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Summary

Cairn on Arch Tor of 8.7 metre diameter by up to 0.9 metres high. Large edge set stones on the north western edge of the mound may suggest the presence of a kerb which survives elsewhere as a buried feature. A pit in the centre of the mound suggests partial early excavation or robbing.

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1016635: Gunpowder factory at Powder Mills, a partially enclosed stone hut circle settlement and round cairn

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX67NW85
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 442748
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX67NW/155
• Old SAM Ref: 28718

Monument Type(s) and Dates

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

Full description

Royal Air Force, 1964, F63/58/6399, 030-031 (Aerial Photograph). SDV229824.

SX 63157783. Circular mark, possibly a small hut circle or burial mound with a hollow centre.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1979, SX67NW85, Photograph, Plan (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV229823.

(14/12/1979) On a south facing slope at 394 m OD is a grass covered cairn with a partly concealed kerb of large stones (see ground photograph). It measures 11.2m north-south by 9.2m transversely in diameter, and is 1.0m in height with a 0.5m deep central depression.
Surveyed at 1:10000 and at 1:2500 for AO records.

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

Not recorded.

Royal Commission for the Historical Monuments of England, 1987-1993, Duchy Farms Project Survey Visit, P. Pattison (Report - Survey). SDV350839.

(20/07/1989) A subcircular robbed cairn situated at SX 63167783 on a moderate W slope with extensive views from NW through S to E.
The cairn is composed of medium size stones, now partly grass-covered with several large stones on the NW margin representing part of a kerb. In plan it is sub-circular between 8.4 and 10.1m diameter and between 0.4 to 0.8m high. A low tongue-shaped projection on the E side is probably spoil from a large hole cut down into the centre, 3.8m across and 0.65m deep; the result of a determined excavation.

Turner, J. R., 1990, Ring Cairns, Stone Circles and Related Monuments on Dartmoor, 74 (Article in Serial). SDV229817.

Turner records a platform circle at SX63177784. A ring of kerb stones, 6m internal diameter, enclosing a flat-topped cairn 0.4m high. Other details: E11.

Gerrard, S., 1990-2002, Monument Protection Programme. Archaeological Item Dataset., MPP 149210 (Report - Survey). SDV277946.

Round cairn 400m SW of Arch Tor.
Diameter 8.7m, height 0.9m. Central pit 3.5m by 3.5m by 0.7m deep. Grass and gorse covered mound. Spoil from central pit thrown out SE forming an elongated mound leading from the cairn. Stones protrude through the turf. Large edge set stones on NW side may indicate the presence of a kerb.

Butler, J., 1991, Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities: Volume Two - The North, 43, 238, Map 27 (Monograph). SDV219155.

Arch Tor cairn at SX63147782 of 8.0 metres diameter by 1.2 metres high. The cairn has a deep central pit with the upcast adding considerably to its diameter.

Department for Culture, Media and Sport, 2000, Cairn on Arch Tor (Correspondence). SDV229822.

SMC granted for the re-positioning of a gate, the erection of a temporary stock fence and the planting of Alder trees.

DCMS, 2004, Cairn on Arch Tor (Correspondence). SDV321117.

SMC granted for works concerning the installation of safety railings and removal of dumped material.

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

Cairn shown on survey.

Environment Agency WMS, 2019, LiDAR DTM data (1m resolution), 2019 (Cartographic). SDV362956.

Visible on Lidar data.

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

'Cairn' shown on modern mapping.

Historic England, 2022, National Heritage List for England, 1016635 (National Heritage List for England). SDV364675.

A round cairn survives as an 8.7 metres diameter mound standing up to 0.9 metres high. Large edge set stones on the north western edge of the mound may suggest the presence of a kerb which survives elsewhere as a buried feature. A pit in the centre of the mound suggests partial early excavation or robbing.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV1067 - RCHME Archaeological Survey and Evaluation: Powder Mills and Gawler
• EDV8645 - Powder Mills and Gawler Newtake, Duchy Farms Survey
• EDV8409 - Dartmoor Royal Forest Project
• EDV8423 - Duchy Farms Project

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