Reasons for Designation
Cairnfields are concentrations of cairns sited in close proximity to one
another. They often consist largely of clearance cairns, built with stone
cleared from the surrounding landsurface to improve its use for agriculture,
and on occasion their distribution pattern can be seen to define field plots.
However, funerary cairns are also frequently incorporated, although without
excavation it may be impossible to determine which cairns contain burials.
Clearance cairns were constructed from the Neolithic period (from c.3400 BC),
although the majority of examples appear to be the result of field clearance
which began during the earlier Bronze Age and continued into the later Bronze
Age (2000-700 BC). The considerable longevity and variation in the size,
content and associations of cairnfields provide important information on the
development of land use and agricultural practices. Cairnfields also retain
information on the diversity of beliefs and social organisation during the
prehistoric period.
Details
The monument includes a cairnfield which is situated on a gentle south west
facing slope, on the Moor Gritstones towards the eastern edge of the North
York Moors. Also included is a cup and ring marked rock.
The cairnfield consists of at least 41 cairns distributed between the 170m and
200m contours. Originally, there were at least 64 cairns, but a number have
been destroyed by deep furrow ploughing and related forestry activities,
largely in the northern part of the cairnfield. The surviving cairns lie in
two areas: a group of seven towards the north eastern limit of the cairnfield
and the remainder in a larger group in the southern part of the cairnfield.
The monument therefore lies in two areas of protection.
The cairns are generally sub-circular mounds constructed from small and medium
sized stones, although there are one or two which are more elongated in shape.
Those in the southern part of the cairnfield are more prominent and well
defined. Some incorporate large erratic boulders. Most cairns are between
3m and 6m in diameter, although there are a few both smaller and larger. They
stand between 0.3m and 0.6m high. The majority are field clearance cairns
which are the result of clearing the ground to improve it for agriculture, but
some of the larger cairns were also used as burial mounds. Interspersed
between the cairns, especially towards the southern end of the cairnfield,
there are occasional traces of walling. These are interpreted as part of the
field system which was in use with the clearance cairns.
At the northern edge of the southern area there is a cup and ring marked rock.
The rock is horizontal and measures 0.9m by 0.4m, oriented east to west. It
stands 0.2m above the modern ground surface. On the upper face there is a
shallow cup mark surrounded by three concentric rings. A shallow groove runs
to the east from the outer ring to a second cup mark. The rock has been
disturbed from its original position by forestry ploughing.
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
Legacy System number:
34675
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
