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NINE STONES STONE CIRCLE

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Stone circle

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(SX 23617815) Nine Stones (Stone Circle) (NR) (1)

The Nine Stones stone circle was restored in 1889. There were
then nine stones, including the centre one, of which only two
remained erect. (2)

The circle is 49 ft in diameter, there are eight stones in the
ring and one near the centre, and a flat triangular stone lies
at the base of No 5 apparently deliberately placed there. The
stones are of granite, none are large, the tallest (8) being
4 ft 2 in above ground. The spacing is rather irregular, and
there is a large gap of over 40 ft on the north which may have
and probably did hold another stone (shown on OS 1:2500 1882-84).
If as seems likely, the central stone is a late addition, the
extra stone would merely complete the ring and still justify
the name of Nine Stones. The centre stone probably belongs
to the boundary of the two parishes of Altarnun and North Hill
which is marked by a line of stones running east-north-east
(N 63oE) from the circle in one direction and south-west in the
other (See SX 27 NW 27 and 28 "Stone Rows"). (3)

Eight stones of local granite stand on the circumference, the
ninth stone near the centre may be a later addition.

See plan. (4)

A circle at 294m OD on a wide moorland plateau, in good
condition; although cattle and sheep have created pits around
the stones all are still firmly earthfast.

The circle comprises six slab-like stones and two of squarish
section. One stone is prostrate, the rest stand between 1.0m and
1.4m high.

The central stone, a granite post 0.25m square and 1.1m high,
is clearly set as a (uninscribed) boundary stone at a realignment
point on the parish boundary, but it is possibly an original
stone removed from the north part of the circle.

Surveyed at 1:2500 scale. See ground photo from south. (5)

SOURCE TEXT

( 1) General reference

OS 1:2500 1882

( 2) General reference

JRIC 9 1889 496

( 3) General reference

VCH Corn 1 1906 396-397 plan 390 (G F Tregelles)

( 4) General reference

BAR 81 1980 Megalithic Rings 76-7 plan (A & A S Thom)

( 5) General reference

RCHME Field Investigation 10-SEP-83 N.V Quinnell

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