Prehistoric cairnfield and linear boundary on Hesk Fell 800m north of Holehouse Bridge

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.

The prehistoric cairnfield and linear boundary on Hesk Fell 800m north of Holehouse Bridge survives well. It forms part of a well-preserved prehistoric landscape extending along the fellsides of south west Cumbria which together represent evidence of long term management and exploitation of this area in prehistoric times.

Details

The monument includes a prehistoric cairnfield and linear boundary on Hesk Fell 800m north of Holehouse Bridge. It is located on the south facing hillslope of Hesk Fell and represents Bronze Age exploitation of this landscape. The cairnfield lies on sloping ground on the west side of the col between Holehouse Gill and Crosby Gill and includes over 110 clearance cairns up to 0.5m high measuring between 2m-6m in diameter. The linear boundary is formed by a low stone bank or wall up to 0.3m high and 2.5m wide aligned north east-south west. It measures approximately 140m long, and may be the continuation of a linear boundary running through the next field to the east. There is another short length of stone bank or wall aligned north west-south east on the boundary's north side.

A short length of modern drystone wall on the monument's east side 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.

Legacy

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

Legacy System number:

35015

Legacy System:

RSM

Sources

Other
Survey in LDNPA office, Lund, J, Pikeside Farm, (2002)
Survey in LDNPA office, Lund, J, Pikeside Farm, (2002)

End of official list entry

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