Stony Raise cairn, Greenber Edge.

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.

Although the cairn has been partially disturbed, much of it survives intact and will retain further archaeological deposits.

Details

This large cairn is situated on a terrace on the northern slopes of Stake Fell. It is crossed by a modern stone wall running north west to south east. The cairn has a diameter of 30m and is approximately 2m high. It has been much disturbed and denuded particularly on the west side of the wall, being fully exposed with no vegetation cover. The disturbance on this side of the monument has also exposed a 1m square stone slab still in its original position. On the east side are a number of hollows up to 1.5m deep where stones have been removed. The northernmost hollow has a diameter of 5m with coursed stone visible on its west and south faces. To the south east of this, another slightly larger hollow displays coursed stones on its east face. To the east of the field wall on the south side the line of outer kerb stones is still visible. The modern field walls are excluded from the scheduling although the ground beneath them is included.

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:

24507

Legacy System:

RSM

End of official list entry

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