Reasons for Designation
Rombalds Moor is an eastern outlier of the main Pennine range lying between
the valleys of the Wharfe and the Aire. The bulk of this area of 90 sq km of
rough moorland lies over 200m above sea level. The moor is particularly rich
in remains of prehistoric activity. The most numerous relics are the rock
carvings which can be found on many of the boulders and outcrops scattered
across the moor. Burial monuments, stone circles and a range of enclosed
settlements are also known.
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.
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. A substantial proportion of surviving examples are
considered worthy of protection.
Prehistoric rock carvings are found on natural rock outcrops in
many areas of upland Britain. They are especially common in the north of
England in Northumberland, Durham, and North and West Yorkshire. The most
common form of decoration is the `cup' marking where small cup-like hollows
are worked into the surface of the rock. These cups may be surrounded by one
or more `rings'. Single pecked lines also exist, providing the design with a
`tail'. Other shapes and patterns also occur, but are less frequent. Carvings
may occur singly, and in small groups, or may cover extensive areas of rock
surface. They date to the Late Neolithic and Bronze Age periods (2800-c.500
BC) and provide one of our most important insights into prehistoric `art'. The
exact meaning of the designs remains unknown, but they may be interpreted as
sacred or religious symbols. All positively identified prehistoric rock
carvings will normally be identified as nationally important.
Although this cairn is known to have been excavated by the Bradford
Archaeology Group in 1949, it seems, according to their brief report, that the
cairn was not excavated below ground level, but was `uncovered', i.e. the turf
and soil were removed down to the `hidden boulders'. Consequently, much of
archaeological importance may remain.
The carvings on the cup-marked rock survive well and it will contribute to an
understanding of the wider grouping of carved rocks.
Details
The monument includes a circular cairn on boggy ground east of Glovershaw
quarry. In appearance it has characteristics of a ring cairn; it is a low,
almost circular bank of earth and stones with a gap at the west side. The bank
is c.0.3m to 0.4m high, 2m wide. This present form is largely the result of
partial excavation which has removed the centre of the original round cairn,
leaving just the outer margin of the mound. The cairn is 13m in diameter
including the bank. There is a strong likelihood that this cairn had a
surrounding ditch, by analogy with an adjacent example; the width would be of
the order of 1m. Although partially excavated this cairn will still retain
important evidence of its original form and of the burials placed within it.
This monument also includes a carved rock 0.7m x 0.7m, level with the ground
-surface, which is 7.2m west of the cairn. The carving consists of six shallow
cups and one groove.
MAP EXTRACT
The site of the monument is shown on the attached map extract.
