Megalithic Mysteries
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Stop the Dartmoor "Super-quarry"
Megalithic Mysteries
Home Page
Stop the Dartmoor "Super-quarry"
Stoney Littleton Long Barrow to re-open
Nine Ladies in quarrying threat
Stone Circle may end up in supermarket car park
Millennium
Monstrosity
at Mayburgh Henge
development threatens nationally important archaeological sites
Planning permissions granted nearly half a century ago allow the obliteration of a large part of south-west Dartmoor to make way for a "super-quarry" and huge waste tips. The landscape under threat is over 5 sq.km in extent and includes several Scheduled Ancient Monuments and Listed Buildings. Amongst the known archaeological monuments affected by the scheme are
- a stone circle (Collard Tor: Grid Ref SX559621)
- three stone rows: at Collard Tor and Shaugh Moor (Grid Ref SX555638)
- several cairn cemeteries
- prehistoric round houses, enclosures and field systems
- medieval buildings and fields
- medieval / post-medieval sites related to tin-working and quarrying
"We are of the united opinion that the loss of these antiquities would constitute little less than a national disaster" -Mortimer Wheeler and Jacquetta Hawkes, letter to the Times concerning the threat of china clay quarrying to these sites, 1975
April 2000 Update: The Dartmoor Preservation Association are organising a second "day of action" to try and stop the proposed superquarry. This time the DPA are hoping to focus on the numerous archaeological sites which will be destroyed. The details are below.
Open day of walks around the threatened areas of the Blackabrook Valley and Shaugh Moor on Saturday 22nd July 2000. The Blackabrook Valley is the proposed site of a new china clay quarry and Shaugh Moor its associated tipping ground. These short rambles will give people an opportunity to see the scale of the proposed quarrying developments and to gain an understanding into the archaeological and historical landscape which will be lost for ever. Walks will leave Cadover Bridge near Shaugh Prior at 10.30 am and 1.30 pm. Stout footwear should be worn and waterproofs brought along in case of bad weather. Please do come on these walks if you possibly can – the distance is no more than three not very difficult moorland miles and well within the capability of most people. If you are a stranger to this area the diversity and amount of archaeological remains might surprise you, so why not bring your camera and a picnic for after the walk. Bring your family and friends. The more the merrier!
Further details by telephoning the DPA on (01822) 890646 or visit the DPA Website on www.dartmoor-preservation-assoc.org.uk
COMMENT! Read visitors' comments on this page, and leave your own.
The quarry area comprises X, Y and Z on the map. Crownhill, Headon and Smallhanger Downs (shown on the lower half of the map) are in danger of being destroyed by waste tipping. Much of the ground has yet to be systematically surveyed and it is likely that the monuments currently recorded represent only a fraction of the existing archaeological remains.
Planning permission would probably not be granted for such a scheme today because the archaeological impact would have to be considered under PPG 16 and –
Rescue excavation is not an economically realistic option for such a large scale development
It is the opinion of the DPA that a rescue plan could be made financially viable for such a large and archaeologically rich area only through pursuing an inappropriate and ruthless sampling strategy, discarding generally accepted methods of investigation and standards of recording.
Yet the quarrying companies will go ahead unless concerned individuals act now by encouraging government agencies to intervene and forcing modification of the plans under Review of Old Mineral Permissions.
We're watching you Wessex Archaeology. (allegedly under contract by the quarrying companies to try and explain to planners how you can destroy the precious antiquities on Shaugh Moor in an "environmentally-friendly" way)
"Surely no modern archaeologist who values his/her reputation would conspire in the destruction of these sites." - John Bainbridge, Chief Exec, Dartmoor Preservation Assoc., Right Times, Jan-Mar 2000
Four Ways You Can Help:
1. Tell as many people as you can. Send or email this link to people who may be interested in helping the campaign. Put the word out on mailing lists and internet sites.
2. Write to : Rt. Hon. John Prescott, Secretary of State for the Environment, Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions, Eland House, Bressenden Place, London SW1E 5DU.
3. Join/send a donation to the Dartmoor Preservation Association, China Clay Campaign, Old Duchy hotel, FREEPOST (PY687), Yelverton, PL20 6ZZ.
4. Come to the event below
The Dartmoor Preservation Association are organising a second "day of action" to try and stop the proposed superquarry.
An open day of walks around the threatened areas of the Blackabrook Valley and Shaugh Moor - Saturday 22nd July 2000
The Blackabrook Valley is the proposed site of a new china clay quarry and Shaugh Moor its associated tipping ground. These short rambles will give you an opportunity to see the scale of the proposed quarrying developments and to gain an understanding into the archaeological and historical landscape which will be lost for ever. Walks will leave Cadover Bridge near Shaugh Prior at 10.30 am and 1.30 pm. Stout footwear should be worn and waterproofs brought along in case of bad weather. Please do come on these walks if you possibly can – the distance is no more than three not very difficult moorland miles and well within the capability of most people. If you are a stranger to this area the diversity and amount of archaeological remains might surprise you, so why not bring your camera and a picnic for after the walk. Bring your family and friends. The more the merrier!
Further details by telephoning the DPA on (01822) 890646
Dartmoor Preservation Association Website
More information on the megalithic sites of Dartmoor
View the area on the Megalith Map - Sheet SX
Look for Collard Tor Group SX559621 and Shaugh Moor Group SX555638)Page last updated: 11 July, 2000
[ Up ] [ Ancient Sites under Threat ] [ Nine Ladies - yet another site under threat from quarrying ] [ Stop the Dartmoor "Super-quarry" - Megalithic Mysteries ] [ Eden Arts propose modern Millennium Monument at Mayburgh Henge ] [ The shame of Stoney Littleton ] [ Stone Circle may end up in supermarket car park ]
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