See important guidance on the use of this record.

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

Summary

Small partially turf-covered cairn lies on a slight saddle between two high points in moorland pasture, surrounded by tin pits. It has been built against a large boulder and is composed of small granite and quartz boulders and stones, some very angular in shape. It measures 4.8m N-S by 4.2m E-W and a maximum 0.7m high, its slopes and perimeter are very sharply defined. The trench or slot cut into the top is 2.2m long, 0.55m wide and 0.3m deep. There is no evidence of a kerb or cist. It is doubtfully a prehistoric cairn and may simply be a mound of stone clearance material or more likely a tinners boundary mark.

Location

Protected Status

• SHINE: Group of four prehistoric cairns east of Royal Hill

Other References/Statuses

• Dartmoor Non-designated Heritage Asset (Historical): NI Site
• National Monuments Record: SX67SW222
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 620086
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX67SW/113

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• BOUNDARY CAIRN (Constructed, Post Medieval to Early 20th Century - 1540 AD (Between) to 1901 AD (Between))
• CLEARANCE CAIRN (Constructed, Post Medieval to Early 20th Century - 1540 AD (Between) to 1901 AD (Between))

Full description

National Monuments Record, 1976, NMR SX6372 (Aerial Photograph). SDV279433.

Greeves, T. A. P., 1982, Royal Hill Cairns (Site Visit). SDV345837.

Irregularly shaped sub-circular cairn with a maximum diameter of approximately 4.5 meters and a maximum height of 0.5 meters. Mostly constructed of small stones but there is a large granite slab on the east around which the cairn may have been constructed. There is a shallow linear slot in the centre of the cairn aligned east-south-east by west-north-west and measuring 2.0 meters by 0.6 meters width.

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

Visible and recorded.

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

(12/03/1989) SX 62907230. This small partially turf-covered cairn lies on a slight saddle between two high points at 354m OD in moorland pasture and is surrounded by tin pits.
It has been built against a large boulder and is composed of small granite and quartz boulders and stones, some very angular in shape. It measures 4.8m N-S by 4.2m E-W and a maximum 0.7m high, its slopes and perimeter are very sharply defined. The trench or slot cut into the top is 2.2m long, 0.55m wide and 0.3m deep. There is no evidence of a kerb or cist.
It is doubtfully a prehistoric cairn and may simply be a mound of stone clearance material or more likely a tinners boundary mark (citing Cornish Archaeology, 25, 1986 pg. 168 A. Preston Jones& P. Ros) (see SX 67 SW 223).

Butler, J., 1993, Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities: Volume Four - The South-East, 213-4, Map 63, Figure 63.1 (Monograph). SDV337765.

Cairn '6' at SX62887231 of 5.0 metres diameter by 0.5 metres high was built to include a natural bouder and hollowed at the centre.

Gerrard, S., 2004, List of Sites Remaining to be Considered for Designation on Dartmoor (Un-published). SDV345444.

This site was considered for designation as a Scheduled Ancient Monument during the Monument Protection Programme. The programme ended before the entire list of sites was successfully scheduled so this is included on a local list of Nationally Important Sites.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV8146 - Royal Commission Survey at Down Ridge and Swincombe
• EDV8628 - Tor Royal Farm Duchy Farms Survey
• EDV8409 - Dartmoor Royal Forest Project
• EDV8423 - Duchy Farms Project

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