Sunrise and Sunset

Celestial events, and in particular the rising (birth) and setting (death) of the sun were, and still are, an important part of the experience of inhabiting the Pebblebed heathlands. The sun rises on the summer solstice in the north-east towards the northern end of the East Hill ridge (Figs 1 & 2).

Figure 1. Midsummer Sunrise seen from the Aylesbeare Common summit barrow.

Figure 2. Midsummer Sunrise seen from the Aylesbeare Common summit barrow.

At the summer and autumn equinox, when the days and nights are equally, long the sunrise is at its most dramatic. It rises due east through the Sidmouth gap through the East Hill and Peak Hill ridges (Figs. 3 & 4).

Figure 3. Equinoxal Sunrise seen from the Aylebeare Common summit barrow.

Figure 4. Equinoxal Sunrise seen from the Aylebeare Common summit barrow.

The ridges on either side frame this event and intensify the effect. The sunrise at this time of the year can be seen most dramatically from the large Bronze Age summit barrows on the summit of Aylesbeare Common. At midwinter the sun rises out of the sea to the west of High Peak in the South-East (Figs. 5 & 6).

Figure 5. The sunrise at the mid-winter solstice seen from Great Tor Barrow.

Figure 6. The sunrise at the mid-winter solstice seen from Great Tor Barrow.

Its rays run across Little Tor Barrow and Tor Barrow, the two Bronze Age cairns excavated by the Pebblebeds Project on Colaton Raleigh Common (Figs. 7 & 8).

Figure 7. The mid-winter sunrise seen from Tor Barrow.

Figure 8. The mid-winter sunrise seen from Tor Barrow.

At the midwinter solstice the sun sets behind the Haldon Hills in the south-west in the dip between Little Haldon to the soth and Great Haldon to the north (Figs. 9 and 10).

Figure 9. The mid-winter sunset seen from Woodbury Castle.

Figure 10. The mid-winter sunset seen from Woodbury Castle.

At the autumn and spring equinox it sets due west and can be seen dipping down over the Haldon Hills and the high peaks of Dartmoor beyond, from prehistoric barrows along the western edge of the Pebblebed heathlands looking out across the Exe estuary (Figs. 11 & 12).

Figure 11. Equinoxal sunset over the Haldon Hills and Dartmoor.

Figure 12. Equinoxal sunset over the Haldon Hills and Dartmoor.

At the summer solstice the sun sets in the north-west over Exeter in the gap created by the river Exe betweenthe line of the Haldon Hills to the west and the Raddon Hills to the north (Figs 13 & 14).

Figure 13. The sunset at the solstice over Exeter.

Figure 14. The sunset at the solstice over Exeter.

The only prehistoric barrows from which all these celestial events can be seen are the two summit barrows on the top of Aylesbeare Common (the view is now blocked in some directions by modern pine plantations) and the largest barrow on the heathlands, known as The Beacon to the north of Woodbury Castle. From other barrows such as Great Tor Barrow and Tor Barrow on Colaton Raleigh Common or the barrows on Venn Oterry Common, while the rising of the sun is visible it cannot be seen setting because of the manner in which the land rises across the heathlands to the north and the west.

The fact that the rising of the sun is the most dramatic event in relation to the surrounding landscape and that this can be seen from all the barrows whereas the setting of the sun can only be seen from a few suggests that a view of the rising sun was of particular importance in relation to the locations of barrows in the landscape.
During the course of the year the sun effectively moves back and forth (north and south) rising over the East Hill and Peak Hill ridges and between them at the equinox. It moves back and forth (north and south) along the line of the Haldon Hills to the west setting over them at different points during the course of the year. The only time when it is seen to be born from the sea to the south is at midwinter sunrise. At this time of the year it has a ‘wet’ birth. Seen from the visual perspective of the heathlands it always has a ‘dry’ death. In relation to the fire rituals taking place at the prehistoric cairns sun symbolism would have been of great significance in the ceremonial rites that took place. A direct connection can be drawn between the pyres that were lit and the life-giving force of the sun.