See important guidance on the use of this record.

If you have any comments or new information about this record, please email us.

Summary

A hollowed-out cairn of 6.5 metres diameter by 0.9 metres high. There are no traces of a cist though some protruding stones on the east side may indicate the presence of a former kerb. A stone-lined hollow 2.5 metres in diameter and 0.6 metres deep lies in the centre of the mound and probably represents its reuse as a military training feature.

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1018357: Two round cairns 600m ENE of Great Trowlesworthy Tor

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX56SE4
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 439115
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX56SE/396
• Old SAM County Ref: 493
• Old SAM Ref: 10638

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• CAIRN (Constructed, Early Neolithic to Late Bronze Age - 4000 BC (Between) to 701 BC (Between))

Full description

Worth, R. H., 1944, 63rd Report on Barrows, 39 (Article in Serial). SDV139295.

This cairn lies 30 feet (approximately 9m) distant from a kisvaen recorded by R. Carpenter and R. H. Worth in 1944 (previously unrecorded).
Cairn with retaining circle, within this is a random kerb retaining circle 2.591m diam. No trace of kistvaen (worth).

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1977, SX56SE4, SX56SE4 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV164735.

(28/08/1977) SX 5855 6445. A small round cairn, 6.8m diameter and 0.7m high. On a slight west facing clitter-strewn slope at 355m above OD. Half a retaining circle consisting of six stones, average size 0.7m by 0.2m and 0.4m high, is set within the perimeter. The central area has been disturbed. 1:10 000 scale survey on PFD.

Grinsell, L. V., 1978, Dartmoor Barrows, 164, Shaugh Prior 32 (Article in Serial). SDV273224.

(04/09/1975) Cairn. Claimed by Worth (1944) to have an inner retaining circle approximately 2.7m in diameter. Cairn is 7.0m diameter and 0.6m high.

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

Not recorded in project.

Turner, J. R., 1990, Ring Cairns, Stone Circles and Related Monuments on Dartmoor, 83 (Article in Serial). SDV229817.

Indication of stone ring/ring cairn beneath cairn.

Gerrard, S., 1990-2002, Monument Protection Programme. Archaeological Item Dataset., MPP 133392 (Report - Survey). SDV277946.

(30/06/1994) Round cairn 7m in diameter, 0.7m high. A number of retaining stones visible around east part of mound, indicating the presence of an internal kerb, which survives largely as a buried feature. A central hollow, 2m by 1.7m by 0.5m deep, suggests previous partial early excavation or robbing.
NB: Gerrard's MPP submission appears to transpose SX56SE/65 and SX56SE396. The above description is attached to SX56SE/65, but description and grid reference match SX56SE/396 (Dick, A. M.).

Ancient Monuments, 1991, Scheduled Monument Notification (Schedule Document). SDV139115.

Cairn lying close to SX56SE/65 on a west facing slope north of Spanish Lake. It consists of a grass and heather covered mound of earth and stone 7m in diameter and 0.5m high with a central hollow revealing an internal retaining kerb 5m in diameter.

Butler, J., 1994, Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities: Volume Three - The South-West, 162-3, Map 51, Figure 51.6 (Monograph). SDV137656.

Upper Spanish Lake Cairn '4' at SX58576446 of 5.5 metres diameter by 0.4 metres high is the central of three cairns with a deep central hollow. A ring of close set slabs within the mound may once have surrounded the base of a cist.

Robertson, J. G., 1994, The Archaeology of the Upper Plym Valley (Post-Graduate Thesis). SDV139549.

Depicted and described by Robertson.

Ancient Monuments, 2000, Schedule details (Schedule Document). SDV164740.

Two round cairns 600m east-north-east of Great Trowlesworthy Tor. Two closely spaced cairns. The northern mound is 7m in diameter, up to 0.7m high. A number of retaining stones visible around e part. Central hollow suggests partial early excavation.
The southern cairn lies 3m away and is 6m in diameter by 0.7m high, and contains a cist placed eccentrically in its east side. Both side and end slabs of cist are in place. It measures 1.2m by 0.6m by 0.4m deep.

Probert, S. A. J., 2002, Field Investigator's Comments (Report - Survey). SDV147446.

(23/04/2002) SX 5855 6445. A hollowed-out cairn measuring 6.5m north-south by 6.4m and 0.9m high. There are no traces of a cist though some protruding stones on the east side may indicate the presence of a former kerb. A stone-lined hollow 2.5m in diameter and 0.6m deep lies in the centre of the mound and probably represents its reuse as a military training feature.

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

Cairn shown on survey.

Various, 2018-2020, PALs Condition Recording forms, UP-HT8 (Worksheet). SDV362781.

(16/03/2020) Condition assessed as good; vegetation is the main damage agent.

Various, 2018-2020, PALs Condition Recording photographs (Photograph). SDV363073.

Image taken March 2020 site visit.

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

Eastern of two 'Cairns' shown on modern mapping.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV8148 - The Upper Plym Valley: The Management of an Historic Landscape

Search results generated by the HBSMR Gateway from exeGesIS SDM Ltd.