Round cairn 280m north-east of Raddick Hill summit

Reasons for Designation

Dartmoor is the largest expanse of open moorland in southern Britain and, because of exceptional conditions of preservation, it is also one of the most complete examples of an upland relict landscape in the whole country. The great wealth and diversity of archaeological remains provide direct evidence for human exploitation of the Moor from the early prehistoric period onwards. The well-preserved and often visible relationship between settlement sites, major land boundaries, trackways, ceremonial and funerary monuments as well as later industrial remains, gives significant insights into successive changes in the pattern of land use through time. Round cairns are prehistoric funerary monuments dating to the Bronze Age (c.2000-700 BC). They were constructed as earthen or rubble mounds, the latter predominating in areas of upland Britain where such raw materials were locally available in abundance. Round cairns may cover single or multiple burials and are sometimes surrounded by an outer ditch. Often occupying prominent locations, they are a major visual element in the modern landscape. 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. Dartmoor provides one of the best preserved and most dense concentrations of round cairns in south- western Britain.

Despite evidence for partial excavation, the round cairn 280m north-east of Raddick Hill summit survives well and contains archaeological and environmental evidence relating to the monument and the landscape in which it was constructed. This cairn forms an important constituent part of a diverse group of monuments including contemporary settlements, field systems and other funerary sites.

Details

This monument includes a round cairn situated on a gentle north-west facing slope of Cramber Tor overlooking the valley of the Hart Tor Brook. The cairn mound measures 7m in diameter and stands up to 1.2m high. A hollow in the centre of the mound suggests partial early excavation or robbing. The site was described by the Dartmoor Exploration Committee as being the one in which a cist containing a piece of bronze was found. It is however more likely that the platform cairn 220m to the south-west is the true provenance of this find.

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:

22302

Legacy System:

RSM

Sources

Books and journals
Burnard, R, Devonshire Association Transactions in Eighteenth Report of the Barrow Committee, Vol. 31, (1899), 98-99

Other
Devon County Sites and Monuments Register, SX57SE84,

End of official list entry

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