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Summary

Eastern of two cairns of 10 metres diameter by 0.8 metres high lying 250 metres to the north of Cox Tor. This cairn was excavated in 1898

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1011503: Two ring cairns 250m north of the Ordnance Survey triangulation pillar on Cox Tor

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX57NW35
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 439824
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX57NW/18
• Old SAM County Ref: 416
• Old SAM Ref: 22227(P)

Monument Type(s) and Dates

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

Full description

Baring Gould, S., 1898, Fifth Report of the Dartmoor Exploration Committee, 104-106 (Article in Serial). SDV337066.

Cox Tor. Smaller of two adjacent cairns. Lies 12.5 metres south-east of larger one (see related record). Similar in shape, though smaller; diameter 8.23 metres. Construction of centre was loose, much earth being mingled with the stone. Nothing found and no pit in the "calm".

Breton, H. H., 1912, Beautiful Dartmoor III. Southern Quarter, Plymouth 13-14 (Monograph). SDV250997.

Breton, H. H., 1926, The Heart of Dartmoor, Morwenstow, 16 (Monograph). SDV265360.

Grinsell, L. V., 1978, Dartmoor Barrows, 161, 7/5/1974 (Article in Serial). SDV273224.

Cairn, truncated; or possibly a ring cairn, as claimed by Breton. Diameter 10.0 metres, height 0.3 metres.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1980, SX57NW35 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV226865.

(07/11/1980) A cairn with diameter measuring 10.0m by 10.4m and 0.7m high, with a rather straight western side. The centre is uneven, probably as a result of excavation, but there is a distinct rim around the perimeter. Overall it measures 2.7m wide, 0.3m high on the inner and 0.7m high on the outer face. No kerb or retaining stones are visible. The profile suggests a rimmed platform cairn (see ground photograph and plan).
Surveyed at 1:10000 on MSD and at 1:2500.

National Monuments Record, 1982, NMR SF2112, 1315, (19/4/1982) (Aerial Photograph). SDV345548.

Royal Commission for the Historical Monuments of England, 1987-1993, Duchy Farms Project Survey Visit (Report - Survey). SDV350839.

(11/07/1991) SX 5303 7644. A ring cairn as described in 1980. See RCHME Cox Tor Survey (1/2500 scale). A further table of information on the cairn is held in the archive.

Turner, J. R., 1990, Ring Cairns, Stone Circles and Related Monuments on Dartmoor, 68/a51 (Article in Serial). SDV229817.

Infilled stone ring, internal diameter 6 metres with bank 2.3 metres wide and 0.4 metres high. Interior infilled to 0.2 metres below bank top.

Gerrard, S., 1990-2002, Monument Protection Programme. Archaeological Item Dataset., -/-/1992 (Report - Survey). SDV277946.

Narrow ridge of north-south outcropping rock measuring 10 metres in diameter, surrounded by circular stoney bank 4 metres wide, 0.8 metres high. 1890 excavation showed it to consist of an outer bank with central infill of loose stones and earth. No trace of burials or artefacts.

Butler, J., 1991, Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities: Volume Two - The North, 84, 240, map 31, Figure 31.1 (Monograph). SDV219155.

Cox Tor N cairn at SX53047642 of 10.0 metres diameter by 0.7 metres high. This cairn was excavated in 1898 and found to consist of an outer circular bank infilled with loose stones and earth at the centre, but with no trace of a burial or any artefacts.

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

Visible on aerial photograph.

Ordnance Survey, 2022, Mastermap 2022 (Cartographic). SDV364674.

Eastern of two 'Cairns' shown on modern mapping.

Historic England, 2022, National Heritage List for England, 1011503 (National Heritage List for England). SDV364675.

This monument includes two ring cairns situated on a plateau to the north of Cox Tor. This eastern cairn lies 10 metres east of the other cairn and survives as a 10 metres diameter raised area on which there is a central mound measuring 4 metres in diameter and an outer bank measuring 2.7 metres wide and up to 0.7 metres high. Excavations carried out by the Dartmoor Exploration Committee during 1898 revealed that both cairns had an outer circular bank with a central infill of loose stones and earth, but no trace of burials or artefacts were found. These cairns form part of a round cairn cemetery including two round cairns, two tor cairns and two ring cairns.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV8413 - Excavation of cairn at Cox Tor
• EDV8423 - Duchy Farms Project

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