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 two areas of protection, includes two cairns,
one containing a cist, and a standing stone lying on a gentle west facing
slope; prior to afforestation they would have overlooked the valley of the
Cherry Brook. The northern cairn survives as a 7.7m diameter and 0.8m high
mound denoted on its eastern side by at least five edge set stones standing up
to 0.35m high. In the centre of the mound is a substantial cist, measuring
1.4m long by 0.48m wide and 0.5m deep, which is aligned NNW to SSE. The
northern end stone appears to be missing and the eastern edge stone has
slipped inwards. To the west of the cist and partially overhanging it is a
substantial slab measuring 1.84m long by 1.48m wide and 0.35m thick. This
stone represents the capstone discarded during robbing. The cist had already
been disturbed before it was investigated by the Dartmoor Exploration
Committee in 1901.
The southern cairn survives as a 6m long by 5m wide mound standing up to
0.7m high. Two edge slabs on the northern side of the mound may represent the
remnants of a kerb, which survives elsewhere as a buried feature. An upright
stone slab situated 6.6m ESE of this cairn may be a contemporary standing
stone. The stone measures 0.95m high and 0.8m wide at the base, tapering to
0.2m wide at the top. It is 0.28m thick and its long axis points towards the
nearby cairn.
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
Legacy System number:
28684
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
