page_title: Dartmoor
section_title: Standing stones
hierarchical_section_title: Dartmoor / History / Standing stones
context_page_description: Dartmoor is an upland area in southern Devon, England. The moorland and surrounding land has been protected by National Park status since 1951. Dartmoor National Park covers 954 km².
  The granite which forms the uplands dates from the Carboniferous Period of geological history. The landscape consists of moorland capped with many exposed granite hilltops known as tors, providing habitats for Dartmoor wildlife. The highest point is High Willhays, 621 m above sea level. The entire area is rich in antiquities and archaeology.
  Dartmoor National Park is managed by the Dartmoor National Park Authority, whose 22 members are drawn from Devon County Council, local district councils and Government.
  Parts of Dartmoor have been used as military firing ranges for over 200 years. The public is granted extensive land access rights on Dartmoor and it is a popular tourist destination.
context_section_description: Numerous prehistoric menhirs (more usually referred to locally as standing stones or longstones), stone circles, kistvaens, cairns and stone rows are to be found on the moor. The most significant sites include:
  Upper Erme stone row is the longest on Dartmoor and in fact in the world at 3,300 m (10,800 ft)
  Beardown Man, near Devil's Tor – isolated standing stone 3.5 m (11 ft 6 in) high, said to have another 1 m (3 ft 3 in) below ground. grid reference SX596796
  Challacombe, near the prehistoric settlement of Grimspound — triple stone row. grid reference SX689807
  Drizzlecombe, east of Sheepstor village – stone rows, standing stones, kistvaens and cairns. grid reference SX591669
  Grey Wethers, near Postbridge — double circle, aligned almost exactly north south. grid reference SX638831
  Laughter Tor, near Two Bridges — standing stone 2.4 m (7 ft 10 in) high and two double stone rows, one 164 m (538 ft) long. grid reference SX652753
  Merrivale, between Princetown and Tavistock — includes a double stone row 182 m (597 ft) long, 1.1 m (3 ft 7 in) wide, aligned almost exactly east-west, stone circles and a kistvaen. grid reference SX554747
  Scorhill (pronounced 'Scorill'), west of Chagford — circle, 26.8 m (88 ft) in circumference, and stone rows. grid reference SX654873
  Shovel Down, north of Fernworthy reservoir — double stone row approximately 120 m (390 ft) long. grid reference SX660859
  Yellowmead Down, a quadruple concentric stone circle and stone rows.
caption: Beardown Man, Dartmoor
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