MSO6721 - Prehistoric standing stone at west end of Hoar Moor (Monument)

A standing stone with miscellaneous stumps and triggers was recorded on a south facing slope at the west end of Hoar Moor in 1981. There is now a roughly cruciform formation of eight stones which is possibly not of any antiquity.

SS 859 408. A standing stone 0.5 metres high with miscellaneous stumps and triggers was recorded at the north end of Hoar Moor in 1981. [1] A roughly cruciform formation of 8 stones situated on a south facing slope at the west end of Hoar Moor, which should be regarded with extreme caution as only possibly antiquities. They are recorded purely because of the uncertainty and difficulty of interpretation. Recent drainage operations have exposed quantities of stone from in and beneath deep peat, so there is clearly much naturally deposited stone in the area. Of the eight stones recorded below, A, B and C are most likely to be true standing stones of some antiquity. A) SS 8582 4085 (The stone recorded by McDonnell [1]). A small upright stone set into the ground, approximately 0.50 metres high, of 3 facet pyramidal shape with top broken. A recumbent stone of similar dimensions, but rectangular, lies against it on the north west. Both lie in a slight hollow or worn area, caused probably by sheep. B) SS 8585 4080. Small, earth-fast stone leaning slightly north appoximately 0.30 metres high with rectangular transverse section. C) SS 8586 4075. Small, earth-fast stone leaning north approximately 0.40 metres high. Of squarish transverse section, 0.45 by 0.35 metres. D) SS 8587 4069. Large, recumbent stone, rectangular in plan with expanded V-profile in longitudinal section. Dimensions 0.90 by 0.40 metres, and 0.25 metres high. E) SS 8588 4064. Upright stone approximately 0.55 metres high, sitting on ground surface. Triangular transverse section; flat-topped. Sides 0.40 metres wide. F) SS 8582 4078. Small stone 0.35 metres high leaning slightly north. Earth-fast. Triangular transverse section. G) SS 8584 4079. Small upright stone 0.10 metres high. Earth-fast and triangular transverse section. H) SS 8587 4081. Small stone 0.15 metres high with rectangular section 0.40 by 0.15 metres. Earth-fast and leaning slightly. [2] There is another standing stone nearb, 60 metres to the south. It is 0.3m high. [3] Stones at the north end of Hoar Moor comprising of a standing stone, miscellaneous stumps and packing stones. The principal stone is 0.5 metres high at SS 8582 4085, pyramidal with broken top, in slight erosion hollow containing a recumbent stone. A further seven stones extend over 200 metres to the south, 0.15 to 0.55 metres high. Possibly natural, though prehistoric settlement in the area. [4] May represent prehistoric land boundaries rather than ritual sites. [5] The site was surveyed for management purposes in 2012. Five stones and an erosion hollow were located; two of the stones were recumbent. All five stones were thought to be in a fair condition but undergoing slow deterioration. It was noted that the site was confusing due to the volume of natural stone in the area. [6] A possible stone row running roughly northwest-southeast down slope, on the western side of Hoar Moor, bisected by a deep modern gully. The row consists of four possible prehistoric stones (A, B, D, E), as well as Stones C.1, C.2 and F which are less convincing. It is not immediately clear which stone is the originally recorded Stone C, which led to two stonesbeing recorded. The character of the stones on this site is different to other stone rows on Exmoor. Thick patches of rushes and bracken cover the site, and many of the upright stones (A, B, C.1, E) are being rubbed by livestock. [7] This record was enhanced as part of the National Record of the Historic Environment to Exmoor National Park Historic Environment Record data transfer project. [8]