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Summary

Ring cairn of 14 metres diameter by 0.2 metres high within cairn cemetery south-east of White Hill summit. It is now crossed by well-worn paths

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1008751: Ring cairn 50m north-east of White Hill summit forming part of the White Hill round cairn cemetery

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX58SW6
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 440678
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX58SW/25
• Old SAM Ref: 20343(P)

Monument Type(s) and Dates

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

Full description

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

Central of a row of three 'Tumuli' shown on 19th century map.

Baring Gould, S., 1888, 10th Report of the Barrow Committee, 47 (Article in Serial). SDV222380.

On the summit of White Down (a portion of Black Down) which rises to 1280 feet are numerous cairns, large and small, mostly rifled.

Worth, R. H., 1902, 21st Report of the Barrow Committee, 109 (Article in Serial). SDV20971.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1950/1979, SX58SW6, Cairn B (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV214712.

(24/10/1950) One of three cairns on White Down. Remains of tumulus, very much despoiled. The former extent can be traced but the bulk of the mound has been removed. The condition is poor. Diameter 14.0m, height 0.2m.
(13/08/1979) The three published cairns on the summit of White Down have been
destroyed. (See also SX 58 SW 103).
'A' and 'B' are just traceable as stripped circular patches 13.0m in diameter, each surrounded by a faint rim 1.0m wide and 0.1m high.
At 'B' there is an irregular patch of stones outside the eastern perimeter which have evidently been taken from the former cairn.
Both sides are heather covered. No trace of cairn 'C' could be found.
Shown as cairns on MSD.

Ordnance Survey, 1963-1996, 1963-1996 National Grid OS Metric (Cartographic). SDV350058.

(A - SX 53498389; B - SX 53428385; C - SX 53438350) Tumuli (NR) [1965 edition].

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

Grinsell failed to find this cairn in June 1974. 'Cairn, mostly removed. Diameter 14.0m, height 0.2m' (24/10/1950 Ridyard, OS).

Fleming, A., 1980, The Cairnfields of North-West Dartmoor, 11 (Article in Serial). SDV251119.

The White Hill South cairnfield consists of almost 8 cairn around SX535838; most are in a group to the SSE of the hill top, with one or two further East.

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

Not visible on Royal Air Force verticals.

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

(1992) Cairn survives as flat internal area, diameter 11m, surrounded by circular bank 2.3m wide by 0.15m high. Central hollow 2m long by 0.9m wide by 0.1m deep. Possibly a badly robbed round cairn, but circular bank suggests ring cairn.

Butler, J., 1991, Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities: Volume Two - The North, 106-108, 242, Map 32, Figure 36.6 (Monograph). SDV219155.

Cairn within White Hill S. E. cairn cemetery at SX534838. One of 11 cairns of between 3.0 metres to 6.5 metres diameter by 0.3 metres to 0.4 metres high.

Probert, S. + Fletcher, M. + Newman, P., 1998, Willsworthy Training Area, Peter Tavy, Devon: An Archaeological survey by the Royal Commission on the Historical Monuments of England (Report - Survey). SDV350638.

(29/07/1998) The three cairns located on the summit area at 381m above OD have been extensively robbed and damaged.
SX53438385. A slight amorphous turf-covered rise 11.9m by 10.8m and 0.2m high is all that survives. It is now crossed by well-worn paths.
The cairns are composed of sandstone, shale and soil and they are covered by heather moorland.

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

Cairn shown on survey.

Cartographic Engineering, 2006, Dartmoor 2006 1:1250 Aerial Photography (digital) (Aerial Photograph). SDV345590.

Visible on aerial photograph.

Historic England, 2023, National Heritage List for England, 1008751 (National Heritage List for England). SDV365228.

This monument includes a ring cairn situated near the summit of White Hill. The earthwork appears as a flat internal area measuring 11 metres in diameter surrounded by a circular bank 2.3 metres wide and 0.15 metres high. A shallow hollow in the centre of the internal area suggests robbing or partial early excavation. This cairn forms part of the White Hill round cairn cemetery.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV7368 - Survey of the Willsworthy Training Area, Peter Tavy (1998)
• EDV6663 - Survey of the Willsworthy Training Area
• EDV6664 - Survey of the Willsworthy Training Area
• EDV6665 - Survey of the Willsworthy Training Area
• EDV8141 - Condition survey of the Willsworthy Training Area

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