Stone settings are a type of monument found in
Exmoor, an area of heathland in
south-western England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...
. They consist of upright stones that are assembled together either in geometric patterns or seemingly random configurations.
Stone settings are the most common stone monuments to be found on Exmoor. As of 2001, there were 57 that had been conclusively identified. It is likely that the original number had been much higher, with many stones having been removed for use in walling, drainage, and gate posts or to allow a field to be used more easily for cultivation. Some of the solitary standing stones found on Exmoor may once have been part of these stone settings.
The archaeologist
Aubrey Burl
Harry Aubrey Woodruff Burl HonFSA Scot (24 September 1926 – 8 April 2020) was a British archaeologist best known for his studies into megalithic monuments and the nature of prehistoric rituals associated with them. Before retirement he was Pr ...
noted that they were "almost without parallel in Britain and Ireland". Ten of the known stone settings are rectangular in shape. Four are quincunxes, containing five stones each. The majority of the stone settings are not of a recognisable shape, either because they were originally designed in this manner or because they have been altered over time through the removal of different stones.
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Archaeological sites in Devon
Archaeological sites in Somerset
Buildings and structures in Devon
Buildings and structures in Somerset
Scheduled monuments in Devon
Scheduled monuments in Somerset
History of Devon
History of Somerset
Megalithic monuments in England