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Summary

Cist 330 metres south-east of Archerton formed by four large granite slabs is of 1.15 metres by 0.86 metres and 0.45 metres deep. It projects 0.25 metres above the ground surface on the west side. A large flat slab of 1.4 metres by 1.1 metres and 0.2 metres thick, partly covered by turf and lying 0.5 metres to the north is the cover stone.

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1002635: Kistvaen 325yds (300m) S of Archerton

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX67NW9
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 442536
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX67NW/7
• Old SAM County Ref: 918

Monument Type(s) and Dates

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

Full description

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

'Kistvaen' shown on 19th century map within a rectilinear field on the north side of a rectangular 'Lawn Tennis Ground'.

Burnard, R., 1890, Notes on Dartmoor Kistvaens, 207 (Article in Serial). SDV265355.

1891, Map 'a' (Article in Serial). SDV265131.

Rowe, S., 1896, A Perambulation of the Royal Forest of Dartmoor and the venville precincts, 197 (Monograph). SDV249697.

Ordnance Survey, 1904 - 1906, Second Edition Ordnance Survey 25 inch Map (Cartographic). SDV325644.

'Kistvaen' shown on early 20th century map as a small rectangular feature aligned east to west.

Victoria County History, 1906, The Victoria History of the County of Devon, 361 (Article in Serial). SDV238214.

Worth, R. H., 1938, 57th Report of the Barrow Committee, 60 pl. VII. (Article in Serial). SDV320309.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1953, SX67NW9 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV265126.

(14/05/1953) The cist measures 0.95m by 0.85m internally and stands 0.25m above the level of the top of the slight mound which surrounds it. The long axis of the cist is oriented NNW - SSE. There is a large slab of granite buried in the side of the mound on the NNE side of the cist which might be the coverstone. The mound is very much disturbed and only 0.25m high. The diameter of the mound 5.0m. Several partially buried stones are close round the cist and probably represent components of a disturbed retaining circle, no trace of which now remains. The condition of the cist is good, of the mound very poor. Burnard, reports finding a concave cavity, lined with small stones. Direction of length n.17w. Retaining circle, kerb like character. The stones are long and level topped set with their upper edges level with the sides of the kist. The stones of the circle are set parallel to the sides of the kist.

Ancient Monuments, 1972, Cist south of Archerton (Report - Survey). SDV265116.

Vis=5/10/1972 (ancient monuments). This stone kist is set in a low small mound not over 4.5m in diameter and 0.6m high. The cist itself is about 6m by 1.3m and the top stair is missing. One unusual feature is that the structure of the mound seems to duplicate the structure of the cists within its body with another square setting of slabs.

Grinsell, L. V., 1978, Dartmoor Barrows, 148 (Article in Serial). SDV273224.

(22/07/1972) Diameter 4.9m. At Archerton 'tennis ground'. Cairn enclosing cist placed SSE/NNW.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1979, SX67NW9, diagram/photograph (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV265121.

(15/11/1979) On an E slope at 389m OD is a cist surrounded by the remains of a kerb circle. The cist, aligned N/S measures 0.95m long by 0.8m wide and 0.4m deep, with no coverstone. There is no cairn but contiguous stones and large slabs around the cist form an irregular kerb about 3.4m in diameter (see ground photographs).
Surveyed at 1:2500 on MSD.

Royal Commission for the Historical Monuments of England, 1987-1993, Duchy Farms Project Survey Visit, I. S. Sainsbury (Report - Survey). SDV350839.

(19/07/1989) A cist situated in a rough pasture field some 330m SSE from Archerton at 385m OD. It is set on a moderate E facing slope. Formed of four large granite slabs it measures internally 1.15m NNW-SSE by 0.86m and is 0.45m deep. It projects some 0.25m above the ground surface on the W side. Only the stone which forms the W side is upright, the other three stones lean slightly inwards. A large flat slab, measuring about 1.4m N-S by 1.1m and 0.2m thick, partly covered by turf and lying 0.5m to the NNE of the cist, is undoubtedly the cover stone. (not noted by OS, 1979).
The cist is surrounded by what appears to be a ruined retaining circle or kerb as noted by Worth. Only four stones remain in situ, three as shown on his plan and another, parallel and slightly offset to the E of the Southern side of the cist. This fourth stone leans inwards.
About 10 or more other granite slabs are visible lying mostly horizontally, around the cist. Some are almost completely covered by turf. It is most probable that these are the dislodged stones of the remainder of the kerb. Around the NW there are a few small stones protruding through the turf between the kerb stones and the cist, but there is little trace elsewhere of any infill or mound material. The small mound noted by source 5a does not exist, however a slight turf cover over the displaced kerb stones may have given the impression of height. It is now impossible to deduce the exact dimensions of the kerb but it was probably about 2.5 to 3.0m N-S by 2.5m E-W.
At SX 6385078864, some 3.3m due E from the SE corner of the cist, the remains of a low turf-covered wall, 1.4m wide 0.15m maximum height, run in an ENE direction for about 40m before disappearing under the turf. From the same point near the cist a faint NE-facing scarp commences, going off SSE for about 30m, where it reaches its maximum dimensions of 1.4m wide 0.4m high before fading out. The SE end of the wall together with the scarp appears to form the NW corner of a cleared area of turf, about 30m NNW-SSE by 16m, which is undoubtedly the remains of the Archerton tennis court noted by worth.
Although the low wall has been utilized by the tennis court it extends well beyond it and could be the remains of an earlier, ? prehistoric field boundary.
Its relationship to the kerb is difficult to ascertain but it appears to have respected it.

Turner, J. R., 1990, Ring Cairns, Stone Circles and Related Monuments on Dartmoor, 76/E49 (Article in Serial). SDV229817.

Platform circle. Ring of kerb stones, 2.3m internal diameter, enclosing flat-topped cairn 0.2m high with central cist.

Butler, J., 1991, Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities: Volume Two - The North, 48, 238, Map 27 (Monograph). SDV219155.

Archerton cist at SX63857886 had already been dug into by 1890 but it was noted that its floor had been paved.

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

Rectangular feature shown on survey.

Ordnance Survey, 2022, Mastermap 2022 (Cartographic). SDV364674.

'Cist' shown on modern mapping.

Historic England, 2022, National Heritage List for England, 1002635 (National Heritage List for England). SDV364675.

Description not available.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV8646 - Archerton, Duchy Farms Survey
• EDV8409 - Dartmoor Royal Forest Project
• EDV8423 - Duchy Farms Project

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