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 includes a round cairn of Bronze Age date situated on level
ground at the foot of two locally prominent hillocks. The cairn, composed of
earth and stone, is 16m in diameter and a maximum of 1.2m high. At the centre
of the cairn there is a hollow disturbance in which the cairn material is
visible; this was caused by the partial excavation of the mound by Canon W
Greenwell in the 19th century. During these excavations the cremated
body of an adult was discovered immediately west of the centre, lying in a
slight hollow along with the cremated body of a child placed in a Bronze Age
pottery vessel. At the centre of the mound fragments of a further cremation
and a vessel were discovered; these had been damaged by the later erection of
a cattle rubbing post on the mound. Both urns are now held in the British
Museum.
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
Legacy System number:
21000
Legacy System:
RSM
Sources
Books and journals
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
