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 a prehistoric cairnfield located on a slight ridge. The
cairnfield is one of a group of similar monuments providing evidence of
extensive prehistoric agriculture on Eyam Moor.
The monument comprises a series of well-preserved cairns of medium and small
stones gathered in prehistoric times as the result of land clearance. There
are approximately 90 cairns ranging from about 1.5m to 6m in diameter,
although several are ovoid in shape. Some of the cairns have been disturbed,
probably by 19th century antiquarians, but the majority are complete. There
are also traces of linear clearance banks within the cairnfield, indicating
that the area was divided into field plots, probably by hedges or fences. Two
probable house platforms have also been identified, although there are likely
to be others.
The monument is interpreted as an area of intense agricultural settlement
dating to the Bronze Age.
All shooting butts are excluded from the scheduling, although the ground
beneath them is included.
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
Legacy System number:
31230
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
