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Summary

Cist with ring cairn north of Deadman's Bottom. The southern of two cists excavated by Worth when a shattered beaker and three barbed and tanged arrowheads were recovered.

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1016145: A prehistoric settlement with cairns and a historic tin mill, streamwork and buildings lying adjacent to the Langcombe Brook

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX66NW45
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 441697
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX66NW/13/1
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX66NW/37/1
• Old SAM County Ref: 505
• Old SAM County Ref: 506
• Old SAM Ref: 28787
• Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division: SX66NW45

Monument Type(s) and Dates

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

Full description

Worth, R. H., 1900, 19th Report of the Barrow Committee, 50-51 (Article in Serial). SDV231259.

Kistvaen, Langcombe, near Deadman's Bottom. The southern of two adjoining kistvaens. Three sides only of this kistvaen now stands and these are partly above ground. The remains of the barrow are still visible and the kist is surrounded by a stone circle having a diameter of 4.9m the eastern side of this circle is still perfect.
On excavating this kistvaen it was found to contain 0.35m of peat over the subsoil floor, and on removal of this numerous fragments of pottery, all apparently belonging to the same vessel, were found resting on and partly embedded in the floor. Small portions of the rim, base and central part of the vessel are sufficiently well preserved to enable the following measurements to be taken. Diameter of urn at mouth, 11.1cm its greatest diameter 15.2cm and diameter of base slightly under 10cm. Height may have been about 18cm. Outside of vessel is brought to a smoother and more uniform surface than inside. Average thickness from 5 to 6mm. Ornamentation is supplied by a series of horizontal lines, four of these encircle the rim which is moulded slightly. Similar ornamental bands occur both above and below the point of greatest diameter.
At the extreme western limit of the kistvaen, where the side stone had been removed three barbed and tanged flint arrow heads were found, in perfect condition and of fine workmanship. The largest is 37.5mm long, greatest width 19.5mm. The other two measures 29mm in length and 21mm across the barbs and 24mm long and 18.5mm across the barbs respectively. Neither of these arrowheads bears any sign of use, the delicate edges are as perfect as on day of manufacture.

Ordnance Survey, 1904 - 1906, Second Edition Ordnance Survey 25 inch Map (Cartographic). SDV325644.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1950, SX66NW45 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV152620.

(17/05/1950) SX 6079 6688 Correct as shown on the 6 inch map, but the diameter of the circle of stones is approximately 4.8m of which nine definite stones in the eastern part of the circle are leaning. Worth's description (1900) accurate. There is an elongated stone lying to the west of the kistvaen which may be the western side stone.

Ancient Monuments, 1961/1996, Schedule note (Schedule Document). SDV151978.

Clarke, D. L., 1970, Beaker Pottery of Great Britain and Ireland, No.159 fig.91 (Monograph). SDV278573.

Excavations revealed fragments of a Beaker, Group E, now lost.

Grinsell, L. V., 1978, Dartmoor Barrows, 162 (Article in Serial). SDV273224.

(18/09/1974) Cairn with retaining circle enclosing cist placed south-south-east by north-north-west, capstone to south-east. Excavated by R. H. Worth: fragments of European Bell-Beaker and three barbed-and-tanged flint arrowheads, the latter in Torquay Natural History Society Museum. Diameter 5.0m, height 0.3m.

Ordnance Survey, 1978, SX66NW45 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV143599.

(19/09/1978) A cairn 7.0m in diameter and 0.3m in height with, around the north east half, ten contiguous stones up to 0.6m high. Centrally placed within the cairn is a cist 0.7m by 0.6m internally and 0.6m deep, now consisting of one side stone and two end stones, as in Worth's plan.
Immediately to the west is an elongated stone which may be a dislodged side stone. To the south east is a slab 1.5m by 1.8m which would seem to have been the capstone. Surveyed at 1:10000 on PFD.

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

Not visible on Royal Air Force 1946/7 aerial photos.

Turner, J. R., 1990, Ring Cairns, Stone Circles and Related Monuments on Dartmoor, 46, 73/d27 + 42 46 72/d12. (Article in Serial). SDV229817.

Turner records this as a ring setting, 4.6 metres internal diameter around a central, protruding, cist.

Gerrard, S., 1990-2002, Monument Protection Programme. Archaeological Item Dataset., MPP 140548-9 (Report - Survey). SDV277946.

(09/05/1996) At SX 6078 6689 south eastern of two ring cairns north-west of Deadman’s Bottom. Diameter 4.6m. Cist. Excavated 1899. Bell beaker and three arrowheads found.

Butler, J., 1994, Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities: Volume Three - The South-West, 148-50; Map 50, Figure 50.1 (Monograph). SDV137656.

Langcombe Brook '1' cairn at SX60786688 of 5.0 metres diameter by 0.2 metres high with a cist. About a third of a kerb retaining circle remains in place around the cist but several set slabs do not conform to the circle and a curved bank leaves the cairn on the west side. The majority of the stones are missing as is most of the mound. All five elements of the cist are present, though one side stone lies partly buried and the capstone is displaced to the south. Its excavation by Worth produced fragments of a decorated pot, a Bell Beaker of circa 0.18 metres high and three barbed and tanged arrowheads.

English Heritage, 1997, Scheduled Monument Notification (Schedule Document). SDV152613.

A Bronze Age ring cairn which measures 7 metres in diameter and 0.3 metres in height. Centrally placed within the cairn is a cist 0.7 metres by 0.6 metres internally and 0.6 metres deep. Immediately to the west is an elongated stone which may be a dislodged side stone and to the south east of the cairn is a stone slab measuring 1.5 metres by 1.8 metres which could be the capstone. Excavations revealed fragments of a Beaker, now lost, and three barbed and tanged arrow heads. Scheduled.

Probert, S. A. J. + Fletcher, M. J., 2002, Plym Valley survey (Report - Survey). SDV350782.

(28/02/2002) SX 6079 6688 The remains of a cist and cairn above Deadman's Bottom. The latter consists of a stony mound, c 6.1m in diameter and c 0.5m high, contained by granite slabs some upright some fallen. The southern quadrant of the cairn has been disturbed. The remains of a very fine cist, box dimensions c. 0.8 x 0.7m internally, survives at its centre. The cist consists of edge-set slabs, the end-slab c 0.6m high and the two side-slabs c 0.7m high; the 2nd end-slab is missing and may be the large slab nearby. The cover-stone is missing but may be the large slab which lies to the south.

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

Cairn shown on survey.

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

Visible on aerial photograph.

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

Square feature shown on modern mapping.

Historic England, 2021, National Heritage List for England, 1016145 (National Heritage List for England). SDV364016.

Within scheduled area.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds

• FDV7488 - BARBED AND TANGED ARROWHEAD (Late Neolithic to Late Bronze Age - 3000 BC? to 701 BC)
• FDV7489 - BEAKER (Bronze Age - 2200 BC to 701 BC)

Associated Events

• EDV8148 - The Upper Plym Valley: The Management of an Historic Landscape
• EDV8469 - Excavation of a cist, Deadman's Bottom
• EDV8965 - Aerial survey of guardianship sites on Dartmoor

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