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Summary

Cairn of 11.6 metres diameter by 0.8 metres high lying between the summits of Hare Tor and Sharp Tor

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1007536: Round cairn 340m north of Hare Tor

Other References/Statuses

• National Record of the Historic Environment: 440579
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX58SE/27
• Old SAM County Ref: 477
• Old SAM Ref: 20339
• Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division: SX58SE1

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• CAIRN (Constructed, Early Bronze Age to Late Iron Age - 2200 BC (Between) to 42 AD (Between))

Full description

Worth, R. H., 1905, 24th Report of the Barrow Committee, 90 (Article in Serial). SDV64705.

A cairn, lying between the summits of Hare Tor and Sharp Tor and about one-third of the distance towards the latter, was excavated in the spring of 1905 with nil results. Interment pit.

Worth, R. H., 1937, 56th Report of the Barrow Committee, 82 (Article in Serial). SDV20973.

Centre dug into.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1950/1979, SX58SE1, SX58SE1 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV235012.

(19/07/1950) Cairn at Hare Tor, between the summits of Hare Tor and Sharp Tor. Barrow with pit. Diameter 11.0 metres, height 1.4 metres.
(02/10/1979) In a false crest position at 505.0 metres OD is a partly turf-covered
cairn, in fair condition, with a flattish profile. It measures 11.8 metres in diameter and 1.2 metres high and has a hollowed centre with exposed loose small stones and larger stones packed around the perimeter.
Revised at 1:10 000 on MSD.

Grinsell, L. V., 1978, Dartmoor Barrows, 144 (Article in Serial). SDV273224.

(11/09/1975). Crescent shaped cairn. Material from east side removed. Excavated. Diameter 10.0m, height 1.0m

Robinson, R., 1983, List of Field Monument Warden Visits 1983 (Un-published). SDV345762.

(03/09/1983) Site visited.

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

Not visible on the 1940s Royal Air Force vertical aerial photographs.

Butler, J., 1991, Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities: Volume Two - The North, 106, 241, Map 32, Site 20 (Monograph). SDV219155.

Hare Tor N. 1 cairn at SX55188457 of 10.0 metres diameter by 1.3 metres high. Substantial flat-topped cairn and although the centre has been badly damaged the outer rim and sides appear to be intact. It was excavated in 1905 but no artefacts were recorded.

Probert, S. + Fletcher, M. + Newman, P., 1998, Willsworthy Training Area, Peter Tavy, Devon: An Archaeological survey by the Royal Commission on the Historical Monuments of England (Report - Survey). SDV350638.

(23/06/1998) A well-defined BA cairn is situated on a ridge crest north of Hare Tor at SX55188457, some 510m above OD. It was probably originally flat-topped with steep sides but it has been disturbed and a small cairn has been built on one side. It measures 11.6m in diameter with an average height of 0.8m and a maximum height including upcast of 1.5m. It lies on an isolated area of slate and shale bedrock and is covered by low heather moorland.

Probert, S., 2001, Willsworthy Training Area, Peter Tavy, Devon. Integrated Land Management Plan Implementation: Archaeological Condition Baseline Survey Appendices 2-5 (Report - Survey). SDV357727.

(23/10/2001) This feature remains as described in 1998 though more of the loose stones that comprise the monument have been incorporated into the walker's cairn.

English Heritage, 2005-2008, Prehistoric Survey Information (Cartographic). SDV345521.

Cairn shown on survey.

Ordnance Survey, 2023, Mastermap 2023 (Cartographic). SDV365227.

'Cairn' shown on modern mapping.

Historic England, 2023, National Heritage List for England, 1007536 (National Heritage List for England). SDV365228.

This monument includes a round cairn situated on the crest of a prominent ridge between Sharp Tor and Hare Tor overlooking Walla Brook. The cairn mound measures 11.8 met in diameter and stands up to 1.4 metres high. A shallow hollow in the centre of the mound, filled with loose granite rubble, reprresesents the site of an uninformative partial excavation carried out in 1905. The edges of the mound are steep sided indicating the presence of a kerb.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV8437 - Excavation at cairn north of Hare Tor
• EDV7368 - Survey of the Willsworthy Training Area, Peter Tavy (1998)
• EDV6663 - Survey of the Willsworthy Training Area
• EDV6664 - Survey of the Willsworthy Training Area
• EDV6665 - Survey of the Willsworthy Training Area
• EDV8141 - Condition survey of the Willsworthy Training Area

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