Monument record MDO955 - Stones, Corscombe

Group of stones, three standing. Suggested to be the remains of a 'chamber', the grouping appears to be fortuitous and they are of no archaeological significance. This is probably the group of stones apparantly once locally known as The Devil's Arm Chair and supposed to be the remains of a long barrow.

1/2 mile NW. of the Hoar Stones is a destroyed chambered long barrow consisting of 4 stones, locally known as The Devil's Arm Chair. [Probably applies.] <2>

[ST 51370488] Standing Stones: Three stones 70 yds. S.S.W of Beckhams Coppice. They are set upright as though to form the end of a chamber. They measure 5' 9" high and 4' 6" wide, 3' 6" high and 5' wide, and 4' high and 2' 6" wide. 8 yards to the W. are two prone stones 5' long and another 50yds to the S.S.W. which measures 8' by 4'. The intervening space appears to have been disturbed. <3>

Whereas the three stones are erected as if to form a chamber they are particularly weathered and are rather flat. Their heights are 1.2m, 1.5m and 1.8m. The significant fact about the entire group is that they are situated on the floor of a steep sided valley. The ground between the group of three and the prostrate one to the south west has been dug out. The other prostrate stones are covered by bushes. There is evidence of light quarrying on the valley sides. These stones may be contemporary with the quarrying. <4>

Perambulation revealed no traces of the alleged long barrow in the area stated. If the remark is intended to refer to these stones, the point is made that the site is topographically unsuitable, the orientation (NNE-SSW) is unusual, and the stones do not have the appearance of great age in their present situation. There seems little to warrant this site as an antiquity of any form. The legendary name "Devil's Arm Chair" was unknown to local people questioned. <5>

These stones remain as described but they are not the remains of an archaeological feature or setting. <6>

<1> Ordnance Survey, Ordnance Survey Map 6in, 1904 (Map). SWX1540.

Boulders [NAT] [Three Shewn]

<2> Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society, 1915, Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Antiquarian Field Club, LXV (Serial). SDO24.

<3> Royal Commission on Historical Monuments England, 1952, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume I (West), 107 (Monograph). SDO97.

‘(19) STANDING STONES, 900 yards W. of the church and 70 yards S.S.W. of Beckham's Coppice, are three in number, set upright as though to form the end of a chamber; the largest is 5¾ ft. high by 4½ ft. wide; the second 3½ ft. high and 5 ft. wide and the third 4 ft. high and 2½ ft. wide. About 8 yards to the W. are two prone stones about 5 ft. long, and 50 yards to the S.S.W. is a solitary stone also prone and about 8 ft. by 4 ft. The intervening space appears to have been much disturbed.’

<4> Rigg, J, Field Investigators Comments JR, F1 JR 25-MAY-1955 (Unpublished document). SWX1255.

<5> Colquhoun, F D, Field Investigators Comments FDC, F2 FDC 01-JUN-1955 (Unpublished document). SWX2609.

<6> McOmish, D S, Various, Field Investigators Comments DSM, F3 DSM 18-FEB-87 (Unpublished document). SDO16333.

<7> National Record of the Historic Environment, 195903 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Sep 9 2024 3:58PM