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Summary

Three disturbed small stony mounds lie on the south-west fringe of the Giant's Basin cairn. Their origin and function are not obvious. They may be small cairns which are contemporaneous with the large prehistoric cairn however they could equally be spoil heaps or stone clearance cairns of medieval or later date.

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1014145: Three stone alignments, 15 cairns, a cist, a partially enclosed stone hut circle settlement and a small clapper bridge at Drizzle Combe

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX56NE205
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX56NE/77/2
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX56NE/77/2/1
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX56NE/77/2/3
• Old SAM Ref: 24104
• Pastscape: 619146

Monument Type(s) and Dates

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

Full description

Grinsell, L. V., 1978, Dartmoor Barrows, 168/33a-c (Article in Serial). SDV273224.

(29/7/1972) Three very small, mutilated cairns aligned north-west by south-east are centred at SX 5919 6693, (Grinsell Nos 33a-c). These may be satellite cairns of the Giant's Basin, (SX 56 NE 45)
33a:- The north-west cairn is 2.4m in diameter, 0.2m high. North-west and central ones have hollow centres.
33b:- The central cairn is 3.6m in diameter, 0.3m high.
33c:- The south-east cairn is 3.4m in diameter, 0.2m high. This cairn is mutilated
Cairn 33a may be that mentioned by Breton as being a 'tiny kistvaen' at the NW foot of the Giant's Basin.

Gerrard, S., 1990-2002, Monument Protection Programme. Archaeological Item Dataset., MPP 133443, 133444 (Report - Survey). SDV277946.

(12/03/1993) Round cairns forming part of a cluster of Neolithic and Bronze Age ritual and settlement features including three stone alignments, at least 22 cairns, five enclosures and a large number of associated stone hut circles.
The first cairn lies at the foot of the west side of the Giant's Basin and survives as a 3m diameter mound standing up to 0.4m high. A central hollow, measuring 1.2m by 1.1m by 0.15m deep, represents the site of a partial early excavation or robbing. The periphery of the mound is defined by a kerb of edge set stones except on the s where it survives as a buried feature.
(SX 5918 6693). Round cairn 2m diameter, 0.2m high. Central hollow 0.7m by 0.6m by 0.1m deep.
(SX 5916 6911) The cairn lies at the foot of the west side of the Giant's basin and survives as a 4m by 3.5m wide mound standing up to 0.2m high. A central hollow, measuring 2m by 1.3m by 0.2m deep, represents the site of a partial early excavation or robbing.

Butler, J., 1994, Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities: Volume Three - The South-West, 136 (Monograph). SDV137656.

Fletcher, M. + Newman, P. + Probert, S., 1999, Drizzlecombe, Eylesbarrow, Ditsworthy and Hartor areas in the Plym Valley, West Devon (Report - Survey). SDV346268.

(11/11/1999) Three disturbed small stony mounds lie on the south-west fringe of a large cairn.
SX 5918 6693 Measures 3.6m in diameter and 0.3m high: badly distrubed.
SX 5918 6694 3.1m in diameter and 0.5m high; disturbed.
SX 5918 6694 2.1m in diameter and 0.2m high.
Their origin and function are not obvious. They may be small cairns which are contemporaneous with the large prehistoric cairn however they could equally be spoil heaps or stone clearance cairns of medieval or later date.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV8155 - Plym Valley Survey

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