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Summary

The only known chambered long barrow on Dartmoor. Placed south-south-east by north-north-west, with its larger end at south-south-east, where there is a megalithic structure, probably of a burial chamber. Worth recorded it under rough pasture in 1936. Surveyed by the Ordnance survey in 1977: early excavation and mutilation has resulted in two distinct mounds, the larger one at the south-east end separated from the smaller by a path or trackway. The smaller mound appears to mark the limit of the barrow on the north-west; beyond this it merges into the natural hill-side. There are no side ditches but these may be obscured by soil washed down from the hill. The length is 42 metres; the maximum width is 18 metres and the maximum height 2.4 metres.

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1013043: Chambered cairn at Ball Gate, Corringdon Ball

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX66SE45
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 441904
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX66SE/56
• Old SAM County Ref: 309
• Old SAM Ref: 10573

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• CHAMBERED TOMB (Constructed, Neolithic - 4000 BC (Between) to 2201 BC (Between))
• LONG BARROW (Constructed, Neolithic - 4000 BC (Between) to 2201 BC (Between))

Full description

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

'Cromlech (remains of)' shown on 19th century map.

Worth, R. N., 1892, The Stone Rows of Dartmoor, 175 (Article in Serial). SDV237176.

Page, J. L. W., 1895, An Exploration of Dartmoor and its Antiquities, with some account of its borders, with some account of its borders, 252 (Monograph). SDV344985.

Rowe, S., 1896, A Perambulation of the Forest of Dartmoor, 166 (Monograph). SDV249697.

Worth, R. N., 1909, 28th Report of the Barrow Committee, 93-94, plate (Article in Serial). SDV178448.

Crossing, W., 1912 (1965), Crossing's Guide to Dartmoor, 381 (Monograph). SDV320981.

Pilkington-Rogers, C. W, 1932, The Date of the Dartmoor Antiquities, 382, 385 map (Article in Serial). SDV149513.

Worth, R. H., 1937, 56th Report of the Barrow Committee, 93 plate 11 (Article in Serial). SDV20973.

(1936) A very large kist, previously described as a cromlech. One side stone and end stone still in place. Coverstone lies between the cist and hedge of Corringdon Ball and is intact. Original depth not known. Formerly covered by a barrow, the material of which was thrown back by treasure seekers, and now forms a large mound touching the cist and on the north of it. Another cairn lies 32 metres east of this cairn. Corringdon Ball Gate group. There is a stone row at Corringdon Ball Gate, three cairns and the remains of a dolmen or large kistvaen. Retaining circle with two triple rows running from it. Early Bronze Age. The only known chambered long barrow on Dartmoor. Placed south-south-east by north-north-west, with its larger end at south-south-east, where there is a megalithic structure, probably of a burial chamber. It is under rough pasture.

Daniel, G., 1937, The Dolmens of Southern Britain, 199 (Article in Serial). SDV222218.

Brailsford, J. W., 1938, Bronze Age Stone Monuments of Dartmoor, 456 (Article in Serial). SDV304210.

Royal Air Force, 1946, RAF/CPE/UK/1890, 3405 (Aerial Photograph). SDV169268.

Worth, R. H., 1946, Stray notes on the Teign Valley, 162-163 (Article in Serial). SDV222207.

Worth, R. H., 1947, 66th Report of the Barrow Committee, 32 (Article in Serial). SDV16898.

Daniel, G., 1953, Prehistoric Chamber Tombs of England and Wales, (1950 edition; pg 236) (Monograph). SDV222213.

A long barrow 140ft long by 70ft maximum breadth orientated north northwest to south southeast with a ruined megalithic chamber at the higher south southeast end.

Grinsell, L. V., 1953, The Ancient Burial-Mounds of England, pp12, 133 (Monograph). SDV223394.

Unknown, 1963, More Dartmoor Damage, 5 (Article in Serial). SDV343482.

Ineffectual but mischievous excavation into Corringdon Ball long barrow, reported in DAES Newsletter. The grave on Brent Fore Hill, near Corringdon Ball Gate might be classed as a dolmen. Ruined (citing Worth, 1946).

Grinsell, L. V., 1970, Discovering Regional Archaeology: South Western England, 23 (Monograph). SDV304192.

Fox, A., 1973, South West England 3,500BC - AD600 (Revised Edition), 50 (Monograph). SDV16216.

The long mound at Corringdon Ball has a chamber which has collapsed in a tumble of slabs.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1977, SX66SE45, Sketch plan and photographs. (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV178450.

(01/08/1977) Situated on a saddle between Brent Fore Hill and Corringdon Ball, at 313.0 metres OD is an earthen long barrow with a ruined stone chamber at the south east end.
Early excavation and mutilation has resulted in two distinct mounds, the larger one at the south east end separated from the smaller by a path or trackway. The smaller mound appears to mark the limit of the barrow on the northwest; beyond this it merges into the natural hill-side. There are no side ditches but these may be obscured by soil washed down from the hill. The length is 42.0 metres the maximum width is 18.0 metres and the maximum height 2.4 metres. Surveyed at 1:10 000 on PFD.

Grinsell, L. V., 1978, Dartmoor Barrows, 132 (Article in Serial). SDV273224.

(03/09/1975) Long cairn with remains of chambering at south-south-east end. Diameter 40m by 20m, height 0.7m.

Robinson, R., 1978, South Brent Parish Checklist (Un-published). SDV137445.

(May 1977) Experts have disagreed about the length of this structure, as it has a depression about 35 metres from the end containing the chamber tomb, and only a low extension beyond the 49 metres point from the same end. However if viewed from the area of the East Glaze Valley where it can be seen on the skyline it is clear that the full length of the barrow is to the point which gives overall length of approximately 65 metres. Width at widest point 17 metres, narrowing to 10 metres. Daniel describes it as "classed in the Penwith group which is regarded as a colonial extension of the Clyde Carlingford culture showing closest affinities with south-east Ireland."

Herring, P. C., 1983, A Long Cairn on Catshole Tor, Altarun, 82 (Article in Serial). SDV178472.

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

Field Monument Warden visit on 19/03/1984.

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

This tomb is visible on 1985 National Monuments Record aerial photograph.

National Monuments Record, 1985, NMR SF2600, 56-59 (Aerial Photograph). SDV346525.

Ancient Monuments, 1990, Chambered cairn at Corringdon Ball (Schedule Document). SDV178447.

(1990) Chambered cairn at Corringdon Ball. Marked as kistvaen, ditches at side are visible in the grass. The chamber was at the south end and is wrecked, the large capstone lying at the margin. The cairn tail has been dug away to build the stone wall nearby, but is visible in outline from the sloping ground to the east. Despite much interference, this is an imposing monument and unique in this country.
Oriented north-west/south-east and consists of a mound of earth and stone 65m in length and over two metres in height at its higher, southern end. The traces of side ditches remain and the mound tapers slightly from 17m in maximum width at the southern end. Excavations have occurred around the chamber and again towards the northern end. Six stones of the chamber remain; one upright is still in-situ but the others have been disturbed and the capstone has been displaced. These stones are up to 2m in height and the capstone is about 3m long and 2m wide. It is associated with two round cairns in the immediate vicinity.

Butler, J., 1993, Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities: Volume Four - The South-East, 94-95, 246, Map 56, Figure 56.10 (Monograph). SDV337765.

Corringdon Ball chambered tomb at SX66946130 of 42.0 metres by 18.0 metres by 2.4 metres high. One of the largest burial monuments on the moor The structure has been badly damaged by a track across the north end. The whole surface has been dug over and much of the material removed from the south end to expose the enormous slabs of the chamber. Five stones remain of the chamber with the largest of 3 metres by 2 metres which was perhaps the capstone, lying on the edge of the mound. Another stone leans well out of position and only one slab with a fractured top is still erect. The two smallest stones are mere remnants of perhaps a single block.

Department of National Heritage, 1994, Consent letter (Correspondence). SDV178473.

Consent granted for repairs following the deliberate digging of a hole into the chamber area of the lone cairn, and cattle damage at the chamber end (21/06/1994).

GeoInformation Group Ltd, 2010, 1:625 2010 Colour (12.5cm resolution) (Aerial Photograph). SDV346026.

Earthwork visible on the aerial photography.

Ordnance Survey, 2020, MasterMap 2020 (Cartographic). SDV363413.

'Cairn'; one of a group of four depicted on the modern mapping north-west of Ball Gate.

Riley, H., 2021, Archaeological Survey: Ugborough Premier Archaeological Landscape, Harford and Ugborough, 8, 7.1.2, Figure 6 (Report - Survey). SDV364697.

Corringdon Ball chambered tomb is a Neolithic funerary monument.

Riley, H., 2021, UG21 heritage asset database and gazetteer of sites (Report - Survey). SDV364699.

Visited on 29th April 2021, surveyed and photographed. Long mound 42 metres north-west to south-east, 18 metres south-west to north-east at south end, tapering to 13 metres south-west to north-east at north end, 1.3-0.5 metres high. Large upright and fallen stone slabs are remains of chamber at south end. Hollows to west and east are part of post-medieval drainage, not side ditches. To the north is mound 12 metres north-west to south-east, 10 metres south-west to north-east, 0.4 metres high and is the tail of the long cairn. Two paths cut across north-west end of mound exposing stone structure with areas of erosion at south-east end of mound around the stone chamber (livestock?).

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV8770 - Archaeological Survey: Ugborough Premier Archaeological Lanscape, Harford and Ugborough

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