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Summary

Small dispersed cairnfield containing eleven cairns to the south-east of White Hill. The cairns are all small with diameters in the range 1.9 metres to 5.9 metres by up to 0.8 metres high. None of the cairns appear to have been excavated and none possess any features suggestive of the presence of cists or kerbs. One has suffered a small degree of damage probably as a result of military activity in the area.

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1008756: Southern White Hill cairnfield

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX58SW84
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 1143706
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX58SW/92
• Old SAM Ref: 20351

Monument Type(s) and Dates

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

Full description

Griffith, F. M., 10/07/1996, DAP/ZL, 6-10 (Aerial Photograph). SDV251121.

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

Mostly visible on aerial photograph.

Fleming, A., 1980, The Cairnfields of North-West Dartmoor, 9-12 (Article in Serial). SDV251119.

White Hill South. The site consists of about eight cairns, mostly in a group south-south-east of the hilltop.

Fowler, P. J., 1983, The Farming of Prehistoric Britain, 129 (Monograph). SDV251120.

The Royal Commission on the Historic Monuments of England Aerial Photograph Unit, 1985, The Royal Commission on the Historic Monuments of England Aerial Photograph Project (Interpretation). SDV340940.

Not visible on Royal Air Force vertical photographs.

Gerrard, S., 1990-1994, Monument Protection Programme (Report - Survey). SDV350743.

Scatter of nine cairns around the edge of a field of which they are the only definition. Five are subcircular, ranging from 3.5 - 5.5 metres in diameter and 0.3 - 0.4 metres high. Four are covered, 4 - 7.5 metres long, 2.2 - 5 metres wide, 0.3 - 0.6 metres high.

Butler, J., 1991, Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities: Volume Two - The North, 106-108, 242, Map 32, Figure 32.6 (Monograph). SDV219155.

White Hill S. E. cairn cemetery at SX534838 consisting of 11 cairns of between 3.0 metres to 6.5 metres diameter by 0.3 metres to 0.4 metres high.

Probert, S. + Fletcher, M. + Newman, P., 1998, Willsworthy Training Area, Peter Tavy, Devon: An Archaeological survey by the Royal Commission on the Historical Monuments of England (Report - Survey). SDV350638.

(01/08/1998) Centred SX 53418375. A small dispersed cairnfield containing ten cairns lies on the gently sloping SE flank of White Hill just below the crest. The cairns, tabulated below, are all small with diameters in the range 1.9m to 5.9m and a maximum of 0.8m high. None of the cairns appear to have been excavated and none possess any features suggestive of the presence of cists or kerbs. One has suffered a small degree of damage probably as a result of military activity in the area.
NGR, DIAMETER (OVERALL), HEIGHT, COMMENTS
SX5332983758 5.45m 0.7m
SX5334583745 5.9m 0.8m Amorphous hole south of centre
SX5335683737 4.5m 0.4m
SX5336483727 3.5m 0.2m
SX5337483736 4.3m 0.4m
SX5338383738 3.25m 0.5m
SX5339983739 1.9m 0.3m
SX5347183776 4.0m 0.5m
SX5349183743 3.2m 0.3m
SX5348883723 4.0m 0.4m
The origin and function of these features is unclear though, as on the NE flank of the hill (SX 58 SW 57), they would seem to represent initial land clearance, probably during the prehistoric period.
They contain sandstone and slate stones and are covered by heather moorland.

English Heritage, 2005-2008, Prehistoric Survey Information (Cartographic). SDV345521.

Cairns shown on survey.

Historic England, 2023, National Heritage List for England, 1008756 (National Heritage List for England). SDV365228.

This monument includes a cairnfield situated on a gentle south-facing slope overlooking Willsworthy Brook. The cairnfield includes ten mounds scattered around the edge of a field, which is defined only by the location of the mounds. The majority of the cairns are believed to represent stone-clearance relating to cultivation of the area during the Bronze Age period. Six of the mounds are sub-circular in shape and these range in size from 3.5 metres to 6.5 metres in diameter and stand between 0.3 metres and 0.4 metres high. The remainder are ovoid in shape and these range between 4 metres to 7.5 metres long, 2.2 metres to 5 metres wide and stand between 0.3 metres and 0.6 metres high. One cairn has a shallow hollow in the centre of the mound, suggesting robbing or partial excavation. Another cairn mound measuring 6.5 metres in diameter is probably a burial monument.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV7368 - Survey of the Willsworthy Training Area, Peter Tavy (1998)
• EDV6663 - Survey of the Willsworthy Training Area
• EDV6664 - Survey of the Willsworthy Training Area
• EDV6665 - Survey of the Willsworthy Training Area
• EDV8141 - Condition survey of the Willsworthy Training Area

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