Summary of Monument
Two prehistoric standing stones on Lyn Down, 630m west of Lower Combe Park Farm.
Reasons for Designation
Standing stones are prehistoric ritual or ceremonial monuments with dates ranging from the Late Neolithic to the end of the Bronze Age for those few excavated examples. They comprise single or paired upright orthostatic slabs, which range in size from under lm to over 6m high where still erect. They are often conspicuously sited. Standing stones may have functioned as markers for routeways, territories, graves, or meeting points. Their accompanying buried features show they also had a ritual function and form one of several ritual monument classes of their period that often contain a deposit of cremation and domestic debris as an integral component. Standing stones are important as nationally rare monuments, with a high longevity and demonstrating the diversity of ritual practices in the Late Neolithic and Bronze Age.
Despite restoration in 1906, the two prehistoric standing stones known as Lyn Long Stones survive comparatively well and enjoy views to the coast of South Wales. The area between and around the stones is likely to contain important archaeological and environmental information relating to their use and the nature of their surrounding landscape. They have undoubtedly formed a significant landmark within this landscape for a considerable time.
This record has been generated from an "old county number" (OCN) scheduling record. These are monuments that were not reviewed under the Monuments Protection Programme and are some of our oldest designation records.
The monument includes two prehistoric standing stones situated on the summit of a ridge marking the watershed between the valleys of the West Lyn River and Hoaroak Water.
The southern stone is 2.1m high and tapers upwards from 0.75m wide at the base to 0.45m wide at the top. Situated 3.5m to the south, the second smaller stone is 1.2m high and is leaning slightly. In 1906 both stones were re-erected back into their original holes by Preb. Chanter F.S.A and R. Handsford Worth.
The Ordnance Survey mapping for 1889 depicts several more stones within this field, these were turbary marker stones, which denoted the boundaries of turf cutting allotments. These were removed in 1906 prior to cultivation.
PastScape Monument Nos:- 35188 and 926153
National Grid Reference: SS 72725 47523, SS 72731 47543