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,
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. Cairnfields are concentrations of three or
more cairns sited within close proximity to one another; they may consist of
burial cairns or cairns built with stone cleared from the land surface
(clearance cairns). Round funerary cairns were constructed during the Bronze
Age (c.2000-700 BC) and consisted of earthen or rubble mounds, sometimes
ditched, which covered single or multiple burials. Often occupying prominent
locations, they are a major visual element in the modern landscape. The
considerable variation in the size of cairnfields and their 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.
Details
The monument, which falls into three areas of protection, includes five cairns
forming a cairn cemetery situated on a high ridge on Holne Lee overlooking the
valley of the River Dart. Four of the mounds contain pits which indicate that
they have been subjected to early undocumented investigations. The eastern
cairn includes a 13.3m diameter mound standing up to 1.3m high. In the centre
of the mound is a 4.8m long by 4m wide and 0.7m deep pit. Spoil thrown up
during the digging of this pit forms a heap on the southern side of the cairn.
Standing about 80m south west of the first cairn is a substantial mound
measuring 21m in diameter and up to 1.3m high. West of this cairn is a smaller
mound measuring 9.5m long by 7.8m wide. A few metres further to the west is
another large cairn and this measures 22.5m in diameter and 1.1m high. The
southernmost cairn is the only one in the group which has no obvious signs of
interference and this measures 7m in diameter by 0.5m high.
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
Legacy System number:
28765
Legacy System:
RSM
Sources
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
