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Summary

Cairn at west end of Hingston Hill stone row east of Down Tor. Mound 8.0 metres in diameter and 0.7 metres high is surrounded by a kerb forming a ring with a diameter of 11.5 metres. A central hollow was once described as the site of a possible cist

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1009090: Stone alignment and cairn 830m east of Down Tor
• SHINE: Earthwork and structural remains of a section of the late 18th century Devonport Leat running from Raddick Hill to Nun's Cross, including extensive tinning remains at Cramber Tor

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX56NE29
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX56NE/177/1
• Old SAM County Ref: 382
• Old SAM Ref: 24084

Monument Type(s) and Dates

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

Full description

Brent, F., 1883, On a group of prehistoric remains on Dartmoor, 218 (Article in Serial). SDV273189.

Worth, R. N., 1892, The Stone Rows of Dartmoor, 24 (Article in Serial). SDV237176.

Burnard, R., 1894, Dartmoor Pictorial Records. Plymouth (Monograph). SDV232119.

Falcon, T. A., 1900, Dartmoor Illustrated, 61 (Monograph). SDV257410.

Breton, H. H., 1914, Beautiful Dartmoor and its Interesting Antiquities, 46 (Monograph). SDV256843.

Breton, H. H., 1932, The Forest of Dartmoor, 2, Plymouth, 53 (Monograph). SDV231147.

Worth, R. H., 1940, The Dartmoor Menhirs, 198, Plate 11 (Article in Serial). SDV231163.

Walkhampton Common, between Downs Tor and Combshead Tor. A barrow with retaining circle lies at west end of row. The stones for some distance from the barrow are far larger than usual, decreasing in size with distance from the barrow. The largest stone is next to the retaining circle.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1950-1952, SX56NE29 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV250545.

Grinsell, L. V., 1978, Dartmoor Barrows, 175/ Walkhampton 31 (Article in Serial). SDV273224.

(6/9/1972) Cairn, hollow towards centre, within retaining circle 12.5 metres in diameter. Breton stated that it formerly enclosed a large cist. Stone row proceeds to east-north-east downhill and then uphill aligned with but stopping well short of cairn. Site restored in 1894. Diameter 10.0 metres, height 0.7 metres.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1979, SX56NE29, SX56NE29 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV237172.

Visited on 4th April 1979. Cairn circle of 26 uprights and possibly 2 more stones now recumbent. Internal diam 11.5 metres. Within the circle is a cairn of 8.5 metres diameter, 0.6 metres high, with small central depression which may be a cist.

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.

Turner, J. R., 1990, Ring Cairns, Stone Circles and Related Monuments on Dartmoor, 54 78/f6 (Article in Serial). SDV229817.

Encircled cairn. Ring of orthostats, 11.5 metres diameter, around cairn 8 metres diameter and 0.6 metres high. The cairn was not centrally aligned on the stone row and has been poorly reconstructed.

Gerrard, S., 1990-2002, Monument Protection Programme. Archaeological Item Dataset., MPP 130921 (Report - Survey). SDV277946.

(25/5/1993) Encircled cairn 4 metres west of the west end of a stone alignment. Mound measures 8.0 metres in diameter and 0.7 metres high and is surrounded by a kerb which includes 24 orthostats standing between 0.3 and 1.0 metres high, forming a ring with a diameter of 11.5 metres. A central hollow , measuring 2 metres by 1.6 metres by 0.8 metres deep suggests partial early excavation or robbing. Breton suggested that this hollow represents the site of a cist, but there is no evidence to support his hypothesis.

Butler, J., 1994, Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities: Volume Three - The South-West, 71-72, Map 47, Figure 47.9.1 (Monograph). SDV137656.

Hingston Hill stone row cairn at SX58696926 of 12.0 metres diameter by 0.5 metres high with a possible cist. Some of the surrounding stones have been re-erected as only 20 were standing in 1882. The two tallest pillars of 1.1 metres high are on the north-east and south-west sides. Two flat slabs within the central hollow may possibly be the remains of the 'large kistvaen' recorded by Breton in 1914.

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

Clearly visible on aerial photograph.

Various, 2018-2020, PALs Condition Recording forms, WLK-DT14 (Worksheet). SDV362781.

Visited 12/07/2019. The cairn is covered in close cropped grass with a few patches of heather. An outcrop of reeds stands in the depression in the centre of the cairn. Good condition. Photos X 2 taken

Various, 2018-2020, PALs Condition Recording photographs, WLK-DT14 (Photograph). SDV363073.

Visited 12/07/2019. Photos X 2 taken 1) A general view of the cairn with the kerb stones. Looking east south east 2) A view of the inner part of the cairn showing the reeds in the central depression. Looking north west

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

'Cairn'shown on modern mapping.

Historic England, 2021, National Heritage List for England, 1009090 (National Heritage List for England). SDV364016.

This monument includes a single stone alignment and a cairn situated on a saddle between the north west flank of Eylesbarrow and Down Tor. The cairn with an encircling kerb, lies 4 metres west of the western end of the stone alignment. The mound measures 8 metres in diameter and 0.7 metres high and is surrounded by a kerb which includes 24 orthostats standing between 0.3 and 1.0 metres high, forming a ring with a diameter of 11.5 metres. A hollow in the centre of the mound suggests partial early excavation or robbing. Two tin prospecting pits lie immediately against the western edge of the kerb and form part of a wider group.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV7382 - Condition Survey of the Cramber Tor Training Area
• EDV8351 - Walkhampton Premier Archaeological Landscape; Field Investigation Project
• EDV6034 - Monument Condition Survey in Cramber Tor Training Area
• EDV6152 - Follow-up Works to Threatened Sites in the Cramber Tor Training Area
• EDV6153 - Monument Baseline Condition Survey in the Cramber Tor Training Area
• EDV8711 - Condition Survey of the Cramber Tor Training Area

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