See important guidance on the use of this record.

If you have any comments or new information about this record, please email us.

Summary

Westernmost of a group of three round cairns, comprising a 5 metre diameter mound with a cist in the centre and the possible remains of a kerb on the south-east side. An end and sidestone remain of the cist; the western sidestone is displaced and there is no capstone present.

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1010782: Three round cairns 370m ENE of Down Tor
• SHINE: Earthwork and structural remains of a section of the late 18th century Devonport Leat running from Raddick Hill to Nun's Cross, including extensive tinning remains at Cramber Tor

Other References/Statuses

• MPP Archaeological Item Dataset: 133339
• National Monuments Record: SX56NE127
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 438861
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX56NE/174
• Old SAM Ref: 24051
• Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division: SX56NE127
• Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division: SX56NE204

Monument Type(s) and Dates

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

Full description

Worth, R. H., 1912, 31st Report of the Barrow Committee (Article in Serial). SDV233835.

Birkett Dixon, C. E., 1958, 73rd Report on Barrows, 230, Figs 42 & 45 (Article in Serial). SDV251324.

Group of five kistvaens situated in the valley of the Newleycombe Lake. The two largest are spaced 37 feet 6 inches apart centre to centre; the smallest lies to the north of them, 12 feet from the western and 35 feet from the eastern. No. 107 (Western). Stands in the remains of a barrow and retaining circle some 14 feet diameter and complete apart from the cover stone. The western sidestone is leaning outwards; the eastern is 46 inches long. The average dimensions are: length 35 inches, depth 29 inches, original width between 15 and 21 inches.

Grinsell, L. V., 1978, Dartmoor Barrows, 99, 174 (Article in Serial). SDV273224.

Site visit 2nd September 1975. Barrow A. The westernmost barrow. The remains of a cairn with retaining circle. 3.5 metres diameter, 0.3 metres high. The cist aligned slightly east-north-east to west-south-west, and 29 inches deep, had an original width of between 15 and 21 inches, being complete except for the capstone.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1979, SX56NE127 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV251327.

(02/04/1979) At SX 58386956 on the lower north-facing slopes of Down Tor at 323.0m. O.D. is a group of three cists. Dixon said five, but this was almost certainly a typescript or printers error he describes three, which is what there are.
The western cist ('Dixon's No. 107) lies within the remains of a cairn 4.5m. in diameter and 0.5m. in height. The cist consists of two sidestones 1.1m. in length, one of which is leaning outwards, and two endstones. It measures 1.0m. by 0.7m. internally and is 0.5m. deep. Two possible stones of a retaining circle lie to the south-east side. The orientation is 3 degrees east of Grid North.
Surveyed at 1:10 000 on P.F.D. and at 1:100 for A.O, Records.

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

Between an enormous boulder and the shoulder of the hill are three kistvaens discovered by R. C. Carpenter in 1958. Not only are they notable as a group but the northernmost is the smallest known in situ on the Moor.

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

Not visible on RAF vertical photos.

Gerrard, S., 1990-2002, Monument Protection Programme. Archaeological Item Dataset., MPP133339, 24/04/1994 (Report - Survey). SDV277946.

Round cairn containing a cist. Cairn lies 6.25 metres from the east cairn and survives as a 5 metre diameter mound standing up to 0.6 metres high. Edge set stones forming the south-east periphery of this mound indicate the presence of a kerb, which survivies largely as a buried feature. In the centre of the mound is a cist which is orientated east-north-east to west-south-west and measures 1.1 metres long by 0.7 metres wide and is 0.5 metres deep.

Butler, J., 1994, Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities: Volume Three - The South-West, 72-73, Map 47, Figure 47.10 (Monograph). SDV137656.

Hingston Hill cairn '2' at SX58366956 of 3.0 metres diameter by 0.3 metres high with a cist. This western cairn has one of the end slabs of the cist at an angle on the edge of the pit. Upended stones with their tops just showing within the mound probably once stood around its base.

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

Cramber Tor Survey 2002, Sites WA066, WA074, WA075.

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

(01/08/2006) A group of three small disturbed round cairns, each containing a cist revealed by partial un-recorded excavation, located within a north facing valley, 350 metres east-north-east of Down Tor. Under threat from gorse encroachment. Condition fair, status stable.
Cist 107. Built into a 4 metre diameter by 0.4 metre high disturbed earth mound which incorporates some in-situ moorstone. The central cist has end and one side slab present and measures (?)0.65 metres by 1 metres by 0.5 metres deep. Western side slab is displaced. No capstone present.

Newman, P., 2007, Cramber Tor Training Area Monument Baseline Condition Survey, No. 438861 (Report - Survey). SDV348210.

Probert, S., 2008, Follow-Up Works to Cramber Tor Archaeological Baseline Condition Survey, Dartmoor Training Area, 10, Figs 12-13, no. 438861 (Report - Survey). SDV351304.

Three cairns containing cists. This unusual cluster of prehistoric sepulchral monuments was threatened by small scale gorse encroachment which has now been removed.

Greeves, T., 2012, Cramber Tor Training Area. Monument Condition Survey, No. 438861 (Report - Survey). SDV350251.

Site visit 2nd February 2012. Condition and stability good. Gorse has been cleared. Resprouting should be monitored.

Ordnance Survey, 2013, MasterMap (Cartographic). SDV350786.

'Cairns & Cists' marked.

English Heritage, 2013, National Heritage List for England, 1010782 (National Heritage List for England). SDV350785.

Three round cairns 370 metres east-north-east of Down Tor. This monument includes three small round cairns, each containing a cist revealed by partial excavation, situated within a north facing valley lying between Down Tor and Hingston Hill, overlooking the valley of Newleycombe Lake. The western cairn lies 6.25 metres from the eastern cairn and survives as a 5 metres diameter mound standing up to 0.6 metres high. Edge set stones forming the south eastern periphery of this mound indicate the presence of a kerb, which survives largely as a buried feature. In the centre of the mound is a cist which is orientated east-north-east to west-south-west and measures 1.1 metres long by 0.7 metres wide and 0.5 metres deep.

Various, 2018-2020, PALs Condition Recording forms, WLK-DT11 (Worksheet). SDV362781.

Visited 12/07/2019. Cairn generally grass covered with heather outcrops on exposed rocks.. Photo taken

Various, 2018-2020, PALs Condition Recording photographs, WLK-DT11 (Photograph). SDV363073.

Visited 12/07/2019. Photo taken showing the cairn with exposed cist in the centre. Looking north east

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV6153 - Monument Baseline Condition Survey in the Cramber Tor Training Area
• EDV6034 - Monument Condition Survey in Cramber Tor Training Area
• EDV6152 - Follow-up Works to Threatened Sites in the Cramber Tor Training Area
• EDV7382 - Condition Survey of the Cramber Tor Training Area
• EDV8351 - Walkhampton Premier Archaeological Landscape; Field Investigation Project

Search results generated by the HBSMR Gateway from exeGesIS SDM Ltd.