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Summary

This north-western cairn is wholly in Ugborough parish. It has been pulled to pieces and left in a very dilapidated state. Diameter 21 metres and height 1.21 metres.

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1012773: One of three cairns on Three Barrows, Ugborough Moor

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX66SE56
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 441937
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX66SE/52
• Old SAM County Ref: 389
• Old SAM Ref: 10620

Monument Type(s) and Dates

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

Full description

Spence Bate, C., 1873, Researches into Some Ancient Tumuli on Dartmoor, 553 (Article in Serial). SDV309431.

"We pursued our researches for 3 days, and excavated the soil below without result". Two upright stones were implanted in the ground near the margin on the south side. Three barrows, the highest point in Ugborough parish.

Ordnance Survey, 1880-1899, First Edition Ordnance 25 inch map (Cartographic). SDV336179.

'Tumuli' at 'Three Barrows' shown on 19th century map.

Worth, R. N., 1885, 7th Report of the Barrow Committee, 72 (Article in Serial). SDV140196.

Three large cairns (see SX 66 SE 54, 55) on Threebarrow Tor. This, the most westerly was excavated by C. Spence Bates in 1872 without result. Two upright stones were implanted near the south side of the cairn in a similar position to those noticed at Pen Beacon (SX 66 SE 60). A large scraper of black flint was found nearby. The implement had been trimmed as it to prepare it for insertion in a haft or handle or some kind. All three cairns are marked on the old map of the Forest Perambulation of 1240, and called Threeberis.

Worth, R. H., 1967, Worth's Dartmoor, 163-164, 466, Plate 32a (Monograph). SDV337618.

Elevation 464 metres, a hill with 3 cairns. This north-west cairn is wholly in Ugborough parish. It has been pulled to pieces and left in a very dilapidated state. Diameter 21 metres and height 1.21 metres.

National Monuments Record, 1969, NMR SX6463, 1/28-48 (Aerial Photograph). SDV165976.

Photograph taken on 12th April 1969.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1977, SX66SE56 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV178136.

(19/07/1977) A cairn 22.0m. in diameter and 1.4m. high in a prominent situation at about 464m. above O.D.
It has been much dug into, and many small quarry pits to the west and south-west of the cairn seem likely to have been used to get the stone for all three barrows. The pits are now turf-covered.
Cairn surveyed at 1:10 000 on P.F.D.

Robinson, R., 1984, List of Field Monument Warden Visits 1984 (Un-published). SDV343082.

Site visited on 19th March 1984.

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

Visible on aerial photograph.

Butler, J., 1993, Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities: Volume Four - The South-East, 64, Map 54 (Monograph). SDV337765.

Cairn at 65216264 to the north-west of the summit of Three Barrows which was excavated in 1872.

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

Visible on aerial photograph.

Newman, P., 2018, Erme Valley Survey data (GIS and Excel spreadsheet) (Cartographic). SDV361913.

Feature shown on survey.

Newman, P., 2018, The Upper Erme Valley, Dartmoor National Park, Devon: An Archaeological Survey, Appendix 1 (Report - Survey). SDV362921.

The northern cairn at Three Barrows comprises an exposed stony mound with an elliptical footprint 24 metres by 19.5 metres, and a hollowed centre, resembling a crater. The central areas of all three cairns have been much disturbed over the centuries, though some crudely-built stone shelters, visible on satellite photography of 2002 (Google Earth), have been dismantled and the stone carefully re-assimilated into the cairn by the Dartmoor National Park Authority,

Historic England, 2020, National Heritage List for England, 1012773 (National Heritage List for England). SDV363414.

This is one of a group of three large cairns situated prominently on the hill known as Three Barrows, it is formed by a mound of stones on a stone and earth base and is 20 metres in diameter and 1.5 metres in height. The group is associated with a reave which runs over Three Barrows.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV8082 - Survey of the Upper Erme Valley
• EDV8477 - Excavation of cairn, Three Barrows

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