Tottiford Reservoir - Dartmoor National Park, Devon - Archaeological Evaluation and Assessment of Results

Wessex Archaeology

An archaeological evaluation was undertaken by Channel 4’s ‘Time Team’ at the site of Tottiford Reservoir, Dartmoor National Park, Devon. Lower than usual water levels in 2009 had led to the identification of a previously unknown stone circle, as well as two stone alignments and a number of possible cairns. An evaluation comprising twelve trenches provided an opportunity to investigate these features.

A combination of evaluation and geophysical survey confirmed the presence of the stone circle, estimated to be around 25m in diameter and to have contained between nine and 18 stones. The Tottiford stone circle brings the total of free-standing stone circles on Dartmoor to 15. No suitable dating material was obtained for this feature, although a concentration of probable later Mesolithic worked flint was found within the circle.

A north-west – south-east aligned double stone row appeared to be aligned towards a raised mound which lay to the south-west of the circle. Its alignment and situation in the river valley are unusual. A radiocarbon date of 4590-4450 cal. BC was obtained from a fragment of charred hazelnut shell found within the deliberate backfill of one of the stone settings. This is thought to pre-date the feature itself as a fragment of late prehistoric pottery was also obtained from the sample.