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.
Details
The monument is White Raise round cairn. It is located on Askham Fell and
includes a partly mutilated oval mound of stones up to 1.8m high with maximum
dimensions of 22m by 17.9m. Slightly south west of the cairn's centre is an
open rectangular cist measuring 1.25m by 0.6m and up to 0.4m deep with an
adjacent displaced limestone capping slab. A series of three partly
turf-covered stone banks up to 3m wide extend tangentially from the body of
the cairn. The largest of these banks is orientated south west from the edge
of the cairn and extends for 20m. There are faint indications of a dry stone
structure within the bank and some larger stones along the edge indicative of
kerbing. A second bank extends along the eastern and north eastern sides of
the cairn but does not actually separate from the cairn. The third bank is
orientated north west from the edge of the cairn and extends for 10m.
Limited antiquarian investigation located an adult inhumation within the
slightly off-centre cist.
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
Legacy System number:
22524
Legacy System:
RSM
Sources
Books and journals Other
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.
End of official list entry
