July 20, 1905] 



NA TURE 



271 



A group of five rows of stones, four double, one 

 single, with two sets of azimuths. 



One set gives us 22°, 25°, and 28°. They seem to 

 be associated. I will call them .A, B, and C. A is 

 directed to the circle on Godleigh Common. Its ends 

 are free. B is a single line of stones to the E. of the 

 triple circle, about which more presentlv. It is not 

 marked on the Ordnance map ; its ends are also free. 

 (' has its south end blocked, I think in later times. 



by a kistvaen. The astronomical direction may be, 

 therefore, either N.W. or S.E. We find, however, a 

 probable use in the N.W. quadrant, as at Challa- 

 combe, .\rcturus setting at daybreak as a warner of 

 the summer solstice. 



was towards the north ; the height of the horizon I 

 measured as 45'. It may have been an attempt to 

 mark the N. point of the horizon. 



The triple circle to which I have referred is not an 

 ordinary circle. I believe it to be a later added, much 

 embellished, cairn. According to Ormerod, the 

 diameters are 26, 20, and 3 feet, and there are three 

 stones at the centre. 



All the above avenues are on the slope of the hill 

 to the north. On the south slope 

 we find the longest of all, as 

 shown on the Ordnance map 

 survey of 1885. There is a " long 

 stone " in its centre, and at the 

 southern end was formerly a 

 cromlech, the " three boys." Part 

 of this avenue, and two of the 

 three " boys," have been taken to 

 build a wall. The long stone re- 

 mains, because it is a boundary 

 stone ! 



The azimuth is 2- 30' W. of 

 north or E. of south. Looking 

 \. from the long stone, the heigh' 

 of the horizon is 2° 30'. I think 

 this avenue was an attempt to 

 mark the S. point. 



Trowlesworthy (lat. 50° 27' 30"). 

 — The remains here are most 

 interesting. This is the only 

 monument on Dartmoor in which 

 I have so far traced any attempt 

 to locate the sun's place at rising 

 either for the May or solstitial 

 year. But I will deal with the 

 N.-S. avenue first, as it is this 

 feature which associates it with 

 Fernworthy and Challacombe, and 

 in order that a comparison may be 



- ~ ' made I append a map showing 



"'' the sight-lines at the Hurlers 



nioneo.her, FrOT, ^^'^^ ^°^- 



■ .As at Merrivale, the avenue has 



a decided " kink " or change of 

 direction. The facts as gathered from the 6-inch map' 

 are ;is follows : — 



Az. Hills Dec. Star Date 



S. part of Avenue N. 7 E. 2 52 41 2q 10 Arcturus 21^0 B.C. 



looking North of East, t 



The height of hills is 46' ; we have then : — 

 Az. N. Dec. Star Date 



I2I0 B.C. 

 1040 ,, 

 850 „ 



.Adjacent to .A, B, C, is another avenue, which I 

 will call D. Unlike the others, its northern end 

 points 2° E. of N. Its southern end is blocked 

 bv a remarkable triple circle, the end of the avenue 

 close to it being defined by two tall terminal stones. 

 We are justified, then, in thinking that its orientation 



NO. 1864, VOL. 72] 



This date is very nearly that of the use of the S. 

 circle at the Hurlers, and it is early for Dartmoor; 

 but it is quite possible that local observations on an- 

 associated avenue a little to the west of the circle 

 which terminates the N.-S. avenue will justify it. 

 This is not far from parallel to that at Merrivale, but 

 its northern azimuth is greater, so that if it turns out 

 to have been aligned on the Pleiades its date will be 

 some time before that of Merrivale, that is, before 

 1680 B.C. I can say nothing more about it until I 

 have visited it. 



The new features to which I have referred are two 



