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Summary

Ruinous cairn lies within a settlement complex containing nine hut circles and several irregular enclosures on the gentle north-east facing slope of Slade Newtake immediately south of Saddle Bridge. The rather irregular sub-rectangular feature measures 7.0 metres north to south by 5.5 metres with a maximum height of 0.7 metres. It has been excavated and the spoil has been deposited immediately downslope, to the north. Some stone protrudes from the mound but there is no visible evidence to suggest the presence of a cist or kerb.

Location

Protected Status

• SHINE: Part of the Dartmeet parallel reave system east of Down Ridge. Earthworks and walling remains of a Bronze Age field system adjoining the Venford Reave, with numerous hut circles, enclosures, cairns and a later medieval field system

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX67SE208
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 1065463

Monument Type(s) and Dates

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

Full description

Butler, J., 1993, Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities: Volume Four - The South-East, 198, Map 61.1 (Monograph). SDV337765.

Described as a possible bury, or pillow mound by Butler.

Royal Commission for the Historical Monuments of England, 1993-1998, Dartmoor Royal Forest Project (Report - Survey). SDV346608.

(Visited 03/11/1995) SX 66416 71764. A ruinous cairn lies within a settlement complex containing nine hut circles and several irregular enclosures on the gentle north-east facing slope of Slade Newtake immediately south of Saddle Bridge. The rather irregular sub-rectangular feature measures 7.0 metres north to south by 5.5 metres with a maximum height of 0.7 metres. It has been excavated and the spoil has been deposited immediately downslope, to the north. Some stone protrudes from the mound but there is no visible evidence to suggest the presence of a cist or kerb.
Butler depicts this as a possible pillow mound but the feature is so irregular and has obviously been disturbed by an unrecorded antiquarian digging as to be with little doubt a cairn. There is also a lack of corroborating evidence such as drainage ditches to support Butler's hypothesis (Probert, S. A. J.).

Probert, S. A. J. + Newman, P., 1997, Holne Moor, Dartmoor, Devonshire. A Landscape Survey by the Royal Commission on the Historical Monuments of England (Report - Survey). SDV173671.

Environment Agency WMS, 1998-2016, LiDAR DSM data JPEG image (1m resolution) (Cartographic). SDV360209.

Mound visible on the lidar image.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV8146 - Royal Commission Survey at Down Ridge and Swincombe
• EDV8409 - Dartmoor Royal Forest Project

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