See important guidance on the use of this record.

If you have any comments or new information about this record, please email us.

Summary

Well preserved cist in a low irregular cairn with the remains of a kerb circle. The cist orientated north-north-east to south-south-west measures 1.55 metres long 0.7 metres wide and 0.65 metres deep. No coverstone is visible in the immediate area. The turf covered cairn is approximately 7.5 metres in diameter with a maximum height of 0.3 metres, apparently enclosed by a kerb circle of which only four stones survive.

Location

Protected Status

• SHINE: Prehistoric ring cairn and cist with remains of retaining stone circle circa 650 metres south-west of Bellever Tor

Other References/Statuses

• Dartmoor Non-designated Heritage Asset (Evidential): NI Site
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 442645
• National Record of the Historic Environment: SX67NW46
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX67NW/40
• Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division: SX67NW46

Monument Type(s) and Dates

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

Full description

Burnard, R., 1890, Notes on Dartmoor Kistvaens, 204 (Article in Serial). SDV265355.

At Black Newtake between Bellever Tor and Cherry Brook are the remains of five graves forming an irregular chain with the cist on Bellever Tor. The northern most cist is extremely large, very perfect but the cover stone is missing. It lies in a low mound having an open type retaining circle. About 67 metres to the south-west of this cist lie the remains of a ruined cairn with no evidence of a cist.

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

'Kistvaen' shown on early 20th century map.

Worth, R. H., 1938, 57th Report of the Barrow Committee, 62, Plate XI. (Article in Serial). SDV320309.

A cist, 4'9" x 2'3" and 2'7" deep, without a coverstone, lying in a low mound with a retaining circle.

Royal Air Force, 1946, CPE/UK 1890, 2465-6 (Aerial Photograph). SDV140289.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1950, SX67NW46 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV346619.

A perfect cist minus coverstone but occurs in bogged land. Four stones of retaining circle remain. Diameter 8.0 metres. Condition of circle fragmentary and on the south east one stone stands in swampy land.

National Monuments Record, 1977, SX6375, 2/321-9 (Aerial Photograph). SDV346613.

Grinsell, L. V., 1978, Dartmoor Barrows, 150 (Article in Serial). SDV273224.

Site visited on 12th September 1973. There are five graves at 'Black Newtake' to the south-west of Bellever Tor. This is the most northerly cairn, diameter 8.0 metres height is slight. A cairn (almost entirely removed) with retaining circle, enclosing cist placed south-south-east to north-north-west.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1979, SX67NW46 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV346620.

(18/12/1979) On level ground to the south-west of Bellever Tor is a cist within the remains of a retaining circle. The circle now has only four stones giving an estimated diameter of 7.8m. The cist, aligned NNW/SSE measures 1.55m. by 0.7m. internally and is 0.8m. deep. There is no coverstone. See ground photograph.
Surveyed at 1:10 000 on M.S.D. and at 1:2500 for A.O Records.

Hemery, E., 1983, High Dartmoor (Monograph). SDV249702.

Royal Commission on the Historical Monuments of England, 1985, SX67NW (Cartographic). SDV346612.

The cairn is very visible as an area of darker vegetation on the aerial photographs but the cist is not visible.

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

(22/06/1989) At SX 63917606 on flat moorland pasture is well preserved cist in a low irregular cairn with the remains of a kerb circle. The cist orientated NNW-SSE measures 1.55m long, 0.7m wide and 0.65m deep. Its four upright granite slabs have a maximum thickness of 0.25m and the bottom is reed filled. No coverstone is visible in the immediate area.
The turf covered cairn is approximately 7.5m in diameter with a maximum height of 0.3m,apparently enclosed by a kerb circle of which only four stones survive, two on the NW and two on the SE.

Turner, J. R., 1990, Ring Cairns, Stone Circles and Related Monuments on Dartmoor, 71 (Article in Serial). SDV229817.

D 5. Ring setting, Black Newtake. Orthostatic circle surrounding a cist. Part of group. 7.3 metres diameter.

Butler, J., 1991, Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities: Volume Two - The North, 52-53, 239, Map 27, Figure 27.14 (Monograph). SDV219155.

Bellever Tor cairn '3' at SX63917607 of 8.0 metres diameter and level with a cist. The cairn lies in the enclosure known as Black Newtake. Only two pairs of stones remain on opposite sides of the cist though others may be buried. The cist is complete apart from the lack of a cover slab.

Gerrard, S., 2004, List of Sites Remaining to be Considered for Designation on Dartmoor (Un-published). SDV345444.

One of three cairns to the south-west of Bellever Tor considered for designation as a Scheduled Ancient Monument in 2004. Other details: Site 102.

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

Cairn and cist shown on survey.

Gerrard, S., 2006, Dartmoor Nationally Important Sites (Cartographic). SDV345607.

Outline shown.

Ordnance Survey, 2011, MasterMap (Cartographic). SDV346129.

'Cist' shown on modern mapping as a small rectangular feature with four stones to the north-west and south-east.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV8640 - Spaders and Muddilake and Smith Hill Newtakes, Duchy Farms Survey
• EDV8409 - Dartmoor Royal Forest Project

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