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Summary

Cuckoo Ball prehistoric chambered cairn is tapering in shape 20 metres long by 12 metres wide at the north end and 7 metres at the south end. Two of the megaliths forming part of the chamber at the north end remain standing. Three have fallen and any capstones have been removed.

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1012284: Chambered cairn in Cuckoo Ball newtake

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX65NE34
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 441197
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX65NE/1
• Old SAM County Ref: 307
• Old SAM Ref: 10548

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• CHAMBERED LONG CAIRN (Constructed, Neolithic - 4000 BC (Between) to 2201 BC (Between))
• CHAMBERED TOMB (Constructed, Neolithic - 4000 BC (Between) to 2201 BC (Between))

Full description

Worth, R. H., 1911, 30th Report of the Barrow Committee, 96, Figure (Article in Serial). SDV235782.

The remains of a very fine cist, large enough to be called a cromlech, lie in Cuckoo Ball enclosure, near West Peek. The retaining circle of the mound which once covered the cist still remains, with a diameter of about 29 feet. Only three stones remain in their original position. Probable dimensions were at least 9 feet in length and about 6 feet in width. The largest stone stands 5 feet 10 inches above the present ground level. The direction of the eastern side, formed by two stones, is N 16o 30' W.

Worth, R. H., 1937, 56th Report of the Barrow Committee, 93, Plate 12 (Article in Serial). SDV20973.

Brailsford, J. W., 1938, Bronze Age Stone Monuments of Dartmoor, 456 (Article in Serial). SDV304210.

Worth, R. H., 1946, Stray notes on the Teign Valley, 162-3 (Article in Serial). SDV222207.

The grave on Cuckoo Ball, near West Peek, might be classed as a dolmen. Ruined.

Royal Air Force, 1946 - 1949, Royal Air Force Aerial Photographs (Aerial Photograph). SDV342938.

Feature visible on aerial photograph.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1950, SX65NE34 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV148319.

(13/03/1950) Worth's description accurate. See photographs.

Worth, R. H., 1967, Worth's Dartmoor, 180 (Monograph). SDV337618.

Cuckoo Ball, chambered cairn. Remains stand at the north-west corner of the newtake a few yards from the open moor at Cuckoo Ball. Two large stones remain standing, remainder fallen and capstone removed. One standing stone has an almost vertical side 1.83 metres long, and a curved side 1.8 metres long, being 1.2 metres wide at the base and 400 millimetres thick. The other standing stone has two curved edges 1.5 metres and 1.4 metres long, being 2.1 metres wide at the base and 28 centimetres thick. The two stones overlap slightly, the first lying to the north of the second. The two fallen stones on the west side of these are 1.2 metres and 2 metres long. There are other partly covered stones in the bracken, but cairn has been much reduced to build local walls. Parts of a retaining circle are visible in the form of two stones and some humps in the ground 2.5 metres from the northern standing stone. Condition poor, but excavation might reveal much.

Fletcher, M. + Grinsell, L. V. + Quinnell, N. V., 1974, A Long Cairn on Butterdon Hill, Ugborough, 163 (Article in Serial). SDV148316.

National Monuments Record, 1977, SX6658, 374 (Aerial Photograph). SDV160614.

Photograph taken on 20th May 1977

Grinsell, L. V., 1978, Dartmoor Barrows, 132 (Article in Serial). SDV273224.

(22/06/1973 and 1976) The remains of a long cairn and burial chamber are situated at SX 65965819, on a hill-slope at Cuckoo Ball. The cairn, which was probably robbed for newtake walls to the west and north, is 23 metres long by 12 metres wide, aligned north to south, and is 0.7 metre high at the north. The burial chamber is at the north end.

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

Visible on 1977 aerial photograph.

Robinson, R., 1986, List of Field Monument Warden Visits 1986 (Un-published). SDV345664.

Site visited on 6th March 1986.

Butler, J., 1993, Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities: Volume Four - The South-East, 23,36 Map 53, Figures 53.6 and Figure 53.14 (Monograph). SDV337765.

Cuckoo Ball chambered cairn at SX65965818 is as lozenge shaped feature in the north-west corner of the field. It is wider at the north end and narrow to the south. The long cairn at Cuckoo Ball was originally a massive tapering mound at least 28 metres long. The chamber is at the northern end and orientated west of north. Two side slabs still stand in place and several other large blocks from a chamber are lying alongside.

Ordnance Survey, 2020, MasterMap 2020 (Cartographic). SDV363413.

'Cist' shown on modern mapping.

Historic England, 2020, National Heritage List for England, 1012284 (National Heritage List for England). SDV363414.

Chambered cairn. Fenced off from the enclosed grazing, but open to access from the moor. Tapering in shape, circa 20 metres long by 12 metres wide at the north end and 7 metres at the south end, by 1 metre high (maximum). Two of the megaliths forming part of the chamber at the north end remain standing. They have a maximum height of 1.6 metres and thickness of 0.2 metres. Three have fallen and any capstones have been removed. Large stones in the newtake wall may derive from the chamber.

Riley, H., 2021, Archaeological Survey: Ugborough Premier Archaeological Landscape, Harford and Ugborough, 8, Figure 5 (Report - Survey). SDV364697.

Cuckoo Ball chambered tomb.

Riley, H., 2021, UG21 heritage asset database and gazetteer of sites (Report - Survey). SDV364699.

Site visited on 18th April 2021, surveyed and photographed. Chambered cairn, trapezoidal mound, 20 metres north-west to south-east, 13 metres south-west to north-east tapering to 11 metres south-west to north-east at the southern end, 0.5 metres high; tail of mound 12 metres north to south, 7 metres east to west at southern end of long mound. Two large upright stones are remains of chamber at north end; several hollows and heaps on the mound are evidence of excavations and stone extraction.

Daniel, G., unknown, Prehistoric Chamber Tombs (Monograph). SDV148315.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV8770 - Archaeological Survey: Ugborough Premier Archaeological Lanscape , Harford amd Ugborough

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