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Summary

A cairn on the north slopes of Old Hill. It measures 15.5m in diameter and its height 0.7m. It consists of a mound of earth, turf-and heather-covered, with no stones visible. There are two small depressions near the centre. This site is on the local list of Nationally Important Dartmoor sites.

Location

Protected Status

• SHINE: Prehistoric cairn on Old Hill between Red Book and Middle Brook

Other References/Statuses

• Dartmoor Non-designated Heritage Asset (Evidential): NI Site
• National Monuments Record: SX66SE91
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 442030
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX66SE/144

Monument Type(s) and Dates

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

Full description

Royal Air Force, 1948, RAF/CPE/UK/2494, 3047 (Aerial Photograph). SDV147533.

Robinson, R., 1977, Cairn on Old Hill (Worksheet). SDV148620.

This cairn lies on Old Hill on the watershed between the Red Brook and the Middle Brook. It shows on the 1946 Royal Air Force aerial photograph but does not readily appear on any skyline. Diameter measures 16.0 meters, height 1.0 meters with a pronounced hollow to the west of the centre. This cairn is composed of stone largely overgrown with turf and heather. This cairn is crest sited when viewed from the enclosed hut group centred at SX66956360 but it is not visible after walking about 50.0 meters uphill from the upper edge of the enclosure.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1977, SX66SE91 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV148623.

(20/07/1977) SX 66356299. This cairn is on a level area on the north slopes of Old Hill at approximately 380.0m. O.D. Its diameter is 15.5m. and its height 0.7m. and it consists of a mound of earth, turf-and heather-covered, with no stones visible. There are two small depressions near the centre.
Surveyed at 1:10 000 on P.F.D.

Grinsell, L. V., 1978, Dartmoor Barrows, 169 (Article in Serial). SDV273224.

Cairn with hollow centre, diameter 15.0 meters, height 1.0 meter. (Visited 30/6/1977)

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

Not visible on 1946 Royal Air Force aerial photograph.

Butler, J., 1993, Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities: Volume Four - The South-East, 160, Map 57 (Monograph). SDV337765.

Old Hill cairn at SX66346298 on the crest of the hill of 14 metres diameter by 0.7 metres high. Despite some pitting in the centre it retains a good shape and very few stones show through its canopy of turf.

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.

Ordnance Survey, 2021, MasterMap 2021 (Cartographic). SDV364015.

'Cairn' shown on modern mapping.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments: none recorded

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

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