About
6,000 years ago the ice that had covered most of England had retreated
back to its present position. Although the ice sheet did not cover
Dartmoor, it would have still been very cold. As the ice retreated people
began to inhabit the moor in the now warmer climate. These Early Stone Age
people (Mesolithic) were hunters and food gatherers and later they started
to clear large areas of the forest that covered Dartmoor.
From around 3500 BC (Neolithic), people began to farm the land, and
construct their buildings and monuments using the large granite stones
that were plentiful on the moor. This
period of building flourished on Dartmoor around 3500 -1500 BC. Remains of
the oldest buildings in England are on Dartmoor where there are over 500
sites. Almost
everywhere you walk on Dartmoor you will find evidence of earlier
inhabitants - burial mounds, stone rows, stone circles and ancient
settlements.
Stone rows are a significant feature of the landscape ranging in length from a few metres to 3.3 km or 2 miles. The rows often lead upward to a cairn or stone circle, and sometimes there is a standing stone or a blocking stone at the lower end.
There
are several sites that are considered to have been important where several
monuments are combined in a ceremonial complex and where there is evidence
of habitation nearby. The easiest to explore is Merrivale,
but those at Drizzlecombe on the upper Plym
and at Shovel Down on Chagford Common make
interesting days out.Note : To visit sites on the moor it is essential to have a map and compass as well as suitable clothing, don't rely on the brief route instructions included in these pages. We were here in October and had thick fog come down very quickly as well as a plentiful supply of rain.