Where the Maidens Dance
By Miles ·
Ancient granite stones stand on Belstone Common beneath dramatic clouds, marking the Nine Maidens, a prehistoric ring cairn steeped in Dartmoor folklore.
Scattered across the open moorland of Belstone Common, the ancient stones known as the Nine Maidens have stood for thousands of years, their origins reaching back into Dartmoor's prehistoric past.
Despite their name, there are considerably more than nine stones. The monument, also known as the Nine Stones, is actually a Bronze Age ring cairn, with at least sixteen upright granite stones surrounding what was once a small burial mound.
Like many of Dartmoor's ancient monuments, the Nine Maidens are surrounded by folklore. According to local legend, nine young women were turned to stone as punishment for dancing on the Sabbath. The story goes that, even today, the stones come to life and dance at noon, although I've yet to witness such an extraordinary spectacle myself.
I was particularly drawn to the relationship between the weathered stones and the dramatic sky above them. Great banks of cloud swept across the northern moor, creating a striking backdrop to the ancient monument.
I chose black and white to emphasise the rough textures of the granite, the strong shapes of the standing stones and the shifting tones of the clouds. The open landscape beyond provides a wonderful sense of space, with the distant hills and fields reminding us how these prehistoric remains have become part of the surrounding countryside.
There is something fascinating about standing amongst stones that were placed here so long ago. We can study their arrangement and speculate about their purpose, but the lives and beliefs of the people who created them remain largely unknown.
For me, the Nine Maidens capture that wonderful mixture of history, mystery and landscape that makes Dartmoor such a rewarding place to explore.
And while I can't claim to have seen the stones dancing, they certainly have a story or two to tell.