Cairn 850m north east of Dunkery Bridge

Reasons for Designation

Exmoor is the most easterly of the three main upland areas in the south western peninsula of England. In contrast to the other two areas, Dartmoor and Bodmin Moor, there has been no history of antiquarian research and little excavation of Exmoor monuments. However, survey work has confirmed a comparable richness of archaeological remains, with evidence of human exploitation and occupation from the Mesolithic period to the present day. Many of the field monuments surviving on Exmoor date from the later prehistoric period, examples including stone settings, stone alignments, standing stones, and burial mounds (barrows or cairns). Round cairns are funerary monuments dating from the Late Neolithic period to the Late Bronze Age, with most examples belonging to the period 2400-1500BC. They were constructed as rubble mounds which covered single or multiple burials. They occur either in isolation or grouped as cemeteries, and often acted as a focus for burials in later periods. Over 370 barrows or cairns, varying in diameter from 2m to 35m, have been recorded on Exmoor, with many of these found on or close to the summits of the three east-west ridges which cross the moor - the southern escarpment, the central ridge, and the northern ridge. Individual cairns and groups may also be found on lower lying ground and hillslopes. Those which occupy prominent locations form a major visual element in the modern landscape. Their longevity as a monument type can 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.



Despite part of the mound having been disturbed, probably in antiquity, the cairn 850m north east of Dunkery Bridge survives well and will contain archaeological deposits and environmental evidence relating to the monument and the landscape in which it was constructed. It forms a visual element in the landscape, being located close to the main single-track route through the open moorland across Dunkery Hill.

Details

The monument includes a prehistoric cairn located in open moorland on an east and south facing slope of Dunkery Hill. It is in a prominent position with extensive views eastwards to Croydon Hill and northwards to Minehead Bay. The cairn is formed by a near-circular stone mound with a maximum diameter of 14m, and a height of approximately 1.5m from the east elevation and approximately 0.75m from the western side. There is an irregular depression at the centre of the mound which may indicate a partial excavation in antiquity.

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:

35582

Legacy System:

RSM

Sources

Books and journals
Grinsell, L V, Proceedings of Somerset Archaelogical & Natural History Society in Somerset Barrows, Vol. 113, (1969), 30

Other
SS 94 SW 17, National Monuments Record,

End of official list entry

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