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Summary

Cist and possible remains of a barrow to the north of Vixen Tor. Cairn of 5.5 metres diameter by 0.2 metres high with a cist of 1.2 metres long by 0.5 metres wide and 0.3 metres deep

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1021118: Cairn and cist 150m north of Vixen Tor

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX57SW5
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 440423
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX57SW/9
• Old SAM Ref: 34485

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• CIST (Constructed, Early Neolithic to Late Bronze Age - 4000 BC (Between) to 701 BC (Between))
• CAIRN (Constructed, Early Bronze Age to Late Iron Age - 2200 BC (Between) to 42 AD (Between))

Full description

Worth, R. H., 1920, 39th Report of the Barrow Committee, 78 (Article in Serial). SDV233383.

Cist and possible remains of a barrow. The east and south sides of the cist lean inwards and the north end is slightly defective. The cover stone seems to have been in two parts and it leans against the south corner of the cist. There appears to be traces of a retaining circle of barrows, three stones only, in radius of 3.0 metres from the centre of the cist. The condition is good. The original dimensions would, however, appear to have been 1.219 metres by 533 millimetres. One side stone is 1.524 metres in length, and the other is over 1.372 metres in length. The present depth below the top of the side stones is 330 millimetres, but excavation would probably prove this to be at least twice this.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1950, SX57SW5, SX57SW5 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV233382.

Grinsell, L. V. + Turner, 1976, Remains of a cairn (Report - Survey). SDV233380.

Visited on 23 May 1976. Traces of cairn with retaining circle according to Breton, enclosing cist placed south-south-east to north-north-west, two capstones on west side. Diameter 5.5 metres, height 0.2 metres.

Grinsell, L. V., 1978, Dartmoor Barrows, 176 (Article in Serial). SDV273224.

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

Not visible on aerial photographs.

Butler, J., 1994, Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities: Volume Three - The South-West, 33-4, Map 44, Figure 44.8 (Monograph). SDV137656.

Vixen Tor Cairn '1' at SX54237438 with a cist. All that remains of the cairn is an arc of banking around the north-west side covering two or three large blocks, probably the last of an outer pillared circle. Four sides of the cist of 1.2 metres long remain with the sides projecting above the ground with two slabs propped up against it. A pair of stones were required to construct one end and apparenetly it was closed by a double capstone.

Ordnance Survey, 2021, MasterMap 2021 (Cartographic). SDV364015.

'Cist' shown on modern mapping.

Historic England, 2021, National Heritage List for England, 1021118 (National Heritage List for England). SDV364016.

Cairn and cist 150 metres north of Vixen Tor. The monument includes a cairn containing a cist situated to the north of Vixen Tor on a gentle south facing slope overlooking the valley of the River Walkham. The cairn survives as a 5.5 metres diameter mound standing up to 0.2 metres high. The cist stands within the cairn and survives as a 1.2 metres long by 0.5 metres wide and 0.33 metres deep stone lined pit. The top of the cist protrudes above the present ground surface and is covered by two slabs. Until recently these slabs lay on the western edge of the cist. This monument sits on the edge of an extensive coaxial field system which extends over much of the adjacent Whitchurch Common and the slopes of Cox Tor.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

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