Scorhill
Encyclopedia
Scorhill Stone Circle is now the commonly known name for Gidleigh Stone Circle or Steep Hill Stone Circle, one of Devon
's biggest and most intact stone circle
s, situated on Gidleigh
Common near the village of Gidleigh in the north nast of Dartmoor
, in the United Kingdom
. It is an English Heritage
scheduled monument and has been described as Devon's finest stone circle.
The circle was constructed in the Bronze Age
. It is approximately 27 metres in diameter, and the stones vary in height from 0.85 metres (2 feet 8 inches) to an impressive 2.25 metres (8 feet 2 inches) above ground. Gaps between stones vary in width between 0.6 metres to 0.9 metres. There are currently 23 standing stones and 11 recumbent. Characteristic of others in the circle, the largest stone has a distinctive jagged point. It has been noted that, when viewed from the centre of the circle, the sun sets over the stone's tip on Midsummer's Eve
, indicating some purpose in archaeoastronomy
Several stones show scars and marks of vandalism
by stone cutters including rows of holes on many, arranged in lines so the stones could be split with a wedge. Estimates for the original number of stones have varied between 51 and approximately 70 making it among Devon's widest stone circles with the tallest remaining monolith
. Although badly damaged, Scorhill has not been subject to any form of restoration giving it a distinctly ancient atmosphere.
period and are now held at Torquay
Museum.
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
's biggest and most intact stone circle
Stone circle
A stone circle is a monument of standing stones arranged in a circle. Such monuments have been constructed across the world throughout history for many different reasons....
s, situated on Gidleigh
Gidleigh
Gidleigh is a village and civil parish in the West Devon district of Devon, England. Gidleigh is located within Dartmoor National Park.Historically the parish consisted of a number of farmsteads and associated cottages scattered around the focal point of Holy Trinity church and the adjacent...
Common near the village of Gidleigh in the north nast of Dartmoor
Dartmoor
Dartmoor is an area of moorland in south Devon, England. Protected by National Park status, it covers .The granite upland dates from the Carboniferous period of geological history. The moorland is capped with many exposed granite hilltops known as tors, providing habitats for Dartmoor wildlife. The...
, in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. It is an English Heritage
English Heritage
English Heritage . is an executive non-departmental public body of the British Government sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport...
scheduled monument and has been described as Devon's finest stone circle.
The circle was constructed in the Bronze Age
Bronze Age
The Bronze Age is a period characterized by the use of copper and its alloy bronze as the chief hard materials in the manufacture of some implements and weapons. Chronologically, it stands between the Stone Age and Iron Age...
. It is approximately 27 metres in diameter, and the stones vary in height from 0.85 metres (2 feet 8 inches) to an impressive 2.25 metres (8 feet 2 inches) above ground. Gaps between stones vary in width between 0.6 metres to 0.9 metres. There are currently 23 standing stones and 11 recumbent. Characteristic of others in the circle, the largest stone has a distinctive jagged point. It has been noted that, when viewed from the centre of the circle, the sun sets over the stone's tip on Midsummer's Eve
Midsummer
Midsummer may simply refer to the period of time centered upon the summer solstice, but more often refers to specific European celebrations that accompany the actual solstice, or that take place on a day between June 21 and June 24, and the preceding evening. The exact dates vary between different...
, indicating some purpose in archaeoastronomy
Archaeoastronomy
Archaeoastronomy is the study of how people in the past "have understood the phenomena in the sky how they used phenomena in the sky and what role the sky played in their cultures." Clive Ruggles argues it is misleading to consider archaeoastronomy to be the study of ancient astronomy, as modern...
Several stones show scars and marks of vandalism
Vandalism
Vandalism is the behaviour attributed originally to the Vandals, by the Romans, in respect of culture: ruthless destruction or spoiling of anything beautiful or venerable...
by stone cutters including rows of holes on many, arranged in lines so the stones could be split with a wedge. Estimates for the original number of stones have varied between 51 and approximately 70 making it among Devon's widest stone circles with the tallest remaining monolith
Monolith
A monolith is a geological feature such as a mountain, consisting of a single massive stone or rock, or a single piece of rock placed as, or within, a monument...
. Although badly damaged, Scorhill has not been subject to any form of restoration giving it a distinctly ancient atmosphere.
Archaeology
Flint artefacts from around the site on Gidleigh Moor date as far back as 8500 BC during the MesolithicMesolithic
The Mesolithic is an archaeological concept used to refer to certain groups of archaeological cultures defined as falling between the Paleolithic and the Neolithic....
period and are now held at Torquay
Torquay
Torquay is a town in the unitary authority area of Torbay and ceremonial county of Devon, England. It lies south of Exeter along the A380 on the north of Torbay, north-east of Plymouth and adjoins the neighbouring town of Paignton on the west of the bay. Torquay’s population of 63,998 during the...
Museum.
Folklore
Scorhill is situated in a landscape of megalithic monuments and features in local stories about horses unwilling to pass through the circle. Some folklore links it to The Tolmen, a stone with a large, donut-shaped hole in it, overhanging a nearby stream. One story of the "faithless wives and fickle maidens" tells the tale of unfaithful women being made to wash themselves in a nearby pool, run around Scorhill three times and then pass through the Tolmen and pray in front of the stones for absolution. Unforgiven women were crushed by a stone, giving the eerie suggestion as to why so many stones have fallen.Literature
- Burl, AubreyAubrey BurlHarry Aubrey Woodruff Burl MA, DLitt, PhD, FSA, HonFSA Scot is a British archaeologist most well known for his studies into megalithic monuments and the nature of prehistoric rituals associated with them. Prior to retirement he was Principal Lecturer in Archaeology, Hull College, East Riding of...
, The Stone Circles of Britain, Ireland and Brittany (Yale University Press) 2000.