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Summary

Round barrow on Ridding Down of 8.0 metres diameter by 0.6 metres high. An earthwork mound is clearly visible on aerial photographs of the 1960s. The mound has been mutilated by historic robbing, visible as a central pit. The mound is adjacent to and possibly respected by a boundary bank, probably the remains of a reave.

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1002586: Two round barrows on Ridding Down
• SHINE: Prehistoric barrows and hut platforms, remains of parallel reave system dating to the Bronze Age and enclosure of unknown date on Ridding Down

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: 439312
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX56SE/102
• Old SAM County Ref: 721B
• Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division: SX56SE 72
• Pastscape: 439312

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• ROUND BARROW (Constructed, Early Neolithic to Late Bronze Age - 4000 BC (Between) to 701 BC (Between))

Full description

Ordnance Survey, 1969, OS/69296, OS/69296 V 008-009 29-JUN-1969 (Aerial Photograph). SDV361475.

A mound is visible as an earthwork.

Ministry of Public Building and Works, 1969, Two Round Barrows on Ridding Down (Schedule Document). SDV343366.

A cairn 3 feet high, 30 feet diameter. Robber pit disfigures the centre of the mound. Clipped to west by later (collapsed) field boundary. On rough moorland pasture. Other details: Map, site (b).

Ordnance Survey, 1977, SX56SE 72 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV343364.

A cairn 30 feet in diameter and 3 feet high with a hole in its centre. It is cut by a boundary bank. Other details: Plan, site (b).

National Monuments Record, 1977, SX5860, 2 (Aerial Photograph). SDV343365.

Grinsell, L. V., 1978, Dartmoor Barrows, 136 (Article in Serial). SDV273224.

Site visit 7th May 1976. Cairn, hollow centre. Diameter 10.0 metres, height 0.9 metres. Sited - saddle.

Royal Commission for the Historical Monuments of England, 1978, NMR 1247, NMR 1247/195-196 31-MAY-1978 (Aerial Photograph). SDV363091.

A mound is visible as an earthwork.

Royal Commission on the Historical Monuments of England, 1985, Barrow on Ridding Down (Interpretation). SDV343367.

Barrow visible and recorded.

Butler, J., 1994, Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities: Volume Three - The South-West, 194-6, 214, Map 52, Figure 52.16 (Monograph). SDV137656.

Ridding Down cairn '1' at SX58046121 of 8.0 metres diameter by 0.6 metres high. The edge of the cairn shown as '11' on Figure 52.16 is cut by a dtched bank.

Bluesky International Ltd/Getmapping PLC, 1999-2017, Pan Government Agreement Aerial Photographs, Next Perspectives APGB Imagery SX5861 03-MAY-2007 (Aerial Photograph). SDV363087.

A mound is visible as a subtle earthwork.

Bluesky International Ltd/Getmapping PLC, 1999-2017, Pan Government Agreement Aerial Photographs, Next Perspectives APGB Imagery SX5861 31-MAY-2016 (Aerial Photograph). SDV363087.

The mound is not identifiable as an earthwork.

Fletcher, M., 2002, The Archaeological Landscape of Crownhill Down and Ridding Down: Survey Report, 4 (Report - Survey). SDV343412.

Other details: Figure 3 and Crownhill Down Survey.

Cartographic Engineering, 2006, Dartmoor 2006 1:1250 Aerial Photography (digital) (Aerial Photograph). SDV345590.

Visible on aerial photograph.

National Monuments Record, 2009, 439312 (National Monuments Record Database). SDV343508.

Two prehistoric round barrows situated on a gentle north facing slope in open moorland. A round barrow composed of soil with some stone up to 9.5 metres diameter and 0.9 metres high. The interior is disturbed by a central pit which is 2.3 metres across and 0.5 metres deep. A linear bank with a vague ditch on the west side slightly deviated around the m0ound. This bank may overlie a reave which was probably connected to the mound.

English Heritage, 2009, Heritage at Risk Register 2009: South West, 107 (Report - non-specific). SDV342694.

Generally unsatisfactory condition. Principal vulnerability extensive stock erosion.

English Heritage, 2010, Heritage at Risk Register 2010: South West, 99 (Report - non-specific). SDV344777.

English Heritage, 2011, Heritage at Risk Register 2011: South West, 104 (Report - non-specific). SDV355280.

Generally unsatisfactory condition. Declining.

NERC, 2013, LiDAR DTM data (1m resolution) Tellus: South Devon to Dartmoor, LIDAR SX5861 Tellus DTM 01-JUL-2013 to 31-AUG-2013 (Cartographic). SDV361514.

The mound is not identifiable as an earthwork.

Hegarty, C., Knight, S. and Sims, R., 2019-2021, The South Devon Coast to Dartmoor Aerial Investigation and Mapping Survey. Area 2, Avon Valley to Plymouth (AI&M, formerly NMP) (Interpretation). SDV362982.

A roughly circular mound almost 7m in diameter is visible on aerial photographs of the 1960s as an earthwork on Ridding Down.
An irregularly shaped pit circa 2.5m across is visible in the centre of the mound.
The mound is probably the remains of a barrow or cairn of Bronze Age date.
It appears to be respected by an adjacent north-east to south-west bank immediately to the west, probably the remains of a reave boundary.
The mound is visible as a slight earthwork on images derived from aerial photographs of 2007 but is not clearly identifiable on visualisations derived from lidar data captured in 2013 or images derived from aerial photographs of 2016 and might have been reduced in height by agricultural improvement.

Historic England, 2022, National Heritage List for England, 1002586 (National Heritage List for England). SDV364675.

The monument, which falls into two separate areas of protection, includes a ring cairn and round cairn situated on a gentle north facing slope of Ridding Down overlooking the valley of the Tory Brook. The round cairn survives as a circular mound measuring 9.5 metres in diameter and up to 0.9 metres high. There is a circular depression in the centre of the mound indicating early partial excavation or robbing.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV4559 - Archaeological Landscape of Crownhill Down and Riddding Down
• EDV8098 - The South Devon Coast to Dartmoor Aerial Investigation and Mapping (formerly NMP) Survey, Area 2, Avon Valley to Plymouth (Ref: ACD2040)

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