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.
Details
This ring cairn is situated on a slight north east facing slope above
Cogden Gill ravine and overlooking the lower reaches of Swaledale. It includes
a substantial stone bank 2.5m wide and 0.3m high, although somewhat obscured
by thick heather and bracken. Some robbing has taken place of large stones on
the eastern side of the monument. The ring cairn has an overall diameter of
15.5m.
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
Legacy System number:
24559
Legacy System:
RSM
End of official list entry
