Carved rock and two cairns 180m ESE of the shooting shelter, Middleton Moor Enclosure

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.

Prehistoric rock carving is found on natural boulders and rock outcrops in many areas of upland Britain. It is 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 extending from the cup through the rings may also exist, providing the design with a `tail'. Other shapes and patterns also occur but are less frequent. Carvings may occur singly, 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 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 sites will normally be identified as nationally important. The carving on this rock survives well. The two cairns are only slightly disturbed, and will retain evidence of their original form and of any burials placed within them. Together the cairns and the carved rock form part of the prehistoric landscape of Middleton Moor.

Details

The monument includes a carved gritstone rock and two small cairns, one to either side of the rock. They are situated in Middleton Moor Enclosure, on a rise east of the path, 180m ESE of the shooting shelter. The rock (NGR 11749 52034) is of coarse gritstone and measures 0.75m by 0.75m by 0.15m. The carving consists of one large cup mark at the north corner. The cairn west (NGR SE 11746 52026) of the carved rock is oval, 4m by 5m, and 0.6m high. The cairn east (NGR SE 11755 52033) of the carved rock has an amorphous shape, c.3m by c.2.5m, and is 0.4m high.

MAP EXTRACT The site of the monument is shown on the attached map extract.

Legacy

The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.

Legacy System number:

28033

Legacy System:

RSM

End of official list entry

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