Reasons for Designation
Dartmoor is the largest expanse of open moorland in Southern Britain and
because of exceptional conditions of preservation, it is also one of the
most complete examples of upland relict landscape in the whole country. The
great wealth and diversity of archaeological remains provides direct
evidence for human exploitation of the Moor from the early prehistoric
period onwards. The well-preserved relationship between settlement sites,
major land boundaries, trackways, ceremonial and funerary monuments, as well
as later industrial remains, gives significant insights into successive
changes in the pattern of land use through time.
This cairn, north-east of Harrowthorn Plantation, is a well-preserved
example situated on the south-west slope of Stalldown. Its relationship to
other funerary monuments on Stalldown, and close association with a reave,
indicates the wealth of evidence relating to the ritual side of prehistoric
life on this part of the Moor.
Details
Many examples of prehistoric funerary monuments are preserved on Dartmoor,
mostly dating to the Bronze Age (c.2500 - 500 BC). To celebrate or
commemorate the dead, mounds of earth or stone were piled in roughly
hemispherical shape over the burial, which was sometimes contained in a
small rectangular structure, or cist, made of stone slabs. Some monuments
also include kerbstones marking the outer edge of the mound and a
surrounding ditch.
This cairn, 5m. in diameter and 0.7m. high with a hollow in the centre,
lies 220m. north-east of Harrowthorn Plantation. A large granite slab lying
on the north-east side of the cairn is probably the displaced capstone of a
cist, there is no cist visible. The cairn is in close association with a
reave running towards the southern slope of Stalldown.
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
Legacy System number:
10512
Legacy System:
RSM
Sources
Books and journals Other
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
