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Summary

Well-preserved ring cairn on Mardon Down. This site is included in the local list of Nationally Important Dartmoor sites. Surveyed in 2017; the cairn comprises two, well defined, opposing arc shaped banks of up to 3 metres wide by 0.22 metres high, which together enclose an approximately circular area with a maximum diameter of 15.5 metres. Likely that this earthwork was once ‘C’ shaped in plan but the western arc has been disturbed making it difficult to establish whether this end was also open.

Location

Protected Status

• SHINE: Prehistoric stone circle and earthworks of three well-preserved Bronze Age cairns, part of a line of monuments along the ridge on Mardon Down

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX78NE/66
• SHINE Candidate (Yes)

Monument Type(s) and Dates

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

Full description

Greeves, T. A. P., 1982, Stone Circle on Mardon Down (Worksheet). SDV305595.

(Annotated map shows cairn.) Well-preserved ring cairn: bank 2.0 metres wide enclosing area of 12.0 metres in diameter with disturbed mound in centre. There is a gap in bank on east side of cairn . Not described by Grinsell (1978).

Royal Commission on the Historical Monuments of England, 1985, Aerial Photograph Project (Interpretation). SDV319854.

Not visible on Royal Air Force or National Monuments Record aerial photographs.

Turner, J. R., 1990, Ring Cairns, Stone Circles and Related Monuments on Dartmoor, 32, 37, 67 (Article in Serial). SDV229817.

A36. Stone ring with central cairn. Outer ring measures 12.0 metres in diameter with bank 1.5 metres wide and 0.3 metres high. Central cairn 5.0 metres in diameter and 0.4 metres high with disturbance on its western side. Outer ring has 2.5 metre wide entrance on the east.

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.

GeoInformation Group Ltd, 2010, 1:625 2010 Colour (12.5cm resolution) (Aerial Photograph). SDV346026.

Area of cairn visible on the recent aerial photography of the area. Map object based on this Source.

Newman , P., 2017, A Stone Circle and Cairn Group on Mardon Down, Moretonhampstead, Devon, 7, Fig 5, 17 (Report - Survey). SDV360188.

Ring cairn (MDV15159) SX 76726 87245
A probable ring cairn 43 metres north of the stone circle. The cairn comprises two, well defined, opposing arc shaped banks of up to 3 metres wide by 0.22 metres high, which together enclose an approximately circular area with a maximum diameter of 15.5 metres. The banks are breached at the eastern end by a 1.6 metre wide opening, where the terminals are evenly bull-nosed, suggesting this may be an original feature of the cairn. It is likely that this earthwork was once ‘C’ shaped in plan but the western arc has been disturbed making it difficult to establish whether this end was also open. A somewhat amorphous and spread central mound may also be an original feature but this too appears to have been disturbed.
Surveyed at 1:200. Map object based on this source.

Richards, A. F., 2017, Comment regarding the numbering in Newman's Mardon Down report (Personal Comment). SDV360190.

Numbering of the two cairns (MDV19003 and MDV15159) has become transposed in Newman's report; although he refers to this cairn as being MDV15159, the description and grid reference confirm it is MDV19003.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV7270 - Survey of cairn cemetery, stone circle and other earthworks on Mardon Down

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