Reasons for Designation
The East Moors in Derbyshire includes all the gritstone moors east of the
River Derwent. It covers an area of 105 sq km, of which around 63% is open
moorland and 37% is enclosed. As a result of recent and on-going
archaeological survey, the East Moors area is becoming one of the best
recorded upland areas in England. On the enclosed land the archaeological
remains are fragmentary, but survive sufficiently well to show that early
human activity extended beyond the confines of the open moors.
On the open moors there is significant and well-articulated evidence over
extensive areas for human exploitation of the gritstone uplands from the
Neolithic to the post-medieval periods. Bronze Age activity accounts for the
most intensive use of the moorlands. Evidence for it includes some of the
largest and best preserved field systems and cairnfields in northern England
as well settlement sites, numerous burial monuments, stone circles and other
ceremonial remains which, together, provide a detailed insight into life in
the Bronze Age. Also of importance is the well preserved and often visible
relationship between the remains of earlier and later periods since this
provides an insight into successive changes in land use through time.
A large number of the prehistoric sites on the moors, because of their rarity
in a national context, excellent state of preservation and inter-connections,
will be identified as nationally important.
Details
The monument includes the remains of a large cairn about 10m east of the
Millstone Grit escarpment known as Bamford Edge, overlooking the upper Derwent
valley. The cairn is dated to the Bronze Age and its size, position and
relative isolation indicate that the structure was used for funerary purposes.
There is evidence for Bronze Age settlement and agriculture nearby.
The cairn measures approximately 20m in diameter and appears to have been
extensively robbed at its western side and centre. It now consists of a
substantial sub-circular stony embankment up to 0.6m high to the north, east
and south with part missing on the western side. The monument is interpreted
as a partially robbed cairn of relatively large size, indicative of a funerary
structure. Such large funerary cairns often occupy panoramic locations as in
this example, overlooking the Derwent valley and moorlands beyond. At the
south western end of the monument is a small cairn of stones, overlying the
embankment. The function of this is uncertain: it could have been the product
of a later disturbance, but may be part of the original composition of the
cairn, indicating a secondary burial.
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
Legacy System number:
29825
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
