Cairn 610m east of Glitteringstone

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.

Despite having been partially excavated in the past, valuable evidence relating to the construction of the cairn and the nature and duration of its use remains undisturbed within and beneath this cairn. Additionally, this cairn is one of a group of prehistoric monuments which survive on this area of moorland and will contribute to our understanding of prehistoric settlement and activity in the area.

Details

The monument includes a cairn and a small outlying standing stone of Bronze Age date situated on the top of a hill with extensive views in all directions. The cairn has undergone partial excavation in the past but extensive deposits survive undisturbed. The cairn, constructed of large stones and boulders, measures 18m in diameter and survives to a maximum height of 1m. At the approximate centre of the cairn there is a large cist measuring 1.7m long by 0.9m wide by 0.7m deep; it has been opened but survives well and the coverstone has been replaced. A large hole to the south-east of the cist, the possible remains of a second burial, has been roughly infilled with large stones and rubble. Traces of a retaining circle of stones are visible on the western side of the cairn, but this survives less well above ground on the other sides. There are no traces of a surrounding ditch. Ten metres to the north of the cist, and just outside the cairn, there is a small outlying standing stone 0.5m high.

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:

20891

Legacy System:

RSM

Sources

Other
No. 2248,

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