GLADMAN
Impressive defences, these. Albeit a bit wonky.
Image credit: Robert Gladstone
Western flank of inner enclosure above the River Teign
Image credit: Robert Gladstone
Southern flank of the inner enclosure: pretty powerful, too.
Image credit: Robert Gladstone
The cross bank... note how this idiosyncratic, yet very substantial ‘fort is sited with higher ground to the south. Most odd
Image credit: Robert Gladstone
The massive outer cross bank isolating the promontory...
Image credit: Robert Gladstone
Occupying a north facing spur between Marston Down and the course of the River Teign this complex promontory fort is, for me, by far the finest of a local triumvirate also including Prestonbury Castle and Cranbrook Castle, consisting of a pretty standard defended enclosure supplemented by a massive outer cross bank. This latter feature is much more powerful than the inner defences and, unusually in my experience, sited a substantial distance beyond, anticipating, perhaps, the ‘aggressive defence’ of medieval concentric castles. There are further earthworks covering the approach to the site, these including a ‘hollow way’ which Pastscape would appear to regard as contemporary and not, as I assumed, a later stock control feature – a proto-barbican, if you like. Clearly the architects of this ‘fort had big ideas and, furthermore, were not afraid to put them into practice.
This intriguing, sleeping behemoth of a site is suitable for family visits as well as the dedicated hill fort head since it is serviced by its own woodland car park reached via a minor road north of Wooston Farm.
During my visit local volunteers were engaged in a geophysical survey... so chances are Wooston Castle may soon reclaim its former standing amongst Dartmoor’s elite Iron Age enclosures.
Prospective visitors looking to track down the monuments set within the environs of Black Newtake – that is the area to the south west of Bellever Tor – are hereby advised:
1) Do not attempt to do so in high summer (unless you’re a bit of a loon) since the – in places – waist high grass renders identification of monuments a serious challenge. Not to mention very physically demanding. Yeah, tell me about it.
2) Make sure you possess the 1:25K OS map. The 1:50k version does not possess the required detail.
Due to the above I’ve only listed the damaged, yet seriously evocative cairn circle sited here. However, for what they are worth, I’ve included further images of two ‘cists’ I believe I located within the Interpretive Section. However these are very much subjective and open to correction. Naturally.
A fabulous little cist hidden away to the west of the tor. For me, this is the finest of all the monuments in the vicinity of Bellever Tor/Lakehead Hill.
Image credit: Robert Gladstone
And the cist to far south-west... again Eds please delete should this be an error.
Image credit: Robert Gladstone
And the cist to far south-west... again Eds please delete should this be an error.
Image credit: Robert Gladstone
What I took to be the cist depicted on the map near the south-eastern apex of the forestry. Needless to say by no means conclusively so.
Image credit: Robert Gladstone
The cist. There are numerous other monuments in the immediate locale. Trouble is identifying them.
Image credit: Robert Gladstone
As can be seen, the cist is at least a couple of feet high... good place for fictional, escaped Victorian convicts to hide out upon the moor, this.
Image credit: Robert Gladstone
The surviving uprights of the cist, looking toward Bellever Tor.
Image credit: Robert Gladstone
Believe it or not – trust me for once – this is a cairn circle... with remains of cist to centre right and an orthostat to left. Obviously best to visit in winter. If at all possible........
Image credit: Robert Gladstone
The only site listed upon the 1:25K OS map that I was able to conclusively identify amongst the waist high grass of late July. Worth the very considerable effort required to locate.
Image credit: Robert Gladstone
An arc still resisting gravity...
Image credit: Robert Gladstone
These are substantial former uprights...
Image credit: Robert Gladstone
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
Western cairn... toward the main northern.
Image credit: Robert Gladstone
Central cairn, southern group.... the western can be seen beyond
Image credit: Robert Gladstone
Highlighting the very substantial footprint of the eastern cairn (southern group)... toward Haytor Rocks
Image credit: Robert Gladstone
My favourite of Black Hill’s quintet of cairns: the eastern of the southern trio.
Image credit: Robert Gladstone