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Summary

Group of some 30 cairns with at least one hut circle amongst them. The lack of evidence for cultivation or ancient fields in the area suggests that these are ritual or funerary cairns rather than clearance cairns.

Location

Protected Status

• SHINE: Earthworks and stone walls of a prehistoric cairnfield, cairns and hut circles, medieval field system and deserted medieval settlements and modern miltary training camp in Okehampton Park

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX59SE154
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 1572261
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX59SE/54
• Pastscape: 1572261

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• CAIRNFIELD (Early Neolithic to Late Bronze Age - 4000 BC to 701 BC (Between))

Full description

Greeves, T., 1980, Cairn Group and Hut Circles (Worksheet). SDV278004.

Site visit 8th February 1980. Group of perhaps 30 cairns which have at least one and probably other hut circles among them. One discreet group of cairns and the obvious hut circle are sited on a natural terrace in the hillslope. This is a setting that Greeves has noted elsewhere on the moor. It may be argued that the cairns are clearance cairns but there is no sign of cultivation or ancient fields in this area so the inclination is towards ritual or funerary cairns. Most of the cairns are sited below a conspicuous leat with about 10 found above. A possible prehistoric boundary runs just below the leat, roughly parallel to it, in the eastern half of the modern enclosure in which these sites are located. The obvious hut circle is situated at the east end of a natural terrace, just before the ground starts to fall steeply again to the railway line. External diameter of hut circle about 9 metres. Map object based on this source.

Wessex Archaeology, 2001, Okehampton Camp Devon. Archaeological Desk Based Assessment and Earthwork Survey, 7, Appendix 1 (Report - Survey). SDV360511.

This reference appears to refer to two different sites and the report states that this site is Scheduled Monument Number 28717 whereas the Scheduled Cairn Cemetery is to the south-east of Okehampton Camp at National Grid Reference SX59809223. There does not appear to be an aggregate field system at this location.

Ordnance Survey, 2013, MasterMap (Cartographic). SDV350786.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments: none recorded

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV8007 - Okehampton Camp Devon: Archaeological Desk-based Assessment and Earthwork Survey (Ref: 50171.01)
• EDV3474 - Earthwork survey of Okehampton Castle and Park

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