See important guidance on the use of this record.

If you have any comments or new information about this record, please email us.

Summary

Cairn '1' (Butler) is one of four cairns in a row to the west of Shavercombe Tor. Round cairn of 9.3 metres diameter by 0.8 metres high. A slight, rubble filled oval hollow in the centre of the mound, 4 metres by 3 metres by 0.2 metres deep, represents the site of robbing or a partial early excavation.

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1019082: Multi-period remains at Hentor Warren

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX56NE298
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 1356297
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX56NE/528
• Old SAM County Ref: 497B
• Old SAM Ref Revised: 24230(P)
• Old SAM Ref: 10671

Monument Type(s) and Dates

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

Full description

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1950/1979, SX56NE98, Cairn A (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV149115.

(19/05/1950) SX 5933 6616 Cairn 'A'. Diameter 7.0 metres, height 0.3 metres. Hollow in centre.

Grinsell, L. V., 1978, Dartmoor Barrows, 163, Shaugh Prior 21 (Article in Serial). SDV273224.

(08/06/1974) Robbed cairn west of Shavercombe Tor SX 5934 6617. Diameter 9.5m, height 0.4m.

Royal Commission on the Historical Monuments of England, 1985, Aerial Photograph Project (Dartmoor) - Dartmoor Pre-NMP (Cartographic). SDV319854.

Not visible on the 1946 Royal Air Force vertical aerial photographs used in project.

Ancient Monuments, 1990, Notes on cairns (Schedule Document). SDV165222.

Diameter 7m, height 0.5m. Central hollow.

Gerrard, S., 1990-2002, Monument Protection Programme. Archaeological Item Dataset., MPP 140467, (03/05/1995) (Report - Survey). SDV277946.

Round cairn lying in an historic field. Measures 9.3m in diameter and stands up to 0.8m high. A slight, rubble filled oval hollow in the centre of the mound, 4m by 3m by 0.2m deep, represents the site of robbing or a partial early excavation.
There appears to be some confusion concerning the identity of this feature. The National Trust Upper Plym Inventory reports that the Ordnance Survey consider this to be a cairn, although the national archaeological record notes that they are more likely to be huts. Grinsell and Butler consider it most likely to be a cairn; an interpretation which on the basis of field evidence alone the MPP archaeologist agrees with. This cairn forms part of a round cairn cemetery which includes at least 5 mounds scattered amongst stone hut circles.

Butler, J., 1994, Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities: Volume Three - The South-West, 123-4; Map 49, Figure 49.9 (Monograph). SDV137656.

Shavercombe Tor '1' cairn at SX59336615 of 8.2 metres diameter by 0.4 metres high is one of four cairn spaced along the hillside on the south side of the field boundary between the enclosures.

Thackray, C., 1994, The Upper Plym Valley: the management of an historic landscape, 259/102.949 (Report - non-specific). SDV143510.

Probert, S. A. J. + Fletcher, M. J., 2002, Plym Valley survey (Report - Survey). SDV350782.

(15/01/2002) One of a cluster of five prehistoric cairns (centred at SX 5929 6616) on the gently sloping northern flank of Shavercombe Tor.
SX 5934 6615. A disturbed cairn 8.5m north-south by 8.3m and 0.65m high. A shallow excavation lies in the top of the mound.
None of the cairns display any evidence of cists or kerbs.
Several of these features have previously been recorded as hut circles (see SX 56 NE 97) or included with record SX 56 NE 98.

English Heritage, 2005-2008, Prehistoric Survey Information (Cartographic). SDV345521.

Cairn shown on survey.

Bluesky International Ltd/Getmapping PLC, 2015-2017, 2015-2017 Aerial Photographs (Aerial Photograph). SDV361462.

Visible on aerial photograph.

Various, 2018-2020, PALs Condition Recording forms, UPHT-36 (Worksheet). SDV362781.

(24/03/2020) Condition of cairn assessed as good. Site little visited and area is lightly grazed, no damage evident. Site is stable.

Various, 2018-2020, PALs Condition Recording photographs (Photograph). SDV363073.

Photographed during March 2020 visit.

Ordnance Survey, 2021, MasterMap 2021 (Cartographic). SDV364015.

Shown as a hut circle on modern mapping.

Historic England, 2021, National Heritage List for England, 1019082 (National Heritage List for England). SDV364016.

This monument includes extensive prehistoric and historic archaeological monuments situated within Hentor Warren, which lies between the Shavercombe and Hentor Brooks. The prehistoric archaeology includes three partially enclosed stone hut circle settlements, ten round cairns, one ring cairn, four cists, part of the Willings Walls Reave and a cairnfield. A round cairn cemetery centred on SX59306614 lies amongst a cluster of stone hut circles.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV8148 - The Upper Plym Valley: The Management of an Historic Landscape
• EDV8155 - Plym Valley Survey

Search results generated by the HBSMR Gateway from exeGesIS SDM Ltd.