MEM15202 - Prehistoric stone setting on Trout Hill (Monument)

A stone setting lies on the northwest edge of Trout Hill at SS 7895 4302 at an altitude of 370 metres Ordnance Datum. The setting comprises four stone slabs arranged to form a rather flattened parallelogram. Two of the stones are upright, two are prone. A further small upright stone lies some 10 metres to the northwest of the westernmost stone of the setting. The stones are all sandstone slabs from the local area. The measurements of the stones are as follows [height, length and width]: A - upright post, 15 by 10 by 32 centimetres B - upright (and trigger), 47 by 17 by 20 centimetres Trigger for B - 24 by 8 by 10 centimetres C- prone, 95 by 50 by 16 centimetres D- prone, 64 by 28 by 12 centimetres E- upright outlier, 14 by 3 by 8 centimetres Although two of the stones of the setting are prone, this newly discovered setting is a remarkably well preserved monument. Both stone A, an upright post, a fine example of this kind of upright used in a stone setting and the upright B with its associated trigger stone, stand upright (rather than leaning) and the prone stones appear to have fallen on their sides from their original upright positions. They do not seem to have been knocked over or moved. The site was recorded at a scale of 1: 100 using differential GPS by the English Heritage Archaeological survey and Investigation Team at Exeter. [1] The site is a stone setting comprising 5 stones on an east-west linear arrangement, situated on the western edge of Trout Hill, facing Lanacombe. Only 2 stones have been known to be upright in recent years, the rest are recumbent, and all vary greatly in size. Stone E is hard to confirm as a standing stone, as there are numerous small stubs of stone protruding from the turf. The setting has not changed since its discovery in 2007 and the last survey in 2009. There is no clear damage to the stones. [2] The site was surveyed as part of an academic research project by Dr Sandy Gerrard in 2019. Surveys were conducted using a prismatic compass and electronic distance device with the plan being generated in the field. [3] This record was enhanced as part of the National Record of the Historic Environment to Exmoor National Park Historic Environment Record data transfer project. [4]