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 monument includes a round cairn located on the summit of a crescent-shaped
moranic ridge approximately 230m north east of the confluence of White Lyne
and The Gill. It includes a circular mound of stones, gravel and sand
measuring 10m in diameter and up to 0.5m high. Limited excavation by
Hodgson in 1939 found a stone lined cist containing a fragment of human bone,
evidence of cremation, and two nearly perfect decorated Bronze Age food
vessels. A smaller stone lined secondary cist situated to the south of the
primary burial contained an inverted food vessel. Close to this secondary cist
a cremation pit consisting of an oval hollow containing charcoal and human
bone was found.
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
Legacy System number:
27796
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
