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Summary

A disturbed cairn and recumbent boundary stone on the moderate south-western flank of Shell Top. The cairn measures 6.7 metres north-south by 7.0 metres and stands a maximum of 0.9 metres high. The centre is occupied by two amorphous hollows. There is no evidence to suggest the former presence of a cist or kerb. Adjacent to the south-western fringe of the cairn is a recumbent boundary stone 1.5m long, a maximum of 0.55m wide and 0.2m thick. The exposed face displays the inscribed letters 'B' and 'C'.

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1015749: Partially enclosed stone hut circle settlement, a round cairn and a boundary stone 760m WSW of Shell Top

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX56SE210
• National Monuments Record: SX56SE223
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 1346590
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 1360261
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX56SE/537
• Old SAM Ref: 28789

Monument Type(s) and Dates

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

Full description

Gerrard, S., 1990-2002, Monument Protection Programme. Archaeological Item Dataset., MPP 140515, 3/6/1996 (Report - Survey). SDV277946.

Visited on 3rd June 1996. Round cairn. Mound measures 8.5 metres north-south by 7 metres east-west and stands up to 1.1 metres high. Two separate hollows dug into the mound suggest partial early excavation or robbing. The north hollow measures 1.5 metres square by 0.3 metres deep and the southern one is 1 metre square by 0.1 metres deep.
A post medieval boundary stone lies at the west-south-west foot of the mound and may have once stood upright on the cairn.

Butler, J., 1994, Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities: Volume Three - The South-West, 161-2, Map 51, Figure 51.5 (Monograph). SDV137656.

Shell Top west cairn '1' at SX58116378 of 7.0 metres diameter by 0.5 metres high. The hollowed cairn was pobably once the foundation for the fallen boundary stone at its foot.

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

Cairn depicted and described by Robertson.

Thackray, C., 1994, The Upper Plym Valley: the management of an historic landscape, 137/102.505. (Report - non-specific). SDV143510.

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

(23/05/2002) SX 59116376. A disturbed cairn and recumbent boundary stone on the moderate SW flank of Shell Top.
The cairn measures 6.7m N to S by 7.0m and stands a maximum of 0.9m high. The centre is occupied by two amorphous hollows. There is no evidence to suggest the former presence of a cist or kerb.
Adjacent to the SW fringe of the cairn is a recumbent boundary stone 1.5m long, a maximum of 0.55m wide and 0.2m thick. The exposed face displays the inscribed letters 'B' and 'C'.

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

Cairn shown on survey.

Historic England, 2021, National Heritage List for England, 1015749 (National Heritage List for England). SDV364016.

The round cairn lies north-west of the western enclosure and survives as an 8.5 metres long (north to south) by 7 metres wide (east to west) mound standing up to 1.1 metres high. Two separate hollows dug into the mound suggest partial early excavation or robbing.

Historic England, 2021-2022, NRHE to HER website (Website). SDV364039.

[1346590] Bronze Age round cairn situated 760 metres west of Shell Top overlooking the Whitehill Yeo and Cholwichtown China Clay Works. The mound is 8.5 metres long by 7 metres wide and 1.1 metres high. 2 separate hollows dug into the mound may indicate previous excavation or robbing. Scheduled (EH scheduling amendment, 14-DEC-2000).

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV8148 - The Upper Plym Valley: The Management of an Historic Landscape
• EDV8155 - Plym Valley Survey: EH Project (Feb 2001 - Dec 2002)

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