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Summary

Disturbed cairn on Wigford Down, measures approximately 26 metres in diameter, 0.4 metres high. Robbed of about a third of its stone, it consists of a ragged-topped mass of small stones, the former site of an Observation Post. Small cairn at its base on the south-east side.

Location

Protected Status

• SHINE: Earthworks and walling of Bronze age parallel reave field system with hut circle settlements and cairns, plus deserted Medieval settlements with long houses and pillow mounds, on Wigford Down

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX56NW21
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 439079
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX56NW/12

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• CAIRN (Constructed, Early Neolithic to Late Bronze Age - 4000 BC (Between) to 701 BC (Between))
• OBSERVATION POST (World War II - 1939 AD (Between) to 1945 AD (Between))

Full description

Worth, R. H., 1943, 62nd Report on Barrows, 54 (Article in Serial). SDV165840.

On or near the summit of Wigford Down, there are five cairns or remains of cairns. Four are shown on the Ordnance Survey First Edition 6 inch map series.
(1) The northernmost is a recognisable heap of stones, marked tumulus on the Ordnance Survey map. This cairn is low and from the author's recollection, has always been considerably damaged; this now exacerbated by the addition of an abandoned 'Observation Post'. The diameter of the cairn is 72ft. (21.9m) and its height 3ft. (0.91m).

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1950/1977, SX56NW21 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV252273.

SX 5466 6510 Tumulus. (17/05/1950) An unchecked cairn, 80ft. (24.3m) minimum to 100ft. (30.5m) maximum in diameter.
(22/05/1950) This tumulus was largely destroyed during the war. The scanty remains have been surveyed.
(26/10/1977) This tumulus was largely destroyed during the War. OS 6" CXII SE. A cairn, diameter 94ft. (28.6m), height 3ft. (0.91m), much disturbed and topped by an abandoned wartime observation post.

Ordnance Survey, 1953-1969, 1953-1969 National Grid OS A edition imperial, 1954 edition (Cartographic). SDV352727.

(SX 54666510) Cairn Circle (NR).

Grinsell, L. V., 1978, Dartmoor Barrows, 156 (Article in Serial). SDV273224.

27/7/1972 Mutilated cairn. Diameter 23 metres, height 0.6 metres.

Price, D. G., 1978, Settlement and ancient fields on Wigford Down, 69-75 (Article in Serial). SDV220620.

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

Not recorded by the project.

Butler, J., 1994, Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities: Volume Three - The South-West, 80, Map 48, Figure 48.1 (Monograph). SDV137656.

Wigford Down cairn '2' at SX54666510 of 26.0 metres diameter by 0.4 metres high. Summit cairn in poor condition. Robbing has removed about a third of the stone on the east side, leaving the remainder a ragged-topped mass of small stones. It was once the site of an Observation Post, now cleared away, and at its base is a small cairn.

Ordnance Survey, 2017, MasterMap (Cartographic). SDV359962.

Cairn is depicted on the modern mapping.

Various, 2018-2020, PALs Condition Recording forms, WD-6 (Worksheet). SDV362781.

(24/03/2020) Cairn is covered in vegetation growth; close cropped grass/moss cover with occasional gorse and reed outcrops. Condition is otrherwise good.

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

Site recorded during condition visit.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV8316 - Wigford Down PAL survey

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