Rospow Hills prehistoric cairnfield and associated field system 740m south west of High Wath Ford

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.

Rospow Hills prehistoric cairnfield and associated field system 740m south west of High Wath Ford survives well and is one of numerous well-preserved prehistoric landscapes located within the Cumbrian uplands. In conjunction with 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 the earthworks and buried remains of Rospow Hills prehistoric cairnfield and associated field system 740m south west of High Wath Ford. It is located on gently sloping fellside on the northern lower slopes of Carrock Fell and represents Bronze Age exploitation of this landscape. The cairnfield consists of 20 circular and oval-shaped clearance cairns up to 0.4m high; the circular cairns measure between 3.6m to 7m in diameter while the oval-shaped cairns measure between 7.5m to 13m long by 3.1m to 5.7m wide. The associated field system consists of nine short lengths of stone bank, most of which have returns, suggesting that they formed two sides of small field plots. Amongst the stone banks in the eastern half of the monument are cairn alignments which are interpreted as representing the line of old field boundaries in which sporadic patches of stone clearance were piled against a fence or hedge. A modern bield 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:

34959

Legacy System:

RSM

Sources

Books and journals
Turner, V E, Trans Cumb & West Antiq & Arch Soc. New Ser. in Result of Survey Work Carried Out in the Caldbeck Fells, Cumbria, Vol. LXXXVII, (1987), 19-25

End of official list entry

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