Reasons for Designation
The area of the Quantock Hills, although small in extent, is one of the few
remaining expanses of open moorland in southern Britain. Its archaeological
importance lies in the existence of a landscape displaying examples of
monuments tracing the exploitation of the hills from the Bronze Age onwards.
Well-preserved monuments from the Bronze Age and Iron Age, including round
barrows, cairns, settlements, hillforts and a trackway, as well as later
industrial remains, give insights into changes in the pattern of land use on
the hills through time. These earthwork features are one of the key components
of the Quantocks' broader landscape character.
Round cairns are prehistoric funerary monuments dating to the Bronze Age
(c.2000-700 BC). They were constructed as earthen or rubble mounds, the latter
predominating in areas of upland Britain where such raw materials were locally
available in abundance. Round cairns may cover single or multiple burials and
are sometimes surrounded by an outer ditch. Often occupying prominent
locations, they are a major visual element in the modern landscape. Their
considerable variation in form and longevity as a monument type provide
important information on the diversity of beliefs and social organisation
amongst early prehistoric communities. Twelve round cairns have been recorded
on the Quantocks, although the original figure is likely to have been higher.
They are particularly representative of their period and a substantial
proportion of surviving examples are considered worthy of protection.
Details
The monument, which lies in two separate areas of protection, includes two
Bronze Age cairns aligned broadly north east to south west on Great Hill in
the western region of the Quantock Hills. The cairn to the north east is
located on the broad summit of the hill and is formed of a central mound
enclosed by a narrow berm with an outer bank. The mound is approximately 0.75m
high and 11m in diameter; the berm and bank together measure 10m wide, giving
the cairn an overall diameter of 21m. The second cairn is located 300m to
the south west of the former and occupies a west facing promontory. It has an
irregular mound 28m in diameter and approximately 2m high.
Both cairn mounds have been disturbed, which may be an indication of partial
excavation in antiquity.
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
Legacy System number:
33703
Legacy System:
RSM
Sources
Books and journals
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
