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.
Details
The Gittisham Hill barrow cemetery is situated in south east Devon, 8km
south of Honiton, on the high ground of an extensive Greensand plateau where
it forms the watershed of the south-flowing River Sid. The monument includes a
single cairn situated on the west side of Gittisham Hill on ground sloping
gradually down to the west.
The cairn consists of a substantial mound, 26m in diameter and up to c.1m in
height. Some flinty stones up to 20cm in size are visible on its surface. A
central hollow and other interconnected smaller hollows may mark the site of
earlier excavations, although no details of this activity are known. The cairn
does not appear to have been surrounded by a ditch. The edge of the cairn
remains intact, apart from the north side where a segment about 2m wide
radially has been removed to create a level area to accommodate caravans and
also the south east side, where a recently built toilet/shower block impinges
slightly on the cairn.
The toilet/shower block and all power-point posts are excluded from the
scheduling.
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
Legacy System number:
27410
Legacy System:
RSM
Sources
Books and journals
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
