The Devonshire Association for the Advancement of Science, Literature and Art is in Prehistory.
Dartmoor Menhirs
"On Langstone Moor, near White Tor, in Peter Tavy, is a stone row 330 feet long, running N. by N.E. and S. by S.W. It consists of about 35 stones in single line, mostly small. It leads oflF from a menhir that had fallen, but which had given its name to the moor and formed one of the way-signs for the lychway after passing White Tor, before Whitabarrow was reached. The lychway, in fact, has passed athwart the stone row, close beside the men.hir, which is eleven feet eight inches long. By the kindness of his Grace the Duke of Bedford this stone has been raised and re-planted. The old hole was discovered in the original soil below the peat and turf, but this was deepened somewhat, and the menhir sunk two feet three inches below the surface and well packed with stones. "
By permission of Sir Massey Lopes [aged 74], Bart, I have also been able to re-erect three fine stones, connected with the three interesting stone rows of Drizslecombe, in the Plym valley. One of these is a splendid stone, measuring eighteen feet in height and from two feet seven inches to three feet eight inches in width. It stands at one end of a stone row, and a cairn surrounded by a double circle of stones at the other. The original hole in which the monolith stood was found. Anciently only about two feet six inches had been buried. This was insuflBcient, and we sank the original pit, and have buried four feet six inches, so that it now stands thirteen feet six inches above the soil. The stones at the ends of the other rows measure respectively twelve feet three inches and six feet six inches. They have also been re-erected, sinking each about two feet three inches in the ground.
"The re-erection of these fine stones was performed by Messrs. Turpin, of Plymouth, under the supervision of the Rev. S. Baring-Gould, Mr. R. Burnard, and Mr. R Hansford Worth. (S. Baring-Gould)."
To make these notes complete it is necessary to record here the re-erection of the three menhirs of the rows at Drizzlecombe, one of which, eighteen feet in length, now stands about fourteen feet above ground, and is by far the finest in the West of England. The work was executed by the kind permission of Sir Massey Lopes, under the superintendence of the Rev. S. Baring-Gould, Mr. R Burnard, and Mr. R Hansford Worth; and a reproduction from a photograph taken by the latter gentleman immediately on the completion of this process is here annexed. The Rev. S. Baring-Gould and Mr. Bumard are on the left next the menhir; the Rev. W. Gray, of Meavy, on the right.