Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 29.djvu/417

 NOTICE OF THE FALL AND llESTORATIOX OF "THE SPINSTER'S ROCK," OR CROMLECH, IN TJIE PARISH OF DREWSTEIGNTON, IN THE COUNTY OF DEVON, AND OF STONE CIRCLES AND AVENUES FORMERLY EXISTING IN ITS VICINITY. By G. WAREING ORMEROD, M.A., F.Q.S. " The Spinster's Rock," or Drewstcignton Cromlech, is situate in a field adjoining Sliilston Farm in the parish of Drewstcignton, about two miles to the vest of the parish church. This Cromlech has been mentioned in most of the liistorical and descriptive works relating to Devon, but the fullest notices are in Polwhele's Historical Views of Devon- shire, 1793, and History of Devon, 1797 ; in a memoir, signed N. E., " On some of the more remarkable Monuments of Devon," contained in Essays by a Society of Gentlemen at Exeter, 1796 ; and in Rowe's " Perambulations of Dart- moor," 1848, republished in 1856, which work was an ex- tension of Antiquarian Investigations in the Forest of Dart- moor, by that author, contained in the " Transactions " of the Plymouth Institution, published in 1830. About the middle of the last century Mv. William Chappie of Exeter wrote a treatise, entitled " Description and Exegesis of the Drews- tcignton Crondech ;" this is noticed in Howe's " Dartmoor " (pages 42 and 118, edition of 1856), but of this treatise I have not been able to procure further information. In the following pages the consideration of the purpose for which the Cromlech was raised has not been entered upon. The stones which form the Cromlech are of granite, pro- bably procured in the immediate vicinity. Before the fall the upper stone, or quoit, rested on the tops of the southerly and easterly uprights, and against the bevilled inner side of the top of the northerly stone ; the greatest length of the (luoit is 15 ft., taken i)arallel to the sides about 14 ft., the medium 13 ft. and a half; the greatest breadth 1(> ft., medium breadth 9 ft. 10 in. ; thickness al»out 2 ft. ; accord- ing to Chappie, as (pioted in Uowcs Dartmoor (page 42,