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Summary

Cairn with retaining circle and cist on Royal Hill known as the "Crock of Gold". This site is on the local list of Nationally Important Dartmoor sites.

Location

Protected Status

• SHINE: Prehistoric cairn with retaining circle and cist on Royal Hill known as the "Crock of Gold", measuring 7 metres in diameter

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX67SW38
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX67SW/61
• Pastscape: 443343
• SHINE Candidate (Yes)

Monument Type(s) and Dates

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

Full description

Burnard, R., 1890, Notes on Dartmoor Kistvaens, 204-205 (Article in Serial). SDV265355.

Burnard, R., 1895, Dartmoor Kistvaens, 163 (Monograph). SDV249696.

Worth, R. H., 1902, 21st Report of the Barrow Committee, 116 (Article in Serial). SDV20971.

Cist with all four sides in place. The coverstone lies inside of and touching the surrounding circle, which is now incomplete. Worth

Worth, R. H., 1908, 27th Report of the Barrow Committee, 85, figure (Article in Serial). SDV265354.

Worth, R. H., 1928, 47th Report of the Barrow Committee, 77 (Article in Serial). SDV345669.

Other details: Figure 2. Plate VI, Figure 1.

Worth, R. H., 1937, 56th Report of the Barrow Committee, 85 (Article in Serial). SDV20973.

Other details: Figure.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1950, SX67SW38, SX67SW38 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV345670.

Kistvaen with cairn measuring 4.0 meters in diameter, and 0.2 meters in height and retaining circle. Condition very good. The cist lies east by north to south by west, and measures 0.8 meters by 0.5 meters by 0.3 meters, with the coverstone lying to the north-west. The retaining circle is very clear at the south but much overgrown to the north. Other details: includes plan.

Grinsell, L. V., 1978, Dartmoor Barrows, 152 (Article in Serial). SDV273224.

Cairn with retaining circle and central cist, measuring 4.3 meters in diameter, placed south-east to north-west, with a capstone to the north-west. Visited 19/07/1974.

Hemery, E., 1983, High Dartmoor, 375 (Monograph). SDV249702.

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

Not visible on the Royal Air Force aerial photographs.

Griffiths, D., 1986, Site visit to view reported damage at cist site (Site Visit). SDV344938.

Following a report of damage by R. Robinson (Field Monument Warden) a site visit was undertaken to view damage. A hole measuring 0.63 meters east-west, 0.46 meters north-south and 0.18 meters deep had been dug into the cist known as the Crock of Gold. The cist measures 0.76 by 0.50 meters. At approximately 0.70 meters below the top of the cist, a black, grainy, iron-stained soil was encountered, which is likely to be peat. Light brown decayed granite was seen below this layer; apparently the natural bottom of the hole, which was water-filled. This hole was dug well below the original bottom of the cist, which appears to have been emptied at some point in the past. Other details: Slides also taken.

Fletcher, M. J., 1989, Crock of Gold Cairn and Barrow at Tor Royal (Report - Survey). SDV345672.

Crock of Gold, Royal Hill, near the track from Bull Park and Swincombe. Cairn and cist on a shelf on a north-east hillslope of moorland pasture. The cairn measures 7.0 meters in overall diameter and 0.3 meters in height and has a flattish top with a retaining circle set 1.0 meter to 1.5 meters within the perimeter. This consists of six earth-fast boulders, about 0.4 meters across and protruding a similar height above the cairn. Two displaced stones are 1.0 meter long, 0.5 meters wide and 0.2 meters thick. A central cist is oriented north-west to south-east. Internally it is 0.8 meters long, 0.4 meters wide at the north-west end, 0.5 meters at the south-east, and 0.7 meters deep. The side slabs are 1.0 meters long and respectively 0.15 meters and 0.25 meters thick; the end slabs, 0.5 meters long and 0.1 meters thick. The capstone, moved to the west, is 1.3 meters long, 1.1 meters wide and 0.15 meters thick and now rests against the kerb.

Turner, J. R., 1990, Ring Cairns, Stone Circles and Related Monuments on Dartmoor, 72 (Article in Serial). SDV229817.

Ring setting measuring 3.3 meters in diameter internally, around central cist. Other details: D17.

Butler, J., 1993, Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities: Volume Four - The South-East, 229-230, Map 65, Figures 65.3 & 65.3.1 (Monograph). SDV337765.

'Crock of Gold' cairn at SX61287306 of 4.0 metres diameter by 0.3 metres high with a small cist that has been cleared out sometime in the past, with capstone lying to one side but with side and end slabs still in place. Five stones of the kerb retaining circle of circa 4.0 metres diameter which originally edged the mound.

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

This site was considered for designation as a Scheduled Ancient Monument during the Monument Protection Programme. The programme ended before the entire list of sites was successfully scheduled so this is included on a local list of Nationally Important Sites.

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

Cairn marked on the digital survey.

National Monuments Record, 2010, 443343 (National Monuments Record Database). SDV345673.

A cist, known as "Crock of Gold" surrounded by the remains of a 10 feet (3.05 meters) diameter cairn circle. Its cover-stone has been displaced. Burnard commented that the circle was "fairly well preserved" and there were "distinct remains of a barrow". (National Monuments Record Database citing Burnard)

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

'Crock of Gold Cist' shown on modern mapping.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV8628 - Tor Royal Farm Duchy Farms Survey

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