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Summary

The eastern of a group of three round cairns, 4.5 metres diameter and standing up to 0.8 metres high, the edge of which is defined by a ring of stones. In the centre of the cairn is a large trapezoidal-shaped cist.

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

• MORPH: 13338
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX56NE/174/2
• Old SAM Ref: 24051
• Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division: SX56NE127
• Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division: SX56NE204
• SHINE Candidate (Yes)

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• CAIRN (Constructed, Late Neolithic - 3000 BC to 2201 BC (Between))
• CIST (Constructed, Bronze Age - 2200 BC to 701 BC (Between))

Full description

Birkett Dixon, C. E., 1958, 73rd Report on Barrows, 232, Figs. 44, 47 (Article in Serial). SDV251324.

Group of 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.
109. Eastern. A large kistvaen with two sidestones and two endstones within the remains of a barrow, 6 inches high on the uphill side and 24 inches high on the downhill side. There are the remains of a retaining circle about 10 feet diameter. The two sides are not parallel, the width of 20 inches at the southern end increasing to 28 inches at the northern end, apparently through the inclusion of an additional endstone.

Grinsell, L. V., 1978, Dartmoor Barrows, 99, 175, Walkhampton 29 (Article in Serial). SDV273224.

Site visit 2nd September 1975. Cairn enclosing a cist placed nearly north-south. Possible retaining circle. Diameter 4.5 metres, height 0.7 metres.

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

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

Not visible on RAF vertical photos.

Turner, J. R., 1990, Ring Cairns, Stone Circles and Related Monuments on Dartmoor, 75, E34 (Article in Serial). SDV229817.

Platform circles. A ring of kerb stones, 3.6 metres internal diameter, encloses a flat-topped cairn 0.5 metres high with a central cist.

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

Site visit 1st August 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.

Probert, S., 2008, Follow-Up Works to Cramber Tor Archaeological Baseline Condition Survey, Dartmoor Training Area, 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. Regrowth should be monitored.

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

'Cairns & Cists' marked.

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

Three round cairns 370m ENE 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 eastern cairn survives as a 4.5m diameter mound standing up to 0.8m high. The edge of the mound is defined by a kerb of large edge set stones. In the centre of the mound is a large cist which measures 1.19m long by up to 0.71m wide and 0.94m deep. The cist is orientated from north to south and is trapezoidal in shape. The western cairn lies 6.25m from the eastern cairn and survives as a 5m diameter mound standing up to 0.6m 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 ENE to WSW and measures 1.1m long by 0.7m wide and 0.5m deep. The third cairn lies immediately to the north and is separated from the western mound by a leat which measures 0.8m wide and 0.2m deep. The cairn survives as an oval mound measuring 3.5m long by 2.3m wide, and contains one of the smallest in situ cists on Dartmoor. The cist measures 0.53m long by 0.3m wide and 0.53m deep, and is orientated south east to north west. The leat separating the western and northern cairns leads from the Newleycombe Lake and carried water to openwork tin mines to the west.
Despite partial early excavation, the three round cairns 370m ENE of Down Tor survive comparatively well and contain archaeological and environmental information relating to the monument and the landscape in which it was erected. These cairns lie within an area containing a large number of broadly contemporary ritual, funerary and settlement sites.

Various, 2018-2019, PALs Condition Recording forms, WLK-DT11 (Worksheet). SDV362781.

Visited 12/07/2019. The cairn is covered with grass and heather. Photo taken

Various, 2018-2019, PALs Condition Recording photographs, WLK-DT11 (Photograph). SDV363073.

Visited 12/07/2019. Photo giving an overall view of the cairn looking north north east

Gerrard, S., 24/04/1994, 13338 (Un-published). SDV351396.

Site visit 24th April 1994. Round cairn containing a cist. Cairn survives as a 4.5 metres diameter mound standing up to 0.8 metres high. The edge of the mound is defined by a kerb of large edge set stones. In the centre of the mound is a large cist which measures 1.19 metres by up to 0.71 metres by 0.94 metres deep. The cist is orientated north-south and is trapezoidal in shape.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, Unknown, SX56NE204 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV251325.

Site visit 2nd April 1979. The eastern cist lies within a cairn 4.5 metres diameter and 0.5 metres high. It has two sidestones and two endstones, the sidestones not being parallel. It measures 1.2 metres by 0.7 metres internally. Six stones of a retaining circle are visible, three on the south side and three on the north.

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

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