MSO7112 - Prehistoric standing stone on Trout Hill (Monument)

A standing stone was located during fieldwork in 1993 to 1994 on slopes facing the eastern tip of Lanacombe. [1] The stone is centred at SS 79022 43167 on the crest of northwest facing slopes. It is a prehistoric standing stone, comprising a rectangular slab 0.55 metres high, 0.6 metres long and 0.07 metres thick. It leans slightly northeastwards towards an erosion hollow 0.6 by 1.4 metres. On the eastern face of the stone are inscribed the initials "CS". The lettering is 10 centimetres high and is crudely inscribed. Surveyed at 1:2500 scale. [2] Survey into the state of the site records the erosion hollow as being active. [3] The stone is marked on modern MasterMap data at SS 79021 43166. [4] A large thin and flat-sided edge set slab on the western edge of Trout Hill, just north of the setting MEM15202. The stone measures 0.53 by 0.68 by 0.05 metres, and has a significant lean to the east. The area is covered in high rushes and molinia, but the stone is very visible and easy to find. The shape is unusual for a prehistoric standing stone, and it may well be for some other purpose, perhaps a rubbing stone. One side of the stone is inscribed with the letters "CS". Despite the lean the stone is very well set and stable. There appears to be no active damage to the stone, aside from a slight erosion hollow at its base. [5] This record was enhanced as part of the National Record of the Historic Environment to Exmoor National Park Historic Environment Record data transfer project. [6]