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Summary

A disturbed cairn and cist. The turf-covered and spread stony mound is 5.9 metres in diameter and about 0.4 metres high with some kerb slabs and boulders in situ. The apparently off-centre cist measures 1.8 metres by 0.9 metres internally and 0.4 metres deep; one large, leaning slab, probably the displaced coverstone measures 1.1 metres by 0.8 metres. Spoil from the disturbances lies on and about the mound.

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1010657: Cairn with a cist north of Whittenknowles Rocks

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX56NE26 SX 56 NE 26
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 438574 438574
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX56NE/51
• Old SAM Ref: 10737

Monument Type(s) and Dates

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

Full description

Worth, R. H., 1929, 48th Report on Barrows, 85 plate 11 (Article in Serial). SDV230290.

Leedon, not far from head of the Drizzlecombe. Restoration attempted, placing kist well away from centre of circle, which is unlikely. Cist cannot have exceeded 0.9 metres in length. Coverstone still there. The barrow or cairn is 6.0 metres in diameter, 0.6 metres high and is surrounded by a retaining circle, of which four stones still stand on the north-west circumference. Small stones in circle. View.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1977, SX56NE26 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV230291.

(Visited 1/6/1977) This cairn is situated on the west facing slope of a ridge north of Ditsworthy Warren. Its diameter is 5.7 metres and its height 0.4 metres. Four stones of the circle remain in the north-west quadrant; the highest 0.3 metres.
The cist in the centre is partly destroyed; two stones end to end form the southern side and the coverstone leans inwards from the north side. The overall size is 1.7 metres by 1.2 metres with the coverstone measuring 1.0 metres by 0.8 metres. Surveyed at 1:10 000 on PFD.

Grinsell, L. V., 1978, Dartmoor Barrows, 166 (Article in Serial). SDV273224.

(Visited 29/7/1972) Cairn with retaining circle, enclosing cist placed south-east by north-west. Diameter 5.5 metres, height 0.3 metres.

Hemery, E., 1983, High Dartmoor, 147 (Monograph). SDV249702.

A genuine cairn.

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

Cairn is not visible on the 1946 Royal Air Force vertical aerial photographs.

Butler, J., 1994, Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities: Volume Three - The South-West, 70, Map 47, Figure 47.8 (Monograph). SDV137656.

Eylesbarrow S.W. cairn at SX58696784 of 6.0 metres diameter by 0.4 metres high. The cairn is not difficult to find 200 metres south of Eylesbarrow reave, its upended capstone propped to one side of the cist prominent on the bare hillside. An attempt was made to restore the cist shortly before 1929. Stone cutters were responsible for at least part of the damage as one of the loose slabs bears the marks of the masons' tools, but one end slab remains in position and the south side, made up of two stones on edge, is also possibly an original feature. The structure may be one of those rare burial cairns covering two cists. Around the base of the mound a few stones remain of an outer ring.

Fletcher, M. + Newman, P. + Probert, S., 1999, Drizzlecombe, Eylesbarrow, Ditsworthy and Hartor areas in the Plym Valley, West Devon (Report - Survey). SDV346268.

(03/07/1999) A disturbed cairn and cist lie on a north-west facing hillslope at SX5869 6784. The turf-covered and spread stony mound is 5.9 metres in diameter and about 0.4 metres high with some kerb slabs and boulders in situ. The apparently off-centre cist measures 1.8 metres by 0.9 metres internally and 0.4 metres deep; one large, leaning slab, probably the displaced coverstone measures 1.1 metres by 0.8 metres. Spoil from the disturbances lies on and about the mound.

Wessex Archaeology, 2002, Cramber Tor Training Area Rapid Condition Survey (Report - Survey). SDV354588.

Site WA038.

Probert, S. A. J. + Fletcher, M. J., 2002, Plym Valley survey (Report - Survey). SDV350782.

Newman, P., 2006, Cramber Tor Training Area Archaeological Field Investigation (Report - Survey). SDV233640.

Site is as described by English Heritage in 1999 (see 1999 Eylesbarrow report details).

Newman, P., 2007, Cramber Tor Training Area Monument Baseline Condition Survey (Report - Survey). SDV348210.

Probert, S., 2008, Follow-Up Works to Cramber Tor Archaeological Baseline Condition Survey, Dartmoor Training Area (Report - Survey). SDV351304.

Greeves, T., 2012, Cramber Tor Training Area. Monument Condition Survey (Report - Survey). SDV350251.

Bluesky International Ltd/Getmapping PLC, 2015-2017, 2015-2017 Aerial Photographs (Aerial Photograph). SDV361462.

Cairn and cist is visible on the aerial photography.

Probert, S. A. J., 2017, A Condition Survey of the Archaeological Sites of the Cramber Tor Training Area, Devon, 2017 (Report - Survey). SDV360392.

Various, 2018-2020, PALs Condition Recording forms, UP-DZ 10 (Worksheet). SDV362781.

Visited 25/01/2020. Overall condition very good. Photo taken.

Various, 2018-2020, PALs Condition Recording photographs, UP-DZ 10 (Photograph). SDV363073.

Photo looking 300° showing close cropped grass/moss cover.

Ordnance Survey, 2019, MasterMap 2019 (Cartographic). SDV362729.

Cairn is depicted on the modern mapping.

Historic England, 2019, National Heritage List for England (National Heritage List for England). SDV362730.

Cairn with a cist north of Whittenknowles Rocks. See designation record for full details.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments: none recorded

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV7382 - Condition Survey of the Cramber Tor Training Area
• EDV8155 - Plym Valley Survey
• EDV4966 - Survey of Drizzlecombe, Eylesbarrow, Ditsworthy and Hartor. The Eylesbarrow archaeological landscape
• EDV6034 - Monument Condition Survey in Cramber Tor Training Area
• EDV6152 - Follow-up Works to Threatened Sites in the Cramber Tor Training Area
• EDV6153 - Monument Baseline Condition Survey in the Cramber Tor Training Area

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