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Summary

Round cairn and later tin prospecting pits north-west of Hingston Stone Row. The cairn mound measures 15.5 metres in diameter and stands up to 1.5 metres high. A T-shaped trench cutting into the centre of the mound suggests partial early excavation, though the results of the investigation are not known. Three prospecting pits lie immediately against the circumference of a cairn. They each consist of a sub-rectangular pit with an associated crescent shaped bank standing up to 0.5 metres high lying on the side away from the cairn. Probably tinners pits.

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1009089: Round cairn and later tin prospecting pits 615m ESE 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: SX56NE28
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 438580
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX56NE/134
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX56NE/134/1
• Old SAM County Ref: 382
• Old SAM Ref: 24083

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• CAIRN (Constructed, Bronze Age - 2200 BC to 701 BC (Between))
• PIT (Constructed, Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1750 AD (Between))

Full description

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1950/1979, SX56NE28, SX56NE28 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV252079.

(10/06/1950). (SX 58646931) Cairn (NR). Turf covered cairn, hollow in centre.
(02/04/1979) On a north-east facing slope at approximately 367m OD is a cairn, heather-covered but with boulders exposed in the centre. Its diameter varies from 15.5m to 14.0m and its height is 1.2m.
Surveyed at 1:10 000 on PFD.

National Monuments Record, 1977, NMR SX5869, 1 (Aerial Photograph). SDV237174.

Photograph taken on 19th May 1985.

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

Visited on 6th September 1972. Cairn, hollow towards centre. Diameter 13.0 metres, height 1.1 metres.

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

Recorded on Arial photograph.

Gerrard, G. A. M., 1986, The Early Cornish Tin Industry: An Archaeological & Historical Survey, 254 (Post-Graduate Thesis). SDV156659.

Visited on 25th May 1993. Three prospecting pits lie immediately against the circumference of a cairn. They each consist of a sub-rectangular pit measuring 2.8 metres by 1.4 metres by 0.6 metres deep with an associated crescent shaped bank standing up to 0.5 metres high lying on the side away from the cairn. Probably tinners pits.

Gerrard, S., 1990-2002, Monument Protection Programme. Archaeological Item Dataset., MPP 130924 (Report - Survey). SDV277946.

(25/04/1993) Cairn mound measures 15.5m in diameter and stands up to 1.5m high. A t-shaped trench cutting into the centre of the mound suggests partial early excavation, though the results of the investigation are not known. This cairn forms part of a ritual complex of monuments including 3 cairns, a stone alignment and enclosure.

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

Hingston Hill Summit 1 cairn at SX58646931 of 14.0 metres diameter by 1.3 metres high with numerous tinners' pits on the surface but no outer ring.

Wessex Archaeology, 2002, Cramber Tor Training Area Rapid Condition Survey, WA073 (Report - Survey). SDV354588.

Cramber Tor Survey 2002, Site WA073.

Newman, P., 2006, Cramber Tor Training Area Archaeological Field Investigation (Report - Survey). SDV233640.

(01/08/2006) Turf-covered stony mound 14m diameter and up to 0.7m high. Area of disturbance in centre top and disturbed by post-med tin pits on south-west side.

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

Cairn surrounded by prospecting pits visible on aerial photograph.

Various, 2018-2020, PALs Condition Recording forms, WLK-DT13 (Worksheet). SDV362781.

Visited 12/07/2019. Cairn generally is covered in grass and heather with a little close cropped gorse. There is an erosion scar in the centre of the cairn. Photos X 2 taken

Various, 2018-2020, PALs Condition Recording photographs, WLK-DT13 (Photograph). SDV363073.

Visited 12/07/2019. Photos X 2 taken 1) View of the erosion scar on top of the cairn looking north west
2) A general view looking east north east showing the tinners pit against the west side of the cairn

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

'Cairn' shown on modern mapping.

Historic England, 2021, National Heritage List for England, 1009089 (National Heritage List for England). SDV364016.

This monument includes a round cairn and tin prospecting pits situated on a saddle between the north-west flank of Eylesbarrow and Down Tor. The cairn mound measures 15.5 metres in diameter and stands up to 1.5 metres high. A `T'-shaped trench cutting into the centre of the mound suggests partial early excavation, although the results of the investigation are not known. Three prospecting pits lie immediately against the circumference of the mound and these each consist of a sub-rectangular pit measuring 2.8 metres long, 1.4 metres wide and 0.6 metres deep with an associated crescent shaped bank standing up to 0.5 metres high. These pits were probably excavated by tinners searching for ore, and a large number of similar pits survive within the neighbourhood.

Historic England, 2021-2022, NRHE to HER website, Accessed 28/06/2021 (Website). SDV364039.

A round cairn, located 615 metres east-south-east of Down Tor. The cairn mound measures 15.5 metres in diameter and stands up to 1.5 metres high. A T-shaped trench, cutting into the centre of the mound suggests a partial early excavation. Three prospecting pits lie immediately against the mound. Each comprises a sub-rectangular pit measuring 2.8 metres long, 1.4 metres wide and 0.6 metres deep, with an associated bank standing up to 0.5 metres high. These were probably excavated by tinners searching for ore. Scheduled Monument Review, 06/10/2000.

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

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