Trowlesworthy Stone Row West

Nearest town:
Plympton (8km SSW)
OS reference:
SX575640
OS sheet:
202
Latitude:
50° 27' 28.32 N
Longitude:
4° 0' 27.94 W
Added to TMA by

Images

Image of Trowlesworthy Stone Row West by postman

The western terminal stone of the west row. pointing as it does to the stone circle.

Image credit: Chris Bickerton
postman
postman May 27, 2019
Image of Trowlesworthy Stone Row West by postman

The west end of the western row, and a pillow mound.
Beyond knowing pillow mounds weren’t the right kind of ancient I had to admit to a touch of ignorance so I looked them up. They are medieval, OK so far ? artificial rabbit warrens, or vermin traps, I wouldn’t have guessed that in a month of days that don’t come round very often.

Image credit: Chris Bickerton
postman
postman May 27, 2019
Image of Trowlesworthy Stone Row West by postman

Looking west along the west row, oh look a pillow mound, don’t see many of those round here do you?

Image credit: Chris Bickerton
postman
postman May 27, 2019
Image of Trowlesworthy Stone Row West by postman

Looking over the terminal cairn circle of the west row towards Cadover Bridge.

Image credit: Chris Bickerton
postman
postman May 27, 2019
Image of Trowlesworthy Stone Row West by postman

The cute little cairn circle, with a large terminal stone pointing it’s row off to the right past that pillow mound.

Image credit: Chris Bickerton
postman
postman May 27, 2019
Image of Trowlesworthy Stone Row West by postman

Stand over there and look a little bit camp would you please.

Image credit: Chris Bickerton
postman
postman May 27, 2019
Image of Trowlesworthy Stone Row West by postman

The west row looking west. It runs alongside a Pillow mound.

Image credit: Chris Bickerton
postman
postman May 27, 2019
Image of Trowlesworthy Stone Row West by postman

The cute little cairn circle at the east end of the west row. Just above it are the few dark stones of Trowlesworthy stone circle, which is itself at the end of the east row.

Image credit: Chris Bickerton
postman
postman May 27, 2019
Image of Trowlesworthy Stone Row West by GLADMAN

Sadly it seems the large cairn is nothing but a ‘pillow mound’.

Image credit: Robert Gladstone
GLADMAN
GLADMAN Apr 14, 2012
Image of Trowlesworthy Stone Row West by GLADMAN

Not the largest of stones... note the trekking pole.... but still pretty substantial.

Image credit: Robert Gladstone
GLADMAN
GLADMAN Apr 14, 2012
Image of Trowlesworthy Stone Row West by GLADMAN

The cairn circle terminating the row.... not a patch upon the eastern, but worth a look.

Image credit: Robert Gladstone
GLADMAN
GLADMAN Apr 14, 2012
Image of Trowlesworthy Stone Row West by GLADMAN

Looking down the row from the terminal...

Image credit: Robert Gladstone
GLADMAN
GLADMAN Apr 14, 2012
Image of Trowlesworthy Stone Row West by GLADMAN

Looking up the stone row – the stone circle terminating the eastern row can just be seen far top right. Not the best of light, but hey... take what you’re given in this game.

Image credit: Robert Gladstone
GLADMAN
GLADMAN Apr 14, 2012
Image of Trowlesworthy Stone Row West by Lubin

Looking down the row from the cairn.

Image credit: Peter Castle ©
Lubin
Lubin Sep 29, 2007
Image of Trowlesworthy Stone Row West by Jane

You can see it from a long way off!

Image credit: Moth Clark
Jane
Jane Jul 10, 2005
Image of Trowlesworthy Stone Row West by greywether

E end of W row. The 1.2m high stone in the foreground is part of the cairn which stood at this end of the row.

greywether
greywether Dec 14, 2003

Articles

Trowlesworthy Stone Row West

postman
postman Jun 2, 2019

Another stream cross and we approach, I’m not sure what, there’s a very suspect bump, and some stones that look like they are in a row.
Shall I leave it there?

I only came to free my mind of the rattle word Trowlesworthy, but a quick look at the map and it is abundantly clear that there is much more than a stone circle up on this moor. We’ve had a wander round some of the settlement immediately north of the circle and now we’ve crossed back over the stream to have a look at the other stone row. The stones, they are in a row, and it’s more or less straight, and also more or less point to the stone circle, but in an unconnected kind of way. The stone row starts with a tall terminal stone at the west, passes by the suspect bump, and terminates with another tall terminal stone. Next to the eastern tall terminal stone is a lovely little cairn circle. I’m sure more than a couple of stones are missing and those that are left are barely breaking the land surface, but the mist has all but cleared and the cuteness factor is now apparent.
The suspect bump tends to overshadow the stone row slightly, I got a little excited to see the ditches either side of it, could it be a burial mound of some kind, Eric asked, Looking at the map once more reveals their true nature. Pillow mounds, I must confess, besides knowing they are medieval, the wrong kind of ancient, I knew not what they were. Upon returning to home I looked them up, artificial rabbit warrens, apparently Lionhearts and conquerors get through a lot of rabbits.

Trowlesworthy Stone Row West

Jane
Jane Jul 10, 2005

Near the great white scar formed by the china clay works at Trowlesworthy is a complex of stone rows and cairn circles not unlike those at Ringmoor. From where you park the car, you can see the rows sloping down the hill. Having sight of them makes the incredibly dull hike over to them slightly more palettable. Be careful how you go – you can access the site from either side of the canal, but there is no path so tread very carefully. The ground underfoot almost got me a couple of times! The are a couple of rows here the main one perhaps just less than 100ms long – hard to say as an artificially cut channel now bisects it.

The cairn circle is charming though and despite the fact you’re overlooking an industrial landscape, I quite liked it.

Trowlesworthy Stone Row West

S
stewartb May 8, 2003

This row is part of a complex that includes a circle and a second row just to the east.

It runs for 78m and was originally a double row but has been robbed out to such an extent that it is now a single.

There is a suspicion of a ruined circle at the N end of the row which would make it a match for the eastern one.

Sites within 20km of Trowlesworthy Stone Row West

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