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 cairn of Bronze Age date situated on Holystone Common.
The heather-covered cairn is 8m in diameter and 1m high. A hollow is visible
at its centre, the result of partial excavation in the nineteenth century. The
location of the cairn suggests that it is associated with the adjacent round
cairn cemetery.
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
Legacy System number:
20963
Legacy System:
RSM
End of official list entry
