Reasons for Designation
Rombalds Moor is an eastern outlier of the main Pennine range lying between
the valleys of the Wharfe and the Aire. The bulk of this area of 90 sq km of
rough moorland lies over 200m above sea level. The moor is particularly rich
in remains of prehistoric activity. The most numerous relics are the rock
carvings which can be found on many of the boulders and outcrops scattered
across the moor. Burial monuments, stone circles and a range of enclosed
settlements are also known.
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.
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. A substantial proportion of surviving examples are
considered worthy of protection.
Details
The monument includes a subcircular earth and stone bank 12m in total
diameter. The bank width is c.2.8m and its height is c.0.4m. In view of the
small size of the cairn and a slight irregularity of the bank and internal
ground surface, it is thought that the cairn was originally a more
conventional round cairn, and that its present form is the result of
disturbance of the central area of the mound.
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
Legacy System number:
25283
Legacy System:
RSM
End of official list entry
