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 prehistoric field system dated to the
Bronze Age, located on land gently shelving to the south east. In addition to
several clearance cairns, the scheduling also includes at least two short
stretches of linear clearance embankment.
The field system is located in a stone free area within which are at least
eight small cairns ranging between 2.5m and 6m in diameter. Most cairns,
especially the smaller examples, appear to survive undisturbed. One of the
cairns on the western side of the cairnfield is larger than the others,
indicating that it may have been reused for funerary purposes. It has a
diameter of approximately 7m and has been disturbed at its centre. The
evidence for stone clearance and the survival of two short lengths of linear
clearance indicate that the site was used for cultivation and divided into
field plots. One stretch of linear clearance forms a distinct lynchet,
indicating that the area to the north west was either a levelled terrace or a
build up of soil on the downslope of a field plot created by extensive
ploughing.
The stone cleared area extends to the south east of the cairnfield indicating
that contemporary agricultural activities extended beyond the area of
protection. About 300m to the south east are the remains of another
cairnfield, also containing clearance embankments.
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
Legacy System number:
31225
Legacy System:
RSM
Sources
Books and journals
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
