Cairn and carved rock on High Black Hill, 410m ENE of the shooting shelter in 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 cairn, though disturbed, preserves evidence of its original form and of any burials placed within it. The carvings on the adjacent carved rock survive well. Together they form part of the prehistoric landscape of Middleton Moor.

Details

The monument includes a cairn and a carved rock at the north east edge of this cairn. An accurate NGR for the monument is SE 11978 52201. They are situated in Middleton Moor Enclosure, on High Black Hill. The cairn measures 8m in diameter and is c.1m high. The rock is partly covered in vegetation. The visible part measures 0.3m by 0.3m by 0.05m. The carving consists of c.6 small cup marks and a branching groove, partly enclosing some of the cups.

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:

28039

Legacy System:

RSM

End of official list entry

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