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Mardon Down Cairn Circle

Cairn circle

<b>Mardon Down Cairn Circle</b>Posted by GLADMANImage © Robert Gladstone
Nearest Town:Crediton (14km NNE)
OS Ref (GB):   SX767877 / Sheet: 191
Latitude:50° 40' 31.05" N
Longitude:   3° 44' 42.87" W

Added by pure joy


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There are plenty of parking places, three that I can see on Google earth, I parked on the west side and followed the obvious and worn path straight to the top. Passing the flattened ring cairn to the junction of paths, right takes us to the stone circle, the biggest on Dartmoor. Left takes us past the often disappointing Giants grave and friend. Keep going, past confusing mortar pits until you get to the cairn circle. Bosh, done.

Apparently this site confuses some people, is it a small stone circle? a cairn with a stone circle or even a hut circle? an enlightened chap called Jeremy Butler said this "it is unparalleled among the numerous cairns on the moorland massif only a short distance to the west, emphasizing the very localised nature of some cairn designs". The confusion arises I think because of peoples need to pigeon hole all monuments, everything has to be of a type, it's all got to be named, give it a name and we can add it to the list of known things.
Mardon down doesn't care about your wants or needs, it is what it is, but, what is it?
It's a wondrous thing, that's what.
Big stones in a small space.
Looking north away from Dartmoor the views are long, sit around and wait for the sun to come back out and the whole scene is just brilliant.

In the end, I think it's a cairn with some very pronounced circle stones, it reminded me of the very distant Bryn Cader Faner.
postman Posted by postman
11th October 2020ce
Edited 11th October 2020ce

I'm surprised this site, despite the countless other ones in the area, hasn't been more greatly celebrated. Great location! Posted by rdavymed
5th June 2006ce

Mardon Down Cairn Circle - 3.4.2004

For directions to the general area, see the record for Mardon Down.

This is relatively easy to find because it is quite striking and because it's next to the junction of two relatively clear paths up the hill, one from the east and one from the north. I imagine that with more undergrowth it could be slightly less obvious.

This is a beauty. I'm not very used to cairn circles (not many in Southern England) but I would imagine with could be a pretty fine example, with nine standing stones, plus several recumbent and/or out of place. Despite the drizzle and mist the views were still spectacular.
pure joy Posted by pure joy
4th April 2004ce