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 the earthwork and buried remains of a round cairn on the
boulder-strewn spine of The Stiperstones, south of a tor known as Cranberry
Rock.
The cairn is composed of angular blocks of stone placed on a rock outcrop,
which is aligned north-south with its west face showing. The cairn measures
about 7m north-south and 4m east-west, and survives to a maximum height of 1m.
Material used in its construction was obtained from the surrounding clitter
and from a ditch which surrounded the eastern half of the cairn. Although not
visible at ground level, the ditch is believed to survive as a buried feature,
about 1m in width.
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
Legacy System number:
32296
Legacy System:
RSM
End of official list entry
