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Summary

This cist lies midway between the Giant's Basin and cairn to the north-west. First mentioned in 1911. Its identification as a cist has been disputed, but so far no definitive confirmation established. The structure comprises a flat slab measuring 1.2 metres by 0.76 metres which rests at a slight angle on three upright slabs. These slabs, up to 0.4 metres high, form a 'Z' shape on plan in what appears to be a slight hollow.

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1014145: Three stone alignments, 15 cairns, a cist, a partially enclosed stone hut circle settlement and a small clapper bridge at Drizzle Combe

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record (Yes): SX56NE44
• National Monuments Record: SX56NE106
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 438623
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 438803
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX56NE/77/1
• Old SAM Ref: 24104
• Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division: SX56NE106
• Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division: SX56NE44

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• CIST? (Constructed, Bronze Age - 2200 BC (Between) to 701 BC (Between))
• STONE (Constructed, Bronze Age - 2200 BC (Between) to 701 BC (Between))

Full description

Worth, R. H., 1890, The Moorland Plym, 51 (Article in Serial). SDV215949.

A group of stones consisting of a large flat slab held in an inclined position by resting on smaller blocks lies between the Giant's Basin (SX 56 NE 45) and the barrow forming the northern termination of the adjacent stone row (SX 56 NE 46).

Breton, H. H., 1914, Beautiful Dartmoor and its Interesting Antiquities, 50 (Monograph). SDV256843.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1950/1979, SX56NE44 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV232196.

Possible cist, 10m west-north-west of Giants Basin.
(Visited 31/05/1950) A large flat capstone, which rests on three small stones which are set in no significant formation. These stones are not of sufficient size or of necessary shape to constitute either side or end stones. There is not sufficient evidence to justify this claim.
(Visited 31/03/1979) At SX 59176694 a large flat stone (1.2m by 0.7m) rests on three small stones in no significant foundation. The small stones are of the wrong size and shape for a cist and though the large stone has a superficial resemblance to a coverstone the setting is unlikely for a cist.

Grinsell, L. V., 1978, Dartmoor Barrows, 168 (Article in Serial). SDV273224.

Cist at north-west foot of Giant's Basin. Breton mentions 'a tiny kistvaen' here.

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

Not visible on the 1946 Royal Air Force verticals.

Gerrard, S., 1990-2002, Monument Protection Programme. Archaeological Item Dataset., MPP 133417 (Report - Survey). SDV277946.

This cist lies midway between the Giant's Basin and cairn (SX56NE/277/1). The cist is first mentioned by Breton in 1911. In later years, the Ordnance Survey described it first as a possible cist, although later Barton thought it an unlikely cist because of its setting.
On balance, however, its setting midway between two cairns, close to many other cairns and three stone alignments seem, together with its appearance, good grounds for accepting it as a probable cist.

Butler, J., 1994, Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities: Volume Three - The South-West, 137, 210, Map 49, Figure 49.19 (Monograph). SDV137656.

Probable remains of a cist near the Giant's Basin cairn at SX59186695. A large slab, very likely the capstone, is propped over two uprights in the position of endstones, but the sides have gone as have all traces of the mound.

Fletcher, M. + Newman, P. + Probert, S., 1999, Drizzlecombe, Eylesbarrow, Ditsworthy and Hartor areas in the Plym Valley, West Devon (Report - Survey). SDV346268.

(01/06/1999) An alleged cist at SX 5918 6694. The structure comprises a flat slab measuring 1.2m by 0.76m which rests at a slight angle on three upright slabs. These slabs, up to 0.4m high, form a 'z' shape on plan in what appears to be a slight hollow.
This feature has been classified by some authorities as a cist although others reject this interpretation for either positional or structural reasons. The historical and archaeological tradition for such a classification is by no means certain and known cists in the locality usually have had their coverstones removed and are open. It is a Scheduled Ancient Monument.

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

Stone visible on aerial photograph.

Historic England, 2021-2022, NRHE to HER website, Accessed 02/07/2021 (Website). SDV364039.

(Record 438623) Scheduled as a cist. A 1.3 metre long and 0.7 metre wide flat stone, resting on 3 small stones set into the ground. (E nglish Heritage Scheduling amendment, 09-MAR-2001).
(Record 438803) SX56NE106 Possible duplicate cist record (SX 5966). Sources (11/04/1979) Ordnance Survey card reference 'Possibly a duplication, referring to Breton's other 'cist' SX 56 NE 44. No confirmation of any feature at above grid reference.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV8155 - Plym Valley Survey: EH Project (Feb 2001 - Dec 2002)
• EDV4966 - Survey of Drizzlecombe, Eylesbarrow, Ditsworthy and Hartor. The Eylesbarrow archaeological landscape

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