Cairn 1150m north-east of Cartington Castle
Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places
Overview
- Heritage Category:
- Scheduled Monument
- List Entry Number:
- 1008689
- Date first listed:
- 03-Mar-1993
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Location
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Discover moreOfficial list entry
- Heritage Category:
- Scheduled Monument
- List Entry Number:
- 1008689
- Date first listed:
- 03-Mar-1993
Location
The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.
- District:
- Northumberland (Unitary Authority)
- Parish:
- Thropton
- National Grid Reference:
- NU 04877 05130
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.
This cairn survives reasonably well and is a good example of its type. Most of the archaeological deposits are undisturbed and contain valuable evidence relating to the construction of the cairn and the nature and duration of its use. Additionally, it is one of a group of large Prehistoric burial cairns located prominently on the summits of hills in Coquetdale and it will contribute to our understanding of Prehistoric settlement and activity in the area.
Details
The monument includes a large cairn of Bronze Age date situated on the summit of Cartington Hill. The cairn has extensive views in all directions and is a prominent landmark clearly visible from the surrounding area. The cairn is well preserved and measures 12m in diameter and survives to a height of 1.3m. Traces of a kerb are visible around the periphery of the cairn. The cairn material has been re-arranged by walkers to provide small chambers for shelter and this has revealed the remains of a stone cist in the interior.
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:
- 20896
- Legacy System:
- RSM
Sources
Books and journals
Dixon, D D, Upper Coquetdale, (1903)
Other
No. 2275,
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.
Map
This map is for quick reference purposes only and may not be to scale. This copy shows the entry on 04-Jun-2026 at 06:50:42.
Download a full scale map (PDF)© Crown copyright [and database rights] 2026. OS AC0000815036. All rights reserved. Ordnance Survey Licence number 100024900.© British Crown and SeaZone Solutions Limited 2026. All rights reserved. Licence number 102006.006.
End of official list entry