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Summary

Ring cairn to the north-east of the settlement to the north of Hart Tor recorded in the 19th century as containing a 'dilapidated kistvaen'

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1011181: Ring cairn 220m SSE of Devil's Bridge

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX57SE63
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 440211
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX57SE/164
• Old SAM Ref: 22328
• Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division: SX57SE102

Monument Type(s) and Dates

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

Full description

Rowe, S., 1848, Perambulation of Dartmoor, 206 (Monograph). SDV154476.

North-west of a number of hut circles. Is a cairn containing a dilapidated kistvaen.

Spence Bate, C., 1870-1871, On the Prehistoric Antiquities of Dartmoor, 510 (Article in Serial). SDV277110.

Worth, R. N., 1882, 4th Report of the Barrow Committee, 157 (Article in Serial). SDV295057.

Under North Hessary Tor in the vicinity of an ancient streamwork and north-west of a number of hut circles on a west facing slope is a much dilapidated cairn with a cist or a double cist.

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

A cist listed at "old rifle range, Hessary" (possibly refers to the rifle range about SX581725.

Grinsell, L. V., 1978, Dartmoor Barrows, 174, 180, Walkhampton 10 (Article in Serial). SDV273224.

Site visited on 29th May 1976. Circle of close set stones: almost a kerb circle, interior flat and no sign of cist. Diameter 8.0 metres, height 0.3 metres.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1980, SX57SE102 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV230856.

(17/06/1980) At SX 58197270 on a west facing slope at 390m. O.D. is a cairn which conforms fairly well to Rowe's siting information and description.
The uneven and heather-covered interior is 7.2m. in diameter with contiguous slabs, 0.9m. long, 0.3m. high, visible for over one half of the circumference, with one considerably larger than the rest. (see plan). The stones form a kerb, surrounding a former mound, apparently been stripped out before Rowe's time. No cist or cists are visible but an elongated depression 2.0m. by 4.0m. in the south-west quadrant may represent their former position.
Surveyed at 1:10 000 and 1:125 for A.O. Records.

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

Not visible on 1946 aerial photographs.

Turner, J. R., 1990, Ring Cairns, Stone Circles and Related Monuments on Dartmoor, 73, E5 (Article in Serial). SDV229817.

Platform circle. Ring of orthostats, 7.5 metres internal diameter, with flat-topped infilling 0.4 metres high. Cairn material outside circle on south and north-east sides.

Gerrard, S., 1990-2002, Monument Protection Programme. Archaeological Item Dataset., MPP 130636 (Report - Survey). SDV277946.

Despite partial excavation this ring cairn survives comparatively well and lies close to a large unenclosed stone hut circle settlement. Important environmental and structural evidence exists within the cairn.

Butler, J., 1994, Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities: Volume Three - The South-West, 53-54, Map 46, Figure 46.1 (Monograph). SDV137656.

Hart Tor N cairn at SX58207269 of 8.0 metres diameter by 0.4 metres high with a cist lies about 100 metres to the north of the settlement at 'Hart Tor North' and is apparently associated with it. The mound was probably never much higher than the tops of the kerb retaining circle but the stones have been thrown out in all directions almost down to ground level, probably in recent times as the 'dilapidated kistvaen' recorded by Rowe is no longer visible. One slab on the west side of the circle rises prominently above the rest.

Fletcher, M. J., 2007-2008, Walkhampton Premier Archaeological Landscape; Field Investigation Project (Report - Survey). SDV359195.

(16/10/2007) Bronze Age cairn now extensively robbed almost to ground level. Eleven upright slabs form 0.1m to 0.8m high form the surviving element of the retaining circle. There is a scatter of spoil against north-west side and a slight amorphous off-centre pit. It lies in open moorland grassland. Surveyed at 1:2500.

Bluesky International Ltd/Getmapping PLC, 2015-2017, 2015-2017 Aerial Photographs (Aerial Photograph). SDV361462.

Visible on aerial photograph.

Various, 2018-2020, PALs Condition Recording forms (Worksheet). SDV362781.

Visited 09 July 2019. Slight grass and molinia cover. A notable upright stone on the west side. Good condition. Photo taken

Various, 2018-2020, PALs Condition Recording photographs (Photograph). SDV363073.

Visited 09 July 2019. Photo taken including the notable rock. Looking uphill from the west towards the east.

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

Cairn shown on modern mapping.

Historic England, 2021, National Heritage List for England, 1011181 (National Heritage List for England). SDV364016.

This monument includes a ring cairn situated on a gentle west-facing slope overlooking the valley of the River Meavy. The cairn survives as a ring of close-set stones standing up to 0.8 metres high, surrounding an internal area with a diameter of 8.0 metres. A central hollow measuring 3 metres long, 2.2 metres wide and 0.15 metres deep may be the site of the cist recorded by Rowe in 1848.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV7517 - Survey of Hart Tor tin works
• EDV8351 - Walkhampton Premier Archaeological Landscape; Field Investigation Project

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