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Summary

Cosdon beacon.549m above sea level. The form 'cawsand' is quite late. In 1240 it was cossdoune, alias cosson in 1600. South tawton wardens' accounts (tda 1909 p.353) give 155/1556 carriage of furze for the fire beacon as 16d; 1569/70 16d for the making of the beacon; and 1570/1 10 shillings to the constable of the hundred for the beacon. Until late in the 19th century it was believed that cawsand was the loftiest hill in devon. Vis=20/6/1974 (os) considered to be pre-elizabethan. It is situated on an enormous cairn. Some of the damage done to the cairn could have been caused by the digging of two large hollows, possibly to receive the fuel for the beacon. Vis=21/4/1973 (grinsell) cairn, crowned by modern stoneheap and os concrete trig. Point. Large hollows in top, from robbing, would have protected beacon fires. Diameter 27.0m, height 1.8m. Vis=17/1/1994 (gerrard) beacon built on top of a large round cairn (sx69sw/18) measuring 27m in diam and standing up to 3m high. Large central hollows, 6m by 4m by 1.2m deep and 3.5m square by 0.7m deep respectively, may have been excavated by the beacon builders to form a hearth. Considered to be medieval in origin, although the earliest specific documentary references to the site are 16c. The beacon, when lit, would have been visible throughout much of north devon and until late in the 19c this spot was believed to be the highest in southern england (mpp).

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1010793: Cawsand Beacon, a round cairn, a ring cairn, a stone building and five post-medieval shelters on the summit of Cawsand Hill

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX69SW/16
• Old SAM Ref: 34144

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• BEACON (Early Medieval to Post Medieval - 1066 AD to 1750 AD (Between))

Full description

Unknown, MIGRATED RECORD - MONUMENT PROTECTION PROGRAMME DATA (Migrated Record). SDV331.

Cosdon beacon.549m above sea level. The form 'cawsand' is quite late. In 1240 it was cossdoune, alias cosson in 1600. South tawton wardens' accounts (tda 1909 p.353) give 155/1556 carriage of furze for the fire beacon as 16d; 1569/70 16d for the making of the beacon; and 1570/1 10 shillings to the constable of the hundred for the beacon. Until late in the 19th century it was believed that cawsand was the loftiest hill in devon. Vis=20/6/1974 (os) considered to be pre-elizabethan. It is situated on an enormous cairn. Some of the damage done to the cairn could have been caused by the digging of two large hollows, possibly to receive the fuel for the beacon. Vis=21/4/1973 (grinsell) cairn, crowned by modern stoneheap and os concrete trig. Point. Large hollows in top, from robbing, would have protected beacon fires. Diameter 27.0m, height 1.8m. Vis=17/1/1994 (gerrard) beacon built on top of a large round cairn (sx69sw/18) measuring 27m in diam and standing up to 3m high. Large central hollows, 6m by 4m by 1.2m deep and 3.5m square by 0.7m deep respectively, may have been excavated by the beacon builders to form a hearth. Considered to be medieval in origin, although the earliest specific documentary references to the site are 16c. The beacon, when lit, would have been visible throughout much of north devon and until late in the 19c this spot was believed to be the highest in southern england (mpp).

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV224190.

Russell, p. /tda/87(1955)284/fire beacons in devon, appendix a.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV224191.

Worth, r. N. /tda/14(1882)152-153/fourth report of the barrow committee.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV224192.

Osa=sx69sw18.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV224193.

Grinsell, l. V. /pdas/36(1978)169.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV224194.

Rowe, s. /perambulation of the forest of dartmoor/(1896)43.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

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