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Summary

One of two cairns in a group on Wigford Down; these are contained within the coaxial field system. This is a round cairn which survives as a circular mound measuring 10 metres in diameter and 0.6 metres high. A ring cairn lies just to the south (MDV48903), while three other cairns lie to the south-east.

Location

Protected Status

• SHINE: Earthworks and walling of Bronze age parallel reave field system with hut circle settlements and cairns, plus deserted Medieval settlements with long houses and pillow mounds, on Wigford Down
• Scheduled Monument 1002522: Four round barrows on Wigford Down

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX56NW23
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 439081
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX56NW/10
• Old SAM County Ref: DV435

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• ROUND CAIRN (Constructed, Early Neolithic to Late Bronze Age - 4000 BC to 701 BC (Between))

Full description

Worth, R. H., 1943, 62nd report on barrows, 55 (Article in Serial). SDV165840.

A cairn, diameter 37 feet, height 3 feet lies 970 feet east from the centre of the cairn circle (SX 56 NW 21) and a little north of the track leading to Brisworthy Lane End.

Royal Air Force, 1946, RAF/106G/UK/1190, 3239-40 (Aerial Photograph). SDV340833.

Not recognisable on air photographs.

Worth, R. H., 1947, 66th Report of the Barrow Committee, 54-55, plate 10 (Article in Serial). SDV16898.

On or near the summit of Wigford Down, there are five cairns or remains of cairns. Four are shown on the Ordnance Survey 6 inch map series.
Cairn E; not marked on Ordnance Survey map. The centre lies 100 metres from centre of A on a bearing of east 3 ¾ degrees south to north of the green track leading to Brisworthy Lane.
Cairn measures 33 feet in diameter (10.0 metre), height 3 feet (0.9 metre).

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1950/1980, SX56NW23 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV268171.

(1950) Turf-covered cairn circle adjacent to cairn.
(16/09/1980) On the east slope of Wigford Down at 261m. OD is a cairn 12.0m. in diameter and 0.9m. high. A hut circle lies on its southern edge. (See SX 56 NW 38).
Surveyed at 1:2500 on MSD.

Ordnance Survey, 1953-1969, 1953-1969 National Grid OS A edition imperial, 1954 edition (Cartographic). SDV352727.

(SX 54956508) Cairn, (NR).

Grinsell, L. V., 1978, Dartmoor Barrows, 157 (Article in Serial). SDV273224.

(Site visited 27/7/1972) Cairn measuring 12.0 metre in diameter, height 0.6 metre. Other details: 4 Wigford Down.

Price, D. G., 1978, Settlement and ancient fields on Wigford Down, 69-75 (Article in Serial). SDV220620.

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

Visible and recorded on Royal Air Force 1946 aerial photographs.

Butler, J., 1994, Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities: Volume Three - The South-West, 79-80, Map 48, Figure 48.1 (Monograph). SDV137656.

Wigford Down cairn '6' at SX54966508 of 10.0 metres diameter by 0.4 metres high is a bowl cairn.

Unknown, 1996, Untitled Source (Unattributed Sites and Monuments Register Entry). SDV346336.

The Ordnance Survey / National Monuments Record may have confused Grinsell's sites 4 and 4a. This record refers to Grinsell's 4, which he describes as a cairn.

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

Cairn visible on aerial photography as a circular grassy area.

Ordnance Survey, 2011, MasterMap (Cartographic). SDV346129.

Various, 2018-2020, PALs Condition Recording forms, WD-5 (Worksheet). SDV362781.

(24/03/2020) Cairn is covered in vegetation growth (grass, moss, bracken); otherwise the condition is moderate.

Various, 2018-2020, PALs Condition Recording photographs (Photograph). SDV363073.

Site recorded during condition visit.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV8316 - Wigford Down PAL survey

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