Round cairn, 460m south west of Thompson Ground

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 and a substantial proportion of surviving examples are considered worthy of protection. Despite partial excavation, the round cairn 460m south west of Thompson Ground survives comparatively well and it is known to contain funerary archaeological remains. The round cairn is a good example with the plano-convex knife being a form of artefact commonly associated with Early Bronze Age cremated burials. The monument provides insight into the character of funerary rituals during the crucial transition between the later Neolithic and the Bronze Age when individual burials associated with grave goods began to appear for the first time.

Details

The monument includes the earthwork remains of a Bronze Age round cairn situated on a north east facing slope with commanding views to the east. The turf-covered round cairn measures approximately 14m in diameter and 1.2m in height. The round cairn was partially excavated in 1883 and 1887 when the stone cairn was found to cover several patches of ash and charcoal and a square-cut pit. The pit measured 0.84m by 0.53m and contained cremated bone and a fine flint plano-convex knife.

SOURCES PastScape Monument No:- 39950 NMR:- SD39NW14 Lake District National Park HER:- 2061

Legacy

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

Legacy System number:

CU 85

Legacy System:

RSM - OCN

End of official list entry

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