Ring cairn on Force Ing, west of Whitfield Gill

Reasons for Designation

A ring cairn is a prehistoric ritual monument comprising a circular bank of stones up to 20m in diameter surrounding a hollow central area. The bank may be kerbed on the inside, and sometimes on the outside as well, with small uprights or laid boulders. Ring cairns are found mainly in upland areas of England and are mostly discovered and authenticated by fieldwork and ground level survey, although a few are large enough to be visible on aerial photographs. They often occur in pairs or small groups of up to four examples. Occasionally they lie within round barrow cemeteries. Ring cairns are interpreted as ritual monuments of Early and Middle Bronze Age date. The exact nature of the rituals concerned is not fully understood, but excavation has revealed pits, some containing burials and others containing charcoal and pottery, taken to indicate feasting activities associated with the burial rituals. Many areas of upland have not yet been surveyed in detail and the number of ring cairns in England is not accurately known. However, available evidence indicates a population of between 250 and 500 examples. As a relatively rare class of monument exhibiting considerable variation in form, all positively identified examples retaining significant archaeological deposits are considered worthy of preservation.

The monument although partially disturbed is still a well preserved example of this monument type containing further archaeological remains.

Details

The monument is situated in a commanding position on the crest of a long ridge on high ground above Whitfield Gill. Only three quarters of the enclosing inner bank is visible but this is well defined. The monument has a diameter of 18m which includes a 2m wide and approximately 0.6m deep ditch and the remains of an outer bank discernible on the east side of the monument. The 2.5m wide inner bank rises to a height of between 0.6m-0.9m above the base of the ditch, but only 0.3m above the interior of the cairn. The monument was excavated prior to 1929 by Dr Arthur Raistrick. The centre of the monument had been disturbed previous to this.

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:

24508

Legacy System:

RSM

End of official list entry

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