S3. Short single rows composed of less than 10 different sized stones

Torhousekie, East in Dumfries and Galloway

Distribution of short single rows composed of less than 10 different sized stones

There is a marked and probably significant concentration of short single rows composed of less than 10 different sized stones in Wales. Indeed more than half of all the rows of this type are to be found in Wales and there are only two in the whole of England. This seems unlikely to be a coincidence and fits with the idea that some types of row have a heartland together with outliers. In this case the outliers are found on the western side of Scotland. The clustered character of this distribution implies that relative stone size may have been important to the row builders and that it is likely to have been deliberate rather than accidental. This is best seen at Maen Mawr and Nant Tarw where the stones are significantly different in size. The distribution S3 type stone rows is also markedly western with no examples in the eastern part of the country. The use of different sized stones is a known characteristic of some stone circles and this may in some way have owed its origins to this group of stone rows.