Merrivale Stone Row is high up on Dartmoor, in the southwest England county of Devon. There is a great deal of evidence that this region, now largely deserted, was home to many people during the Bronze Age (c. 2000-650 BC). The Merrivale Stone Row is one of about 60 similar ancient monuments on Dartmoor, as well as many stone circles, solitary standing stones and tomb remains.
The Merrivale Stone Row stands out from the rest by virtue of its length and completeness. It consists of two nearly parallel double rows of stones thirty yards apart.
The northern row is about 180 metres (590 feet) long and the southern row is about 260 metres (850 feet) long. There is a burial cist (stone-lined grave) and small stone circle about halfway along the longer row.
Why was it built? No-one can be absolutely certain, but the prominent position of a burial cist suggests that it could have been a processional route to honour the memory of great clan leader.
© John Welford
