See important guidance on the use of this record.

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

Summary

One of three Prehistoric cairns shown on the Shaugh Prior and Sparkwell parish boundary and one of two in the Prehistoric barrow cemetery on the western slope of Crownhill Down.

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1003201: Barrow cemetery on western slope of Crownhill Down

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: 438411
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX55NE/30
• Old SAM County Ref: Part of 1027 A-G

Monument Type(s) and Dates

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

Full description

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

'Pile of Stones' shown on 19th century map at a point where the parish boundary between Shaugh Prior and Sparkwell changes direction from north-west to south-west.

Ordnance Survey, 1904 - 1906, Second Edition Ordnance Survey 25 inch Map (Cartographic). SDV325644.

'Pile of Stones' shown on early 20th century map.

Edwards, C., 1979, An archaeological survey of an area surrounding Hemerdon Ball (Report - Survey). SDV337241.

Cairn on slopes of Crownhill Down visited on 18th June 1979. One of three cairns lying on the Sparkwell/Shaugh Prior parish boundary and shown as 'Pile of Stones' on Ordnance Survey maps. Scattered boulders, possibly robbed. Diameter 7 meters, height 0.5 meters.

Devon County Council, 1982, Crownhill Down (Plan - measured). SDV337246.

Gilbertson, D. + Collis, J., 1982, Mapping Three Millennia of Settlement and Land Use on Crownhill Down, South West Dartmoor (Article in Serial). SDV362901.

Visited in 1980 and found to be as above.

AMAX, 1982, The Hemerdon Project. Archaeological Sites (Plan - measured). SDV149232.

One of three Prehistoric cairns shown on the Shaugh Prior and Sparkwell parish boundary on Crownhill Down.

Gilbertson, D. + Collis, J., 1985, Linear Banks on Crownhill Down, Dartmoor (Article in Serial). SDV337244.

Visited in 1980 and found to be as above.

Royal Commission on the Historical Monuments of England, 1985, SX55NE (Cartographic). SDV337243.

Not visible on 1946 aerial photographs.

Department of Environment, 1986, Barrow Cemetery on Western Slope of Crownhill Down (Schedule Document). SDV337245.

Barrow cemetery on western slope of Crownhill Down. This site has no statutory description.

Griffith, F. M., 1988, DAP/KA, 5-12 (Aerial Photograph). SDV337242.

Butler, J., 1994, Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities: Volume Three - The South-West, 194-6, Map 52, Figure 52.16 (Monograph). SDV137656.

Cairn shown on Crownhill Down between Sites '5' and '6'.

National Monuments Record, 2002, 438411 (National Monuments Record Database). SDV343823.

Linear group of six round barrows or cairns with three more possible mounds, lie on a south-west facing slope of Crownhill Down. These turf-covered mounds all have some stone visible although there are no traces of kerbs. It is possible that some of the mounds are built around rock outcrops.

Fletcher, M., 2002, The Archaeological Landscape of Crownhill Down and Ridding Down: Survey Report (Report - Survey). SDV343412.

Other details: Figure 3 and Crownhill Down Survey.

Hegarty, C., Knight, S. and Sims, R., 2019-2021, The South Devon Coast to Dartmoor Aerial Investigation and Mapping Survey. Area 2, Avon Valley to Plymouth (AI&M, formerly NMP) (Interpretation). SDV362982.

No evidence of a cairn was noted in this location as part of the survey.

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

'Pile of Stones' shown on modern mapping where the Parish Boundary changes direction.

Historic England, 2022, National Heritage List for England, 1003201 (National Heritage List for England). SDV364675.

The cemetery survives as at least eight round cairns, in a linear arrangement in groups of varying numbers. The cairns survive as circular stony mounds which vary in diameter from 6 metres up to 12.5 metres and from 0.2 metres to 0.7 metres high. Several cairns appear to have been built around earthfast boulders and some shown signs of early partial excavation or robbing. The area around the cairns includes unmarked flat graves and a variety of sub-surface structures associated with ritual and funerary use. The later parish boundary utilises the same ridge.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV4559 - Archaeological Landscape of Crownhill Down and Riddding Down
• EDV8098 - The South Devon Coast to Dartmoor Aerial Investigation and Mapping (formerly NMP) Survey, Area 2, Avon Valley to Plymouth (Ref: ACD2040)

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