Merrivale, Devon

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Merrivale is a series of Bronze Age megalithic monuments, and an adjoining hamlet, on Dartmoor in the English county of Devon.

[edit] Archaeology

It is located in the south-west of Dartmoor, at grid reference SX556746. Although it has been diminished over time, the site includes a 3.8m standing stone, a stone circle and a stone row.

Also visible are two stone avenues running parallel to each other on either side of a stream. The southern avenue is 263.5 metres long and has the remains of a barrow in the middle. The northern avenue is slightly shorter. Both avenues are only about 1 metre wide down the centre.

To the south of the avenues is a large cist which contained a flint scraper, a number of flint flakes and a whetstone for polishing metal items. The 'lid' of the cist was broken in two by a farmer sometime in the past who made a gatepost out of it. Numerous tors are visible from the site, including King's Tor and Staples Tor.

[edit] Hamlet

Merrivale also refers to a hamlet near the ancient monuments (grid reference SX546751), including the Dartmoor Inn, which sells Merrivale Ale. It is situated on the B3357, midway between the towns of Princetown and Tavistock.