See important guidance on the use of this record.

If you have any comments or new information about this record, please email us.

Summary

The disturbed remains of a turf-and-heather-covered cairn at Fordsland Ledge. The feature measures 12.2 metres by 13.9 metres and the earthwork stands 0.7 metres high. A number of large upright stones have been positioned in the centre of the mound suggesting its reuse as a small shelter.

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1010594: Platform cairn 30m north west of Fordsland Ledge

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX58NE2
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 440458
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX58NE/2
• Old SAM County Ref: 478
• Old SAM Ref: 24160
• Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division: SX58NE2

Monument Type(s) and Dates

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

Full description

Crossing, W., 1912 (1965), Crossing's Guide to Dartmoor, 204 (Monograph). SDV320981.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1950/1979, SX58NE2 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV253196.

(31/07/1950) Mutilated cairn, large slabs in centre may be remains of cist. Diameter measures 10.5m, height 0.1m.
Cairn, probably contained a kistvaen, the remains of which may be discerned in the centre of the mound. The stones are in no particular formation, but are sufficiently large and of such a shape as to suggest the remains of a cist. This barrow has been badly mutilated (Clarke, OS Archaeology division).
(02/10/1979) SX 57588888. In a crest position on Fordsland Ledge at 581.0m OD.
is the disturbed remains of a turf-and-heather-covered cairn. It measures 12.2m by 13.9m in diameter and is 1.1m high. In a hollow in the centre are a number of large stones suggesting the possibility of a former cist or even a chamber, utilizing the natural outcrop as its base.
Surveyed at 1:10 000 on MSD.

Ancient Monuments, 1961, Schedule note (Schedule Document). SDV253193.

(01/09/1961) Cairn at Fordsland Lodge, possibly with cist, but centre disturbed and caplike stones on edge.

Grinsell, L. V., 1978, Dartmoor Barrows, 159 (Article in Serial). SDV273224.

Robinson, R., 1982, List of Field Monument Warden Visits 1982 (Un-published). SDV342809.

(23/02/1982) Field Monument Warden visit.

Gerrard, S., 1990-2002, Monument Protection Programme. Archaeological Item Dataset., MPP 133358 (Report - Survey). SDV277946.

(31/01/1994) Platform cairn near a rock outcrop known as Fordsland Ledge, on the south-western spur of High Willhays. Cairn mound measures 13.9m in diameter and stands up to 1.1m high. A rectangular pit, 1.4mby 0.9m by 0.7m deep, lined roughly with large stones is visible within the centre of the mound and may represent the site of a robbed cist or other structure. A number of stones protruding from the mound may have been exposed during the exploration of the cairn. A small number of edge set stones define the northern edge of the mound and these probably represent a kerb which survives elsewhere around the periphery as a buried feature.

Butler, J., 1991, Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities: Volume Two - The North, 215, 245, Map 42, Site '3' (Monograph). SDV219155.

Forsland Ledge cairn at SX 57578888 of 10 metres diameter by 0.4 metres high. The outer rim appears to be intact but the centre has been dug into where some of the larger stones have been raised on end, giving the superficial appearance of a cist.

Probert, S. A. J. + Newman, P., 2003-2004, Measured survey North Dartmoor Military Range Okehampton Range: Monument Baseline Condition Survey (Report - Survey). SDV350801.

(26/01/2004) SX 5788 8889. The cairn at Fordsland Ledge remains as described by the Ordnance Survey though the earthwork element of the site only remains to a height of 0.7m. The large stones visible in the centre of the feature are somewhat unusual and not typical of a cist-like structure. The presence of a chamber is very doubtful and it is more likely that the interior of the cairn has, at some point, been remodelled to create a small shelter. See ground photographs.

English Heritage, 2005-2008, Prehistoric Survey Information (Cartographic). SDV345521.

Cairn shown on survey.

Bluesky International Ltd/Getmapping PLC, 2015 onwards, 2015 onward Aerial Photographs (Aerial Photograph). SDV362959.

Ordnance Survey, 2023, Mastermap 2023 (Cartographic). SDV365227.

'Cairn' shown on modern mapping.

Historic England, 2023, National Heritage List for England, 1010594 (National Heritage List for England). SDV365228.

This monument includes a platform cairn situated near to a rock outcrop known as Fordsland Ledge, which lies on the south west spur of High Willhays overlooking the valley of the West Okement River. The cairn mound measures 13.9 metres in diameter and stands up to 1.1 metres high. A rectangular pit lined roughly with large stones is visible within the centre of the mound and may represent the site of a cist or other structure revealed by early excavation. A number of stones protruding from the mound may have been exposed during the exploration of the cairn. A small number of edge set stones define the northern edge of the mound and these probably represent a kerb which survives elsewhere around the periphery as a buried feature.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments: none recorded

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV7620 - Okehampton Artillary Range
• EDV8679 - Okehampton Range: Management Survey
• EDV8291 - Okehampton Range: Monument Baseline Condition Survey
• EDV8695 - Survey of Okehampton North Dartmoor Military Range

Search results generated by the HBSMR Gateway from exeGesIS SDM Ltd.