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 a short distance east of the summit
plateau of Summerhouse Hill. It includes an oval mound of turf covered earth
and limestone rubble up to 0.6m high with maximum dimensions of 12.5m
north-south by 9.4m east-west. The cairn is kerbed with limestone blocks
around its perimeter. At the monument's centre is a circular depression 2.5m
in diameter by 0.3m deep which marks the site of an antiquarian investigation
undertaken in 1778. This investigation located a human skeleton adjacent to
which was found a large blue bead and an urn containing calcined human bones.
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
Legacy System number:
23730
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
