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 complex of prehistoric funerary
cairns. The complex occupies a commanding position on the edge of an
escarpment overlooking extensive Bronze Age settlement evidence on Gibbet
Moor. Although disturbed, the stone kerb and edges of at least two adjoining
cairns survive, with indications that there may even be a third adjoining
structure now almost totally concealed by scattered surface stone. Although
stone has been removed from the cairn to construct an adjoining animal pen to
the north, a substantial amount of the complex appears to remain intact and is
likely to contain undisturbed archaeological remains. The cairn complex
measures about 15m across and stands 0.7m high, although its original diameter
of more than 17m can still be discerned.
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
Legacy System number:
31267
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
