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Summary

Round cairn mound measures 27 metres in diameter and stands up to 3 metres high. Two large central hollows, measuring 6 metres by 4 metres by 1.2 metres deep and 3.5 metres square by 0.7 metres deep respectively, may suggest partial early excavation or robbing. It has however been suggested that these hollows may have been excavated to form some form of hearth for the reception of fuel associated with the reuse of this cairn as a fire beacon during the 16th century.

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1010793: Cawsand Beacon, a round cairn, a ring cairn, a stone building and five post-medieval shelters on the summit of Cawsand Hill

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX69SW21
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 444172
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX69SW/18
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX69SW/210
• Old SAM County Ref: 785E?
• Old SAM Ref: 24144
• Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division: SX69SW21

Monument Type(s) and Dates

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

Full description

Wilkinson, J. G., 1862, On British Remains on Dartmoor, 41, 43 (Article in Serial). SDV277122.

Wilkinson notes the occurrence of several cairns on Cosden Down

Ormerod, G. W., 1864, On the Hut Circles on the Eastern Side of Dartmoor, 300 (Article in Serial). SDV304174.

Royal Air Force, 1946, RAF/3G/TUD/138, 5441 (Aerial Photograph). SDV229649.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1950, SX69SW21 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV224166.

(09/08/1950) Cairn on summit of Cosdon Beacon. This barrow has been very badly mutilated.

Ancient Monuments, 1970, Schedule note (Schedule Document). SDV271236.

(18/03/1970) Remains of large cairn (E?) measuring 9.14m diameter and 2.44m high. Badly robbed in the centre.

Grinsell, L. V., 1978, Dartmoor Barrows, 169 (Article in Serial). SDV273224.

(21/04/1973) SX63619150. Cairn, crowned by modern stoneheap and OS concrete triangulation point. Large hollows in top, from robbing, would have protected beacon fires. Diameter 27.0m, height 1.8m.

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

Visible and recorded. Noted as 'ovoid enclosure'.

Gerrard, S., 1990-2002, Monument Protection Programme. Archaeological Item Dataset., MPP 133330 (Report - Survey). SDV277946.

(17/01/1994) Round cairn known as Cawsand Beacon or Cosdon Beacon. Forms part of a cemetery including at least two round cairns, two ring cairns and one platform cairn.
Round cairn mound measures 27m in diameter and stands up to 3m high. Two large central hollows, measuring 6m by 4m by 1.2m deep and 3.5m square by 0.7m deep respectively, may suggest partial early excavation or robbing. It has however been suggested that these hollows may have been excavated to form some form of hearth for the reception of fuel associated with the reuse of this cairn as a fire beacon during the 16th century (SX69SW/16; MDV6883) five post-Medieval shelters (see MDV52468, 52482) have been constructed from cairn material and lie on the periphery of the mound.

Butler, J., 1991, Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities: Volume Two - The North, 206-7, 244, Map 40, Figure 40.8 40.8 (Monograph). SDV219155.

Cosdon Beacon cairn '1' at SX63629150 of 27 metres diameter by 3.0 metres high on the summit of Cosdon Beacon. The original dimensions are impossible to estimate as the stones have been thrown out in all directions, partly to accommodate a number of shelters around the edge, but it is now 3 metres high and spread to 27 metres across. A circular setting at the eastern foot of the cairn may be the foundations of a hut circle or a more modern erection.

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

Visible on aerial photograph.

Environment Agency WMS, 2019, LiDAR DSM data (1m resolution), 2019 (Cartographic). SDV362957.

Ordnance Survey, 2023, Mastermap 2023 (Cartographic). SDV365227.

'Cairn' shown on modern mapping.

Historic England, 2023, National Heritage List for England, 1010793 (National Heritage List for England). SDV365228.

This monument includes a round cairn, known as Cawsand Beacon or Cosdon Beacon and which was later reused as a beacon site, a ring cairn, a stone building and five post-medieval shelters situated on the summit of Cawsand Hill. The cairns form part of a cemetery which includes at least two round cairns, two ring cairns and one platform cairn. The round cairn mound measures 27 metres in diameter and stands up to 3 metres high. Large hollows in the centre of the mound may suggest partial early excavation or robbing, though it has also been suggested that they may have been excavated by the beacon builders to form a hearth.
The beacon is considered to be medieval in origin, although the earliest documentary references to the site are 16th century. The beacon, when lit, would have been visible throughout much of North Devon and, until late in the 19th century, this spot was believed to be the highest in southern England. Five post-medieval shelters have been constructed from the cairn material and lie on the periphery of the mound. These structures are composed of drystone walling surrounding an oval or triangular shaped internal area. An Ordnance Survey triangulation pillar lies on the eastern side of the mound. Lying 3 metres east of Cawsand Beacon is a circular 1.3 metres wide and 0.3 metres high rubble bank surrounding a 4.3 metres diameter internal area. This structure has been identified as a stone hut circle, though it seems more likely that it represents the foundations of the building which the person responsible for lighting the beacon would have occupied during times of crisis.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

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