Cairn, 545m ESE of Bragg House, Barningham Moor

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.

The cairn, 545m ESE of Bragg House has been disturbed, but it retains evidence of its form and location and it should retain buried archaeological deposits which will contribute to our knowledge of prehistoric burial practices. It forms an important part of the prehistoric landscape of Barningham Moor, which includes numerous prehistoric carved rocks and evidence for prehistoric burials, settlements and the agricultural use of the land. This site will therefore contribute to studies of such prehistoric landscapes and the changing patterns of land use over time.

Details

The monument includes a cairn, built of stone and now grass covered. It is 10m in diameter and 0.4m high. It is situated on Barningham Moor, on a slight rise between a stream and the wall of Barningham Park, opposite a prehistoric enclosure on Brown Hill. The cairn has been robbed for walling stone, leaving an irregular circular bank. Buried archaeological remains, however, will survive intact.

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:

30486

Legacy System:

RSM

Sources

Other
Cairns on Barningham Moor, Laurie, T, (1997)

End of official list entry

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