Reasons for Designation
Dartmoor is the largest expanse of open moorland in southern Britain and,
because of exceptional conditions of preservation, it is also one of the most
complete examples of an upland relict landscape in the whole country. The
great wealth and diversity of archaeological remains provide direct evidence
for human exploitation of the Moor from the early prehistoric period onwards.
The well-preserved and often visible relationship between settlement sites,
major land boundaries, trackways, ceremonial and funerary monuments as well as
later industrial remains, gives significant insights into successive changes
in the pattern of land use through time. Round cairns are prehistoric funerary
monuments dating to the Bronze Age (c.2000-700 BC). They were constructed as
earthen or rubble mounds, the latter predominating in areas of upland Britain
where such raw materials were locally available in abundance. Round cairns may
cover single or multiple burials and are sometimes surrounded by an outer
ditch. Often occupying prominent locations, they are a major visual element in
the modern landscape. 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. Dartmoor provides one
of the best preserved and most dense concentrations of round cairns in south-
western Britain.
Details
The monument, which falls into five areas, includes eight round cairns and a
cist situated on Long Ridge, locally known as Langridge, overlooking the
valley of the River North Teign. These mounds form a cairn cemetery situated
between two broadly contemporary stone hut circle settlements. Six of the
mounds are circular in shape, vary in diameter between 4.1m and 6m and stand
between 0.5m and 0.7m high. The remaining two mounds are oval and the largest
of these measures 6m long by 4m wide and stands up 0.7m high. One cairn
contains a cist which measures 0.83m square by up to 0.47m deep. The capstone,
which once covered the cist, now lies 0.7m NNW of the cist. At least three of
the cairns are partly surrounded by edge set stones indicating the presence of
kerbs.
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
Legacy System number:
28664
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
