Spinster's Rock is a Neolithic dolmen in the Dartmoor National Park and it was originally erected at around 3500-2500 B.C. It has been estimated that the capstone weighs 16 tonnes and measures 3.65m long by 2.7m wide and 0.6m thick.
The stones fell down in 1862 and were re-erected in the same year. Sadly, when compared to some historical drawings, the reconstruction doesn't look that accurate.
Anyway, why was it named Spinsters' Rock? There are many versions of stories of how the name came about. One of the versions describe people turning into stones. The version which I thought makes the most sense was the one purposed by the writer William Chapple in 1779. He suggested that the name 'Spinster's Rock' derived from the Celtic phrase, "Lle Yspiennwr rhongoa," which is translated to mean, 'the place of the open observatory 'or 'the open star gazing place'.
There are many other prehistoric structures in Devon and Cornwall. And over here, you can walk close right up to it and takes photos! Although they are generally not as large as the stonehenge, you can usually have it all to yourself and take as many photos as you like!
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