Buttern Hill Stone Circle

Also known as:
Buttern ESE, Monument No. 443709 and Throwleigh stone circle
Nearest town:
Okehampton (9km WNW)
OS reference:
SX649885
OS sheet:
191
Latitude:
50° 40' 47.44 N
Longitude:
3° 54' 44.85 W
Added to TMA by

Images

Image of Buttern Hill Stone Circle by GLADMAN

Like Erik I struggled – badly – to find this fine monument due to the horizontal plane of most of the stones. Re-erect these and this would become a must-visit for visitors seeking that special Dartmoor vibe. To be fair... I reckon it already is.

Image credit: Robert Gladstone
GLADMAN
GLADMAN Jul 30, 2017
Image of Buttern Hill Stone Circle by Meic

25th Feb 2006 – even harder to find in the snow !!

Image credit: Michael Mitchell
Meic
Meic Oct 18, 2006
Image of Buttern Hill Stone Circle by Lubin

One of the reaves in the field system just to the east of the circle. This photo is taken looking to the southwest.

Image credit: Peter Castle
Lubin
Lubin Oct 2, 2005
Image of Buttern Hill Stone Circle by Lubin

The three stones that remain standing, and one fallen, on the northeast arc of the circle.

Image credit: Peter Castle
Lubin
Lubin Oct 2, 2005
Image of Buttern Hill Stone Circle by pure joy

Buttern Hill Stone Circle – 1.4.2004. From the east side. Yes, there isn’t much to see is there!

Image credit: Martin Bull
pure joy
pure joy May 5, 2004

Articles

Buttern Hill Stone Circle

postman
postman Jun 23, 2018

Eric and I approached Buttern hill stone circle from White moor stone circle, two kilometers to the north west. There was no path, except those made by sheep, and who knows what governs their movements. So we were guessing really, I have a map and compass, but they only play a secondary role to guesswork. From White Moor standing stone strike out for the south edge of Kennon hill, stopping momentarily at the old settlement marked on the 1;25,000 map. Then keep going in a south east direction heading for Buttern hill, at the lowest point between hills Kennon and Buttern, turn south, the stones will appear, have faith, they are there.

Most of the stones here are having a lie down, Eric is easily lead, so he took their advice and lay down on the longest stone. I tried to photograph the stones as best as I could without letting the lazy boy into them, but in the end i followed suit and lay down on the second longest recumbent. The sun, by now, had dried out the grass and stones, we got pretty comfy, apart from the internal ever present scream of damaged ear drums, the only sound came from an over achieving Skylark, seemingly screaming his shrill melody right at us.
Opening my eyes, I was gratified to see that we hadn’t gone mad and poetry still doesn’t move me, so I suggested we could possibly get a move on to the last site on this particular walk. After he’d vacated the longest stone, I took some more photos, and off we went.

Buttern Hill Stone Circle

E
Erik the Red Mar 13, 2005

Arriving at the area of Buttern Hill Stone circle (28.2.05) from white moor, a walk of 1¼ miles over some rough and in places boggy terrain, I set about trying to find the circle. After 10 minutes of walking up and down a N/S course, about a third of the way up Buttern hill’s western slope, the 3 stones standing at the Northeast edge of the circle came into view. SX 64945 88484 Elev 1301ft.
The circle’s approximate dimensions are 82ft 4” N/S and 80ft 2” E/W, with 15 stones many obscured but the larger ones ranging from, 7ft 4” W, 6ft S/SW (Twin lines on the stone, natural or carved?), 5ft 11” W/NW, 4ft 11” N/NE, 4ft 4” at S/W & N/E. With most of it’s stones fallen, the circle does not instantly captivate, but it would be a mistake not to give this circle some time to appreciate its true qualities.
I sat picturing the circle in the afternoon’s broken sunshine, it’s placement on the west side of Buttern Hill and the steep rising bank of Kennon Hill (West of Circle), leading the eye to a wide open South west Dartmoor vista for the sun to sink slowly into.

Buttern Hill Stone Circle

pure joy
pure joy Apr 5, 2004

Buttern Hill Stone Circle – 1.4.2004

I knew absolutely nothing about this site before visiting. I just saw it on the map and decided to make it an extension to my visit to Shovel Down and Scorhill. If anyone knows of any ‘official’ name for it please tell me and I’ll change it.

Although Bodmin Moor is much smaller, it is often a much harder place to walk than Dartmoor. A shortish walk on Dartmoor seems relatively easy to me, except for the fog and the lack of obvious features to map read by. Dartmoor felt drier than the Cornish uplands and there are ‘paths’ everywhere in this section of Dartmoor. Not obvious or marked paths but just loads of small paths (livestock paths?) that mean you don’t have to yomp over uneven ground.

So, from Scorhill to Buttern Hill Stone Circle you basically just need to skirt round the south west side of Buttern Hill. When you see some watery ground at the bottom of the valley between Buttern Hill and Rippator, you’re getting close. But don’t go right down to this lowest point. Stay mid way up the gentle slope and continue for about 300 metres and the circle should be there. It is not easy to spot / see. If you see some stones in this area, check them out; they could be the circle. I counted 5 stones still standing, and 15 recumbant, ranging from large ones to tiny stones that seem to be inline with a circle.

It’s a sad circle and obviously overshadowed by Scorhill, which is easier to get to and more ‘beautiful’. But I have great sympathy for this circle. It’s the underdog and I guess it was once beautiful.

Miscellaneous

Buttern Hill Stone Circle
Stone Circle
Chance
Chance Apr 12, 2016

Details of stone circle on Pastscape

(SX 64948847) Stone Circle (NR). (1)
Buttern Hill or Throwleigh stone circle is remarkable for occupying a position on low ground, near the bottom of a shallow valley west of Buttern Hill – a situation which argues against the “sacred” idea. Five stones are still standing, the tallest being 28 inches high with a curious though natural shape. There are nineteen fallen stones, the longest being 6 feet 9 inches; there are also ‘triggers’ giving a clear indication of the position formerly occupied by five stones now lost. The nearest equivalent true circle would have a diameter of 81 feet. R N Worth mentions the remains of a small cairn five or six
yards in from the southern edge. (2-3) Nothing visible on air photographs. (4)

Sites within 20km of Buttern Hill Stone Circle

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