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Summary

Known as the 'Giant's Basin', or the 'Giant's Grave', this impressive but heavily disturbed cairn lies adjacent to the Drizzlecombe Stone Rows. It measures 24.0 metres in diameter, a maximum 2.8 metres high and it is partially turf-covered. An approximately 2.0 metres wide reed-covered slight depression around its circumference suggests a silted ditch. Much of the central part of the cairn has been removed to a depth of 1.65 metres and most of excavated material in the form of fist-sized stones and small boulders has been deposited around the rim of the mound. There is evidence of at least two infilled ?excavation trenches which radiate from the centre but there are no surface traces of a retaining kerb or central cist (surveyed in 1999).

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1014145: Three stone alignments, 15 cairns, a cist, a partially enclosed stone hut circle settlement and a small clapper bridge at Drizzle Combe

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record (Yes): SX56NE45
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 438626
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX56NE/77
• Old SAM County Ref: 462
• Old SAM Ref: 24104

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• CAIRN (Constructed, Neolithic - 4000 BC (Between) to 2201 BC (Between))

Full description

Ordnance Survey, 1880-1899, First Edition Ordnance 25 inch map (Cartographic). SDV336179.

'Giant's Basin (Tumulus)' shown on 19th centruy map.

Worth, R. H., 1890, 12th Report of the Barrow Committee, 50-51 (Article in Serial). SDV346007.

A cairn with a hollow centre known as Giant's Basin. Its diameter at the top is 34 ft and 84 ft at the base.

Worth, R. H., 1890, The Moorland Plym, 307 (Article in Serial). SDV215949.

Breton, H. H., 1914, Beautiful Dartmoor and its Interesting Antiquities, 50 (Monograph). SDV256843.

Breton mentions a 'tiny Kistvaen' at the NW part of Giant's Basin, at SX 59196694. This may however be the same as Grinsell's Sheepstor 33a (SX 56 NE 205).

Breton, H. H., 1914, Beautiful Dartmoor and its Interesting Antiquities, 50 (I) (Monograph). SDV256843.

Sheepstor and its Border Lands. Breton mentions a 'tiny Kistvaen' at the north-west part of Giant's Basin, at SX 5919 6694. This may however be the same as Grinsell's Sheepstor 33a (SX 56 NE 205).

Royal Air Force, 1948, RAF/CPE/UK/2494, 4128-9 (Aerial Photograph). SDV147533.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1950, SX56NE45 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV231986.

(31/05/1950) Giant's Basin, SX 5920 6694. A large cairn, 24m in diameter and 3m high. Turf covered with large hollow in centre.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1977, SX56NE45 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV231978.

(27/06/1977) On the lower slopes of a south-west facing spur at 33.0 m OD, quite close to three stone rows, is a large turf-covered cairn known as 'Giant's Basin'. It is constructed of fist-sized stones and is in good condition except for a large central depression. Its overall diameter is 23.0m and its height 2.3m. Surveyed at 1:10 000 on PFD.

Grinsell, L. V., 1978, Dartmoor Barrows, 168 (Article in Serial). SDV273224.

(29/07/1972) Cairn with huge hollow towards centre from which the first name derived. Dug into from south-west. Ditch suggested by rushes around circumference. Diameter 25.0m, height 2.2m. Cairn named Giant's Basin or Giant's Grave.

National Monuments Record, 1983, SF2134, 81 (Aerial Photograph). SDV231262.

Robinson, R., 1984, List of Field Monument Warden Visits 1984 (Un-published). SDV343082.

Visited 17/02/1984.

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

Recorded in project.

Quinnell, N. V., 1988, Plan of the Drizzlecombe Stone Rows and associated features (Plan - measured). SDV232055.

Gerrard, S., 1990-2002, Monument Protection Programme. Archaeological Item Dataset., MPP 133416 (Report - Survey). SDV277946.

(12/03/1993) Survives as a 22m diameter stony mound standing up to 3m high. A central hollow of the mound, 8.3m in diameter and 1.4m deep, represents the site of robbing or partial early excavation. A ditch, from which construction material was quarried, surrounds the mound. This has become infilled over the years but survives as a 2.5m wide band of rushes, caused by increased moisture in the buried ditch.

Butler, J., 1994, Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities: Volume Three - The South-West, 135-141, 210, Map 49, Figures 49.19 (Monograph). SDV137656.

Giant's Basin cairn at SX59196694 of 22.0 metres diameter by 3.5 metres high with a central hollow but still retaining a good bowl shape.

Devon Archaeological Society, 1995, The Drizzlecombe Stone Rows (Leaflet). SDV272662.

Department of National Heritage, 1996, Letter (Correspondence). SDV231995.

(10/04/1996) Consent granted for works concerning erosion repairs.

Fletcher, M. + Newman, P. + Probert, S., 1999, Drizzlecombe, Eylesbarrow, Ditsworthy and Hartor areas in the Plym Valley, West Devon (Report - Survey). SDV346268.

(01/06/1999) Giant's Basin: this impressive but heavily disturbed cairn lies adjacent to the Drizzlecombe Stone Rows at SX 5920 6694. It measures 24.0m in diameter, a maximum 2.8m high and it is partially turf-covered. An approximately 2.0m wide reed-covered slight depression around its circumference suggests a silted ditch. Much of the central part of the cairn has been removed to a depth of 1.65m and most of excavated material in the form of fist-sized stones and small boulders has been deposited around the rim of the mound. There is evidence of at least two infilled ?excavation trenches which radiate from the centre but there are no surface traces of a retaining kerb or central cist.

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

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.

Various, 2018-2020, PALs Condition Recording forms, UP-DZ 19 (Worksheet). SDV362781.

Visited 05/02/2020. Overall condition good. Photo x2 taken.

Various, 2018-2020, PALs Condition Recording photographs, UP-DZ 19 (Photograph). SDV363073.

Photo 1: View looking 240° showing grass/moss/whortleberry and bracken covering cairn with reeds around its perimeter. Photo 2: View of looking 060° showing grass/moss/whortleberry cover with one reed outcrop in central depression.

Historic England, 2021-2022, NRHE to HER website, Accessed 28/06/2021 (Website). SDV364039.

The Giant's Basin survives as a stony mound 22 metres in diameter and standing up to 3 metres high. The surrounding quarry ditch has become infilled over the years but is visible as a 2.5 metre wide band of rushes. Scheduling amended (English Heritage Scheduling amended, 09-MAR-2001).

Ordnance Survey, 2022, Mastermap 2022 (Cartographic). SDV364674.

'Giant's Basin' cairn shown on modern mapping.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV8155 - Plym Valley Survey: EH Project (Feb 2001 - Dec 2002)
• EDV4966 - Survey of Drizzlecombe, Eylesbarrow, Ditsworthy and Hartor. The Eylesbarrow archaeological landscape

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