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Summary

Prehistoric cairn with a central cist on the eastern slope of Hamel Down to the north of Kingshead farmstead

Location

Protected Status

• SHINE: Prehistoric cairn with a central cist on Hamel Down to the north of Kingshead farmstead

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX77NW12
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 445062
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX77NW/81
• Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division: SX77NW12

Monument Type(s) and Dates

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

Full description

Worth, R. H., 1935, 54th Report on Barrows, 77 (Article in Serial). SDV346265.

Barrow with cist. A kistvaen on eastern slope of Hamel Down. Three sidestones are standing. Coverstone measures 4 foot.5 inches (1.36 metres) long by 1 foot.6 inches (0.46 metres) wide. Kist lies in a cairn 24 feet (7.31 metres) in diameter. Other details: Plan and Illustration.

Worth, R. H., 1953, Dartmoor, 173 (Monograph). SDV231148.

Kistvaen on the south-east slope of Hamel Down.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1960, SX77NW12 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV346266.

A kistvaen (precise location not surveyed) on eastern slope of Hameldown (quoted in Worth's later work as SE slope of Hameldown (Worth, 1953, pg 173)) Three of the side stones are standing, the fourth removed. The cover stone measures 4'5" x 1'6". The kist lies in a cairn 24 feet in diameter (Worth, 1935, pg 77).
(Plan photograph see A0/60/12/8).
Area siting given centred approx. SX 7125 7908 (citing comment by R. H. Worth, 09/12/1948).
(10/05/1960) The cist is orientated in a NE-SW direction and is in a heather covered mound of earth and stone with a maximum height of 0.5 m., and with one retaining stone in the north-west quadrant.
All four sides of the cist remain, though one has sunk and is partly covered with earth. The capstone is incomplete, and only partly covers the cavity.
A 25" survey has been made.

Grinsell, L. V., 1978, Dartmoor Barrows, 176 (Article in Serial). SDV273224.

Site visited on 28th september 1975. Cairn enclosing a cist placed south-west to north-east with a capstone over the north-east part. Diameter 9.0 metres by 0.5 metres high.

Beeson, M. M. R. + Masterman, M. C. H., 1979, An Archaeological Survey of Enclosed Land in Widecombe-In-The-Moor Parish, 1069 (Report - Survey). SDV337078.

Royal Commission on the Historical Monuments of England, 1985, SX77NW (Cartographic). SDV345445.

Not visible on 1946 aerial photographs.

Butler, J., 1991, Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities: Volume One - The East, 149 (Monograph). SDV299725.

Cairn circa 10 metres diameter by 0.5 metres high 20 metres east of the ridgeway track as it descends the hill from Hameldown Beacon. Three sides of an empty cist are exposed, partly covered by a capstone across the north end. The margin is very irregular where the cairn has been dug into from the sides but a single earthfast slab may be the remnant of a retaining circle. Other details: Map 20 Site 15.

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

Cairn north of Kingshead was considered for designation as a Scheduled Ancient Monument in 2004. Other details: Site 77.

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

National Monuments Record, 2011, 445062 (National Monuments Record Database). SDV346267.

The site of a barrow with a cist.

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

'Cist' shown on modern mapping as a rectilinear feature in the centre of a sub-circular feature with a kerb around the south-east side.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

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