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Summary

Documentary sources record that a cairn with cist located south of Moor Barton was demolished in the early 19th century. A spear-head or dagger, glass bead, burnt bones and ashes and an "amulet of soft stone" were found and noted as being in the possession of the Rector of Bridford, although these were noted as lost in 1850. The exact site of this feature could not be established and a duplicate record has existed for some years, erroneously placed at Moor Barton, Christow.

Summary from record MDV30143:
Copper spearhead found with glass bead in kistvaen north of lustleigh.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX78SE17
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 445614
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX78SE/106
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX78SE/45
• Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division: SX78SE17

Monument Type(s) and Dates

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

Full description

Shortt, W. T. P., 1842, Collectanea Curiosa Antiqua Dumnonia, 29 (Unknown). SDV305711.

Way, A., 1869, Antiquities of Bronze found in Devonshire, 344 (Article in Serial). SDV305714.

There is an entrenched work at Morebarton (in Moreton), where a large barrow was opened circa 1840. Contained a cist of six great stones, a spearhead of copper, two rivets, a glass bead and a small stone amulet.

Worth, R. N., 1882, 4th Report of the Barrow Committee, 154 (Article in Serial). SDV295057.

At Moor Barton, not long ago, there was a cairn, destroyed by the owner in carrying out agricultural improvements on the estate. The spear head, glass bead etc., that were taken from the cist were kept by the vicar of Bridford for some time. 'The tumulus was nine land yards round, in which a sort of rude kistvaen, of six great stones, was found, with a spear-head of copper, the two pegs, or screws, which fastened it to its staff, a glass British bead, and a small amulet of soft stone - memorials of some chief - calcined bones, ashes &c.'

Rowe, S., 1896, A Perambulation of the Forest of Dartmoor, 117, 135 (Monograph). SDV249697.

A cairn was destroyed for agricultural purposes, it contained a cist of six large stones with a "spear-head of copper, two pegs or screws, a glass British bead, and a small amulet of stone, also calcined bones, ashes etc.". All finds are now (c. 1850) lost.

Worth, R. H., 1902, 21st Report of the Barrow Committee, 115, 121, 122, 131, 133, 138 (Article in Serial). SDV20971.

Moor Barton barrow near Moreton: cist excavated. Burnt bone and charcoal found. Bronze Age ?copper spear-head and a glass bead. A small amulet of soft stone was also recovered.

Falcon, T. A., 1904-1905, Parochiales Bridford II, 60 (Article in Serial). SDV305706.

The Reverend Carrington, Rector of Bridford, wrote a manuscript from 1838 onwards, but referring in great part to the 18th century. The following is an extract "there is also at present in my possession a lance or spear-head of fine shape and workmanship, a cast metal of the usual kind, with its rivets and some half-burnt bones and ashes, found under a large barrow of stones near the valley on the south-west side leading up from Trenchford - I think the plot is called Tentfield. The spot was clearing for cultivation, and these large heaps of stones were removing gradually to fill the gutturs (sic) of some wet ground close by, when they came down upon an oblong sort of chest made of flat stones not worked - sides, bottom and cover - not adhering but rudely jointed. On moving the top stones was some earth apparently but trifling, and some bones in small pieces, and some portions of bones nearly dust, the spear or dagger blade. And the rivets by which it was secured to the shaft or handle, and a blue and white bead or two; some ashes lay at the bottom. "

Crossing, W., 1912 (1965), Crossing's Guide to Dartmoor, 303 (Monograph). SDV320981.

Pilkington-Rogers, C. W, 1932, The Date of the Dartmoor Antiquities, 447-448 (Article in Serial). SDV149513.

Beck, H. C. + Stone, J. F. S., 1936, Faience Beads of the British Bronze Age, 203-252 (Article in Serial). SDV305715.

Article on faience beads classifies this find as 'unknown type'. Objects pf bronze - other than simple awls or pins - are rarely associated with faience beads.

Worth, R. H., 1941, 60th Report on Barrows, 57 (Article in Serial). SDV302703.

Moor Barton. The tenant had in his possession a lance-head of fine workmanship, of cast metal, together with its rivets and some half-burnt bones and ashes. The spear or dagger blade and rivets lay together with the bone and one or two blue and white beads at the bottom of an oblong sort of chest made of flat stones. The side, bottom and cover not adhering but rudely jointed. Over all lay a large heap of loose stones, the removal of which to fill gutters disclosed the cover of the kistvaen.

Fox, A., 1948, The Broad Down (Farway) Necropolis and the Wessex Culture in Devon, 11 (Article in Serial). SDV123165.

Finds suggest an internment in the Wessex style.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1953, SX78SE17, 22/10/1953 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV305708.

OS card quotes Worth (1941) describing the possible location of the site (confusion as there is a second Moor Barton (in Christow).
The finds are classified as riveted dagger and blue and white beads ?faience (1950).
Find classified as bronze spearhead (1950).
Moor Barton is now a derelict farm, its former lands now being partially farmed by Pepperdon (SX7748 8516) and partially under re-afforestation. Enquiries at Pepperdon Farm were made for information relative to the site of the cairn, or the field name Tentfield, but no knowledge of either was held by the farmer. Perambulation was negative. The parish Tithe Map of 1838 was consulted, the name Tentfield is not shown.
As finds from this site were reported lost in 1850, it appears that both previous classifications in 1950 are questionable (22/10/1953).

Worth, R. H., 1967, Worth's Dartmoor, 200 (Monograph). SDV337618.

In a barrow at Moor Barton, near Moretonhampstead, was found, in addition to a spear-head, a glass bead and an "amulet of soft stone".

Grinsell, L. V., 1978, Dartmoor Barrows, 158, Moretonhampstead 6 (Article in Serial). SDV273224.

Moretonhampstead 6; South of Moor Barton. SX787842. Diameter 14.0 metres.
Possible site of cairn removed early 19th century. Cist found containing a "spearhead of copper, the two pegs, screws, which fastened it to its staff" (probably a riveted bronze dagger), one or two blue and white glass beads and a small "amulet of soft stone" with burnt bones and ashes. Site believed to have been in a field called Tentfield. Finds were owned by Reverend R. P. Carrington, Rector of Bridford, 1805-42.

Pearce, S. M., 1983, The Bronze Age Metalwork of South Western Britain, 434-5, 447 (Monograph). SDV341822.

Copper spearhead found with glass bead in kistvaen north of Lustleigh. Dagger. 'Lancehead' of cast metal and its rivets found with half-burnt bones, ashes, one or two blue and white beads at bottom of a cist in cairn.

Jones, A. M. + Quinnell, H., 2013, Daggers in the West; Early Bronze Age Daggers and Knives in the South-west Peninsula, 165 – 191 (Article in Serial). SDV361541.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds

• FDV5874 - AMULET (Early Neolithic to Late Bronze Age - 4000 BC? to 701 BC)
• FDV5873 - BEAD (Bronze Age - 2200 BC to 701 BC?)
• FDV6636 - HUMAN REMAINS? (Bronze Age - 2200 BC to 701 BC?)
• FDV3961 - SPEARHEAD (Bronze Age - 2200 BC to 701 BC)

Associated Events

• EDV8610 - Excavation of cairn, Moor Barton

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