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Summary

A variant on a ring cairn comprising a circular bank of earth and stones with an inner edge of orthostats. This site is included in the local list of Nationally Important Dartmoor sites. Previously described in the 19th century as a hut circle, this is now thought to be a comprehensively robbed cairn circle. Surveyed in 2017, the circle has a diameter of 8.5 metres and of the nine stones still in situ, two are upright, square-section posts, of which the tallest is 1.3 metres. The others consist of edge-set slabs and large blocks. It is likely that the circle had gaps between the stones, rather than forming a kerb with the stones touching, in which case the total number may have been about 20. Several large earthfast stones lie displaced outside the circle, and would have once formed part of it, especially on the northwest arc, where three stones appear to have fallen outwards. A number of smaller earthfast stones are scattered around, and probably represent remnants of the cairn. The cairn itself survives only as random, low hillocks within and outside the circle, with a maximum spread of 14 metres.

Location

Protected Status

• SHINE: Prehistoric ring cairn consisting of a circular ring of stones and a rather indistinct mound, part of a line of monuments along the ridge on Mardon Down

Other References/Statuses

• Dartmoor Non-designated Heritage Asset (Historical): NI Site
• National Monuments Record: SX78NE5
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 445363
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX78NE/26
• Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division: SX78NE5

Monument Type(s) and Dates

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

Full description

Ordnance Survey, 1880-1899, First Edition Ordnance 25 inch map (Cartographic). SDV336179.

Marked as hut circle.

Rowe, S., 1896, A Perambulation of the Royal Forest of Dartmoor and the venville precincts, 130-1 (Monograph). SDV249697.

On the northern slope of Mardon Down Rowe observed a circle of stone 30 yds, in circumference with nine upright stones, the largest 2 1/2' high with a collection of stone nearby suggesting the feature was a dilapidated cairn.

Crossing, W., 1912 (1965), Crossing's Guide to Dartmoor, 268 (Monograph). SDV320981.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1953/1981, SX78NE5 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV294991.

(21/10/1953) Circle of stones measuring 10.0 metres in diameter represents a retaining circle of a barrow which itself has practically disappeared leaving a vague inner mound surrounded by a circle of seven 'set' stones of average height of 0.8 metres, spaced at roughly regular intervals, between these are several kerb-stones.
(24/12/1981) Not a hut circle but a round cairn 11.0m. in diameter and 0.5m. high, with a well preserved cairn circle comprising a 9.0m. diameter circle of spaced uprights averaging 0.8m. high, with kerbing between (See ground photograph).
The mutilation of the interior has resulted in a spread of material outside the circle to the NE and SW.
Surveyed at 1:2500 on M.S.D.

Grinsell, L. V., 1978, Dartmoor Barrows, 157 (Article in Serial). SDV273224.

Site visit 16th July 1972. Moretonhampstead 16/07/1972. Hummocky cairn with retaining circle, diameter 10.0 metres and height 0.7 metres.

Pearce, S. M., 1979, The Distribution and Production of Bronze Age Metalwork, 144 (Article in Serial). SDV322230.

National Monuments Record, 1980, NMR SF1746, 323 (Aerial Photograph). SDV294996.

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

Visible and recorded.

Griffith, F. M., 1986, Ring Cairn (Personal Comment). SDV294997.

Site visit 17th May 1986. The interior of this site is disturbed but not really a mound. The orthostats and kerbstones sit very firmly in a ring bank. I think this is not a barrow with retaining kerb but more what Frances Lynch calls an 'embanked stone circle' - a ring cairn variant.

Turner, J. R., 1990, Ring Cairns, Stone Circles and Related Monuments on Dartmoor, 38, 70 (Article in Serial). SDV229817.

B6. Embanked stone circle on Mardon Down, consisting on an annular bank of earth and/or stones with inner edge of orthostats. Stones spaced, supported by large flat stones incorporated in bank. Internal diameter measures 8.3 metres with bank 0.7 metres wide and 0.3 metres high.

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.

GeoInformation Group Ltd, 2010, 1:625 2010 Colour (12.5cm resolution) (Aerial Photograph). SDV346026.

Ring cairn clearly visible on aerial photography of the area and is rather more circular than the Mastermap depiction of the feature.

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

Marked as Cairn Circle. Rather oval-shaped depiction of the ring cairn.

Newman, P., 2017, A Stone Circle and Cairn Group on Mardon Down, Moretonhampstead, Devon, 10, Fig 7, 15 (Report - Survey). SDV360188.

Cairn circle at SX 76740 87685
This monument was depicted on the Ordnance Survey 25-inch map of 1884, where it was referred to as a hut circle. In 1897 it was described by Rowe as being 30 yards (27 metres) in circumference with nine stones standing, suggestive of a ‘dilapidated cairn from which the greater part of the stones have been robbed’ (Rowe 1897, 131). This more or less describes what remains today and a Chapman photograph of c.1912 (Fig 3), confirms that the condition of this monument has changed very little in the past century (DA11942).
The circle has a diameter of 8.5 metres and of the nine stones still in situ, two are upright, square-section posts, of which the tallest is 1.3 metres. The others consist of edge-set slabs and large blocks. It is likely that the circle had gaps between the stones, rather than forming a kerb with the stones touching, in which case the total number may have been about 20. Several large earthfast stones lie displaced outside the circle, and would have once formed part of it, especially on the northwest arc, where three stones appear to have fallen outwards. A number of smaller earthfast stones are scattered around, and probably represent remnants of the cairn. The cairn itself appears to have been comprehensively robbed, as noted by Rowe, and survives only as random, low hillocks within and outside the circle, with a maximum spread of 14 metres.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV7270 - Survey of cairn cemetery, stone circle and other earthworks on Mardon Down

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