constructed. Haytor is the most famous of these rocks. It is clear that many settlements were built long after nearby stone rows, for example the enclosures known as Erme Pound Rings were built with total disregard for the Hook Lake double stone row which is partially incorporated into one of the enclosure walls19. Curiously the stones of Fernworthy appear to be graded by height with the taller stones in the south of the circle. View more recently sold homes. Brisworthy was excavated and underwent major reconstruction carried out by Breton and the Barrow Committee in 1909. Breton, Hugh Beautiful Dartmoor And Its Interesting Antiquities (Forest Publishing, 1990) There are two massive megaliths one of which is on the north-western part of the circle. Pettit, Paul Prehistoric Dartmoor (David & Charles, 1974) The pollen records show that after the last ice age Dartmoor initially became a heath land and was becoming woodland at around 10,000 years ago (i.e. 4Butler (1997) p.145 During the ice ages the region became unpopulated. Dartmoor National Park Authority A Guide to the Archaeology of Dartmoor (Matthews-Wright Press, 1978) They arose in the context of the rise of farming in the late Neolithic and early Bronze Age and most are thought to have been constructed during the second millennium B.C.