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Summary

Adjacent to the north-western side of Roundy Park enclosure is a cairn containing a cist. The cairn survives as a 5.5 metre diameter stony mound standing up to 0.8 metres high. A large cist denoted by seven edge slabs stands within the mound and measures 1.5 metres long by 1.2 metres wide and 0.7 metres deep. The cist is orientated north-north-east by south-south-west and is covered by two large slabs. The present form of the cist is the result of restoration work carried out by Robert Burnard, whose 1893 excavation revealed two small flint flakes and some burnt bones. A number of large edge stones around the western, southern and eastern sides of the cist represent a kerb.

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1021332: Roundy Park prehistoric enclosure and cairn with cist, 560m north east of Archerton

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX67NW2
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 442513
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX67NW/65
• Old SAM County Ref: 509
• Old SAM Ref: 34491

Monument Type(s) and Dates

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

Full description

Burnard, R., 1894, Dartmoor Pictorial Records. Plymouth, 55-7 (Monograph). SDV232119.

Burnard, R., 1895, Dartmoor Kistvaens, 162-4 (Monograph). SDV249696.

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

Worth, R. H., 1902, 21st Report of the Barrow Committee, 112, Plate II (after Burnard) (Article in Serial). SDV20971.

A large kisvaen discovered by Mr R. Burnard at Roundy Park, Postbridge, measures 6 feet 6 inches in length and 3 feet 9 inches in width (internally). In this case it took three stones to build one of the long sides and two the other, both ends are formed from single slabs.

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

'Kistvaen' shown on early 20th century map.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1950/1978, SX67NW2 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV249684.

Kistvaen, Roundy Park, Postbridge. Visited 23/06/1950 - Worth's description (1902) and measurements are correct. It is a very large kistvaen with the two coverstones in place. Present depth of the kistvaen is 0.9 metres. There are several large stones surrounding the kistvaen which may be the remains of a retaining circle. The barrow in which the kistvaen is contained is approximately 5.4 metres in diameter, 0.3 metres high.
(05/09/1978) On the north west of and just outside the enclosure is a cairn with a well-preserved cist orientated south-south-west by north-north-east. The cairn has an average diameter of 5.5 metres, being not quite circular, and a height of 0.6 metres, with the remains of a peristalith incorporating prominent orthostats. The cist measures internally 2.0 metres by 1.2 metres with a depth of 0.7 metres. The two remaining cover-stones measure 1.4 metres by 1.3 metres and 1.0 metre by 0.8 metres respectively. Surveyed at 1:10 000 on PFD.

Ancient Monuments, 1962, Cist by Roundy Park enclosure (Schedule Document). SDV249683.

Large sub-megalithic cist, with two cover stones. Partly overlaid by the remains of a dry stone walled pound, possibly prehistoric. This construction will have removed any remains of a cairn which may have covered the cairn originally. Good condition.

Pettit, P., 1974, Prehistoric Dartmoor, 72, plate (Monograph). SDV231149.

Cist consists of nine stones, unlike any other kist on Dartmoor, and megalithic influence is clear.

Grinsell, L. V., 1978, Dartmoor Barrows, 147 (Article in Serial). SDV273224.

Barrow diameter 5.2 metres, height 0.3 metres. Cairn enclosing large cist placed north-east by south-west. Excavated by Burnard. Cist contained burnt bones, a flint scraper, and a flint implement thought to be a "crude arrow point". The cist is among the largest on Dartmoor and has two capstones in place about 0.7 metres above ground level. The cist is believed to be partly a 19th century reconstruction.

Pearce, S. M., 1981, The Archaeology of South West Britain, 85 (Monograph). SDV81689.

Hemery, E., 1983, High Dartmoor, 111, 542 (Monograph). SDV249702.

The cist at Roundy Park was discovered in August 1893 by Robert Burnard, who was responsible for the restoration of the grave.

Robinson, R., 1983, List of Field Monument Warden Visits 1983 (Un-published). SDV345762.

Visited 24/06/1983.

Robinson, R., 1986, List of Field Monument Warden Visits 1986 (Un-published). SDV345664.

Visited 14/08/1986.

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

(13/09/1989) Centred at SX 63917966 on gentle north-east facing slopes about 365 metres OD overlooking the East Dart River is a cairn measuring about 5.2 metres north-south by 4.2 metres with an irregular kerb of large contiguous stones.
Set slightly to the south-west of the centre is a cist supposedly one of the largest on Dartmoor. When found by Burnard in 1893 both and stones were in place and three side stones. Two side stones were prostrate, one in the cist the other outside. One cover stone had fallen in the cist whilst the other was a short distance from the cairn.
Excavation of the cist yielded two fragments of flint possibly an arrow point and a scraper. There was also some charcoal from bone. Trigging the south-west stone was a slightly fired `cooking stone'. Burnard resurrected the dislodged stones before making his plan, which conforms to its present state. The cist of 7 side slabs and 2 cover slabs measures internally 2.2 metres north-east by south-west by 1.2 metres and is 0.8 metres deep. Worth (1902) states that this cist had been restored `much too generously' even before Burnard found it so it may not be the original size. There is some small stone content about 0.4 metres high probably original between the kerb stones and the cist.
The south-west side of the cairn is overlaid by the tumble of a prehistoric enclosure wall its face clearly avoiding the kerb.

Butler, J., 1991, Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities: Volume Two - The North, 41, 238, Map 27, Figure 27.4 (Monograph). SDV219155.

Roundy Park cairn at SX63927067 of 5.5 metres diameter by 0.3 metres high with a cist. The massive cist outside the north-western wall of the Roundy Park enclosure now stands clear of the much denuded cairn. It has two cover stones and seven side slabs. When discovered in 1893 it had already been emptied and the contents piled up alongside. One of the end slabs was propped up by a 'cooking stone', maybe from the settlement to the east. The cist was slightly restored in the 19th century by the re-erection of two side slabs that had fallen and the replacement of one of the cover stones.

Ordnance Survey, 2017, MasterMap (Cartographic). SDV359962.

'Cairn and Cist' depicted on the modern mapping.

Historic England, 2022, National Heritage List for England, 1021332 (National Heritage List for England). SDV364675.

The monument includes a prehistoric enclosure and cairn with cist situated on an east facing slope overlooking the valley of the East Dart River.
Adjacent to the north western side of the enclosure is a cairn containing a cist. The cairn survives as a 5.5 metre diameter stony mound standing up to 0.8 metres high. A large cist denoted by seven edge slabs stands within the mound and measures 1.5 metres long by 1.2 metres wide and 0.7 metres deep. The cist is orientated north-north-east by south-south-west and is covered by two large slabs. The present form of the cist is the result of restoration work carried out by Robert Burnard, whose 1893 excavation revealed two small flint flakes and some burnt bones. A number of large edge stones around the western, southern and eastern sides of the cist represent a kerb.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds

• FDV6507 - ARROWHEAD? (Lower Palaeolithic to Late Bronze Age - 698000 BC to 701 BC?)
• FDV6508 - SCRAPER (TOOL) (Lower Palaeolithic to Late Bronze Age - 698000 BC to 701 BC?)
• FDV6510 - COOKING STONE (Bronze Age - 2200 BC? to 701 BC?)
• FDV6509 - HUMAN REMAINS? (Bronze Age - 2200 BC to 701 BC?)

Associated Events

• EDV643 - RCHME Field Investigation
• EDV8494 - Excavation of cairn, Roundy Park
• EDV8648 - Middle Merripit Farm, Duchy Farms Survey
• EDV8409 - Dartmoor Royal Forest Project
• EDV8423 - Duchy Farms Project

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