Great Crag prehistoric cairnfield and associated field system 710m south east of Birkerthwaite

Reasons for Designation

The Cumbrian uplands comprise large areas of remote mountainous terrain, much of which is largely open fellside. As a result of archaeological surveys between 1980 and 1990 within the Lake District National Park, these fells have become one of the best recorded upland areas in England. On the open fells there is sufficient well preserved and understood evidence over extensive areas for human exploitation of these uplands from the Neolithic to the post- medieval period. On the enclosed land and within forestry the archaeological remains are fragmentary, but they survive sufficiently well to show that human activity extended beyond the confines of the open fells. Bronze Age activity accounts for the most extensive use of the area, and evidence for it includes some of the largest and best preserved field systems and cairn fields in England, as well as settlement sites, numerous burial monuments, stone circles and other ceremonial remains. Taken together, their remains can provide a detailed insight into life in the later prehistoric period. Of additional importance is the well-preserved and often visible relationship between the remains of earlier and later periods, since this provides an understanding of changes in land use through time. Because of their rarity in a national context, excellent state of preservation and inter-connections, most prehistoric monuments on the Lake District fells will be identified as nationally important.

Despite being crossed by a later drystone wall, Great Crag prehistoric cairnfield and associated field system 710m south east of Birkerthwaite survives well and forms part of a large area of well-preserved prehistoric landscape extending along the fellsides of south west Cumbria. In conjunction with a wide range of other prehistoric remains in the vicinity, the monument represents evidence of long term management and exploitation of this area in prehistoric times.

Details

The monument includes Great Crag prehistoric cairnfield and associated field system, located on the col between Great Crag and Little Crag, 710m south east of Birkerthwaite. It represents Bronze Age exploitation of this landscape and includes 13 circular and oval-shaped clearance cairns up to 0.5m high. The circular cairns measure between 1.7m and 5.5m in diameter while the oval- shaped cairns measure between 2m to 6m long by 1m to 3.2m wide. Associated with the cairnfield is a field system consisting of a `D'-shaped enclosure measuring a maximum of about 90m by 70m which is crossed by a later drystone wall. There are gaps on the enclosure's north and north eastern sides which may have been entrances. The interior is devoid of features except for a single cairn. To the south of the enclosure there is a curvilinear length of stone wall or bank which, together with the south west wall of the enclosure, forms the boundary of an area which is devoid of cairns and may have originally been a field plot. The later drystone wall crossing the `D'-shaped enclosure is excluded from the scheduling, although the ground beneath it is included.

MAP EXTRACT The site of the monument is shown on the attached map extract. It includes a 2 metre boundary around the archaeological features, considered to be essential for the monument's support and preservation.

Legacy

The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.

Legacy System number:

32887

Legacy System:

RSM

Sources

Books and journals
Quartermaine, J, Leech, R H, Upland Settlement of the Lake District: Result of Recent Surveys, (1997), 60-73
Quartermaine, J, Leech, R H, Upland Settlement of the Lake District: Result of Recent Surveys, (1997), 60-73
Leech, R, Birkby Fell Survey Catalogue, (1982)
Leech, R, Birkby Fell Survey Catalogue, (1982)

End of official list entry

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