Round cairn 180m WSW of Higher Conquer

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Overview

Heritage Category:
Scheduled Monument
List Entry Number:
1004354
Date first listed:
07-Mar-1968
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Official list entry

Heritage Category:
Scheduled Monument
List Entry Number:
1004354
Date first listed:
07-Mar-1968
Location Description:
Legacy Record - This information may be included in the List Entry Details.

Location

The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.

District:
Cornwall (Unitary Authority)
Parish:
Madron
National Grid Reference:
SW 46931 35958

Reasons for Designation

Round cairns are prehistoric funerary monuments dating to the Bronze Age (c.2000-700 BC). They were constructed as stone mounds covering single or multiple burials. These burials may be placed within the mound in stone-lined compartments called cists. In some cases the cairn was surrounded by a ditch. Often occupying prominent locations, cairns are a major visual element in the modern landscape. They are a relatively common feature of the uplands and are the stone equivalent of the earthen round barrows of the lowlands. Their considerable variation in form and longevity as a monument type provide important information on the diversity of beliefs and social organisation amongst early prehistoric communities. They are particularly representative of their period. Despite partial early excavation, the round cairn 180m WSW of Higher Conquer survives well and will contain archaeological and environmental evidence relating to its construction, longevity, territorial significance, social organisation, funerary and ritual practices and overall landscape context.

Details

The monument includes a round cairn, situated on the summit of the ridge known as Carnaquidden Downs. The cairn survives as a circular stony mound which measures up to 12.5m in diameter and 1.3m high. There are traces of a largely buried surrounding quarry ditch, from which material to construct the cairn was derived. The mound has a slight central depression which may mark the position of early antiquarian excavation. Other archaeological remains in the vicinity are the subject of a separate scheduling.

Sources: HER:- PastScape Monument No:-423455

Legacy

The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.

Legacy System number:
CO 660
Legacy System:
RSM - OCN

Legal

This monument is scheduled under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979 as amended as it appears to the Secretary of State to be of national importance. This entry is a copy, the original is held by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.

Ordnance survey map of Round cairn 180m WSW of Higher Conquer

Map

This map is for quick reference purposes only and may not be to scale. This copy shows the entry on 17-Jul-2026 at 13:22:53.

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© Crown copyright [and database rights] 2026. OS AC0000815036. Use of this mapping is subject to Terms and Conditions.

End of official list entry

All text content is available under the Open Government Licence v3.0 , except where otherwise stated. Any supplied maps are © Crown Copyright [and database rights] 2026 OS AC0000815036 and may not be reproduced without permission.

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