Round cairn 515m south east of White Raise round cairn, Askham Fell

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.

The monument is a rare survival in Cumbria of an undisturbed example of this class of monument and will contain undisturbed archaeological deposits within the mound and upon the old landsurface beneath. It lies within an area of open fell rich in prehistoric monuments, and is situated upon an alignment of funerary monuments stretching for over 1.5km along the natural communication route over a col between Lowther and Ullswater valleys. It thus indicates the importance of this area in prehistoric times and will contribute to the study of the ceremonial function of cairns and other spatially associated monuments in the area.

Details

The monument is a round cairn located on Askham Fell 515m south east of White Raise round cairn. It includes a partly turf-covered oval mound of stones up to 0.25m high with maximum dimensions of 3.8m by 2.8m.

MAP EXTRACT The site of the monument is shown on the attached map extract. It includes a 2 metre boundary around the archaeological features, considered to be essential for the monument's support and preservation.

Legacy

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

Legacy System number:

22529

Legacy System:

RSM

Sources

Books and journals
Quartermaine, J, Askham Fell Survey Catalogue, (1992), 23-4
Quartermaine, J, Askham Fell Survey Catalogue, (1992), 21

Other
Darvill, T, MPP Single Monument Class Descriptions - Bowl Barrows (1988), (1988)

End of official list entry

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