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)
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.
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