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 a round cairn located on the gently graded north-facing slope
of Gaythorne Plain 600m south-east of Gaythorne Cottages. It includes a partly
turf-covered oval mound of limestone rubble up to 1m high with maximum
dimensions of 14m by 12m. Three rounded stones on the southern edge of the
cairn are the remains of a kerb. Limited antiquarian investigation of the
cairn located the scattered and broken bones of an adult laid upon the old
landsurface. A further four kerbstones were also found.
An information sign at the monument's centre is excluded from the scheduling,
although the ground beneath it is included.
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
Legacy System number:
22471
Legacy System:
RSM
Sources
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
