Round cairn, 160m north east of Hosedon Linn

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.

The round cairn 160m north east of Hosedon Linn survives well and is of unusual form. The importance of the monument is enhanced by the survival of Bronze Age settlements and evidence of territorial division in the vicinity; taken together they contribute to our knowledge and understanding of Bronze Age settlement and activity in the area.

Details

The monument includes the remains of a round cairn of prehistoric date, situated on gentle south facing slopes adjacent to the medieval drove road of Clennell Street. The cairn, of unusual form, has a raised central platform 4m in diameter which is surrounded by a slightly scooped ditch 3m across; an outer stone ring 0.3m high and 1.5m wide surrounds the whole. The north western part of the cairn has been encroached upon by Clennell Street.

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:

25023

Legacy System:

RSM

Sources

Books and journals
Jobey, G, Archaeologia Aeliana 4 ser 50 in Notes On Additional Early Settlements In Northumberland, (1972), 80

Other
Gates, T & Ainsworth, S, Field Survey in Northumberland pt 1, (1979)
NT 90 NW 01,

End of official list entry

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