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Summary

Western of two cairns of 17 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: SX57NW36
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 439827
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX57NW/20/1
• Old SAM Ref: 22227

Monument Type(s) and Dates

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

Full description

Ordnance Survey, 1880-1899, First Edition Ordnance 25 inch map (Cartographic). SDV336179.

Northern of two 'Cairns' shown on 19th century map.

Baring Gould, S., 1898, Fifth Report of the Dartmoor Exploration Committee, 105-6 (Article in Serial). SDV337066.

A ring cairn. The stone ring is 55 feet in diameter, varying in breadth from 4 to 6 feet and raised 15 to 18 inches above the ground. A line of rock outcrop bisects the circle 28 feet from the eastern side.

Grinsell, L. V., 1978, Dartmoor Barrows, 161 (Article in Serial). SDV273224.

(07/05/1974) A cairn 18.0m in diameter and 0.6m high surrounds the natural outcrop.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1980, SX57NW36 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV226847.

(07/11/1980) A cairn with overall diameters of 14.8m by 18.3m built around a narrow bank of north to south outcropping rock. There has been some mutilation in the northern quadrant but for the most part there is a distinct rim around the central area. The rim measures 4.0m wide overall, the inner face 0.3m high and the outer up to 0.8m high. The impression is that of a ring cairn (see plan and ground photograph).
Surveyed at 1:10000 on MSD and at 1:2500.

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

Photograph taken on 19th April 1982.

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

Recorded.

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

(11/07/1991) SX 5301 7642. A ring cairn as described by the Ordnance Survey (1980). See RCHME Cox Tor Survey (1/2500 scale). A table of further information on the cairn is held in the archive.

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

(February 1992) Cairn survives as 10m (?) diameter raised area on which is a central mound of 4m diameter and outer bank 2.7m wide, 0.7m high. 1898 excavation showed it to consist of outer circular 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 SX53027642 of 17.0 metres diameter by 0.8 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.

Western 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. The westernmost cairn survives as a narrow ridge of north to south outcropping rock measuring 17m in diameter surrounded by a circular stoney bank 4m wide standing up to 0.8m 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

• EDV8423 - Duchy Farms Project

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