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Summary

A disturbed round cairn on the south slopes of White Tor. Originally noted in 1899 Transactions report, but could not be positively identified by the Ordnance Survey (1950/1978) or Grinsell (1978) or Gerrard (1992). Cairn was found in 1987 and has been included in surveys of the range in the early 2000s and 2018.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX57NW9
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 439747
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX57NW/33

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• CAIRN (Constructed, Bronze Age - 2200 BC (Between) to 701 BC (Between))

Full description

Baring Gould, S., 1899, Sixth Report of the Dartmoor Exploration Committee, 148, map (Article in Serial). SDV344950.

A barrow south of White Tor but above the trackway.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1950/1978, SX57NW9 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV228569.

(28/09/1950) Supposed cairn reported, but not found after considerable search. The whole slope of the hill south of the summit is covered by a clitter of bare and turf covered granite boulders, giving it a very hummocky appearance. It seems possible that one of these large turf covered bumps may have been mistaken for a cairn.
(13/10/1978) No cairn could be found at or near the suggested reference. The area is largely covered by scree.

Ordnance Survey, 1953-1969, 1953-1969 National Grid OS A edition imperial, (1954 edition) (Cartographic). SDV352727.

(SX54317858) Cairn (NR).

Grinsell, L. V., 1978, Dartmoor Barrows, 160 (Article in Serial). SDV273224.

Grinsell has attempted on two occasions to find this cairn shown on the Ordnance Survey mapping, so has not successfully located it.

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

Not visible on the 1940s vertical aerial photographs.

Royal Commission for the Historical Monuments of England, 1987-1993, Duchy Farms Project Survey Visit, M. J. Fletcher (Report - Survey). SDV350839.

(19/11/1987) SX54407850 A cairn (Grinsell's no 23) constructed of medium to large sized stones, is 5m in diameter and 0.5m in height; it has been disturbed but no detectable kerb or cist is evident. It lies below the crest of a slight fold in the hillslope which is covered by moorland turf and scattered earthfast boulders. It is situated approximately 150m to the NE of a group of three cairns (SX 57 NW 10) which are of similar construction and type.
The cairn plotted on the RCHM APP 1:10000 transcription is most probably the same feature that Worth depicted on his 6" map. His siting c120m to the NW is located in the same general area below
White Tor summit. (Anderson's small-scale map in the TDA (drawn by Worth) depicts a cairn in a similar position).
To the NE of the cairn at SX54477855 is a small turf-covered mound of stones and boulders, 3.3m across and 0.4m in height. It is comparable in form to its neighbour and is probably also a cairn.
There is no trace of the eight cairns depicted on the RCHM ?ALL (APP?) 1:10,000 transcript. The area on a SE facing slope is covered by flat moorland turf which is punctuated by the occasional earthfast boulder and numerous small anthills.

Butler, J., 1991, Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities: Volume Two - The North, 95, 240, Map 31, Site 20 (Monograph). SDV219155.

White Tor S.S.E. '4' at SX54387843 of 4.6 metres diameter by 0.4 metres high.

Gerrard, S., 1993-2010, Monument Protection Programme Alternative Action Report (Report - non-specific). SDV145710.

(07/01/1992) Considered under MPP, but could not be found. Not recommended for scheduling.

Newman, P., 2003, The Langstone Moor Stone Circle, Peter Tavy, Devon and its Prehistoric Environs, fig 2, EH report AI/25/2003 (Report - Survey). SDV255420.

Cairn not shown on English Heritage survey of 2003.
(10/10/2003) Group of five cairns shown to the south. Resurveyed with GPS September 2003.

Newman, P., 2004, Merrivale Range Baseline Condition Survey (Report - Survey). SDV346874.

(10/08/2004) Condition is fair but with some loose stone.

Newman, P., 2018, Archaeological Sites within Merrivale Training Area, Dartmoor National Park, Devon: A condition survey on behalf of Defence Infrastructure Organisation (Report - Survey). SDV361635.

A small round cairn on the southern slope of Whittor.

Historic England, 2021-2022, NRHE to HER website, Accessed 31/08/2021 (Website). SDV364039.

National Mapping Programme, post-1985, Dartmoor NMP Transcription data (Cartographic). SDV364293.

One of the 'Cairns' shown.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV7441 - Condition survey of the archaeological sites of Merrivale Training Area
• EDV7570 - Condition survey of Merrivale Range training area
• EDV8713 - Merrivale Range: Monument Baseline Condition Survey
• EDV8423 - Duchy Farms Project

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