Monument record MDO1426 - Stone, Litton Cheney

Formerly described as a 'megalith' but excavation in 1955, prior to removal, suggested that the stone was natural.

A destroyed cromlech, only the capstone remains; on LYTTON DOWN, 100 yds. N. of the IX milestone on the DORCHESTER - BRIDPORT road. <1> [SY 55089181. JWS] 1. Cap. Stone:- 9' x 6 1/2' x 1'. (Warne. 130) Unproven. <3> Megalith lying flat and partly imbedded in the ground. It is of irregular form about 8ft by 7 ft by about 1 1/2 foot thick. <4> Destroyed, if this was a long barrow. There is now a single recumbent stone. <5> The remains of this chamber consist solely of the sarsen capstone. This lies flat and partly embedded in the ground, and is of rectangular shape, 2.5m x 1.7m. The thickness could not be determined. There is no visible mound which could be associated with the feature, but the grass covered field shows much evidence of surface quarrying which would probably have destroyed it. <6> The field was to have been ploughed, before removing the 'megalith' investigation took place. An area round the 'cromlech' was cleared down to natural chalk. No sign of a socket or of other stones was observed, and the stone would appear to have a natural origin. <7-8>

Record last edited

Oct 31 2023 7:03AM