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Summary

Cairn of 7.5 metres diameter by up to 0.5 metres high with a stone cist measuring 1.1 metres by 0.7 metres by 0.7 metres deep. A stone kerb defining the outer edge of the mound is visible on the north-west and north-east sides and probably survives elsewhere around the circumference as a buried feature. Cist is made of greenstone and is complete except for the western slab. The displaced capstone which now lies close to the eastern side stone and is partly turf-covered. The Dartmoor Exploration Committee excavated the cist in 1899, but found no artefacts.

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1007947: Round cairn and cist 440m east of White Tor summit

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX56NW6
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 439738
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX57NW/15
• Old SAM County Ref: 545C
• Old SAM Ref: 22204

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• CIST (Constructed, Bronze Age - 2200 BC (Between) to 701 BC (Between))
• ROUND CAIRN (Constructed, Bronze Age - 2200 BC (Between) to 701 BC (Between))

Full description

Prowse, A. B., 1889, Notes on the Neighbourhood of White Tor, West Dartmoor, 167 (Article in Serial). SDV228366.

Kist (previously unrecorded). Its long diameter is north-west by north, and south-east by south. The northern, eastern, and southern stone slabs are erect, and in close apposition; the western has been removed. The massive cover-stone measures 4 feet 9 inches along its eastern side, and 3 feet 9 inches along its western side; its width is 3 feet 6 inches. The upper surface is pyramidal in shape, so that the stone at its thickest part measures 1 foot 10 inches. It has been displaced laterally, and now rests against the eastern erect slab in an inclined position, with its lower edge imbedded a few inches in the turf.
The cavity of the Kistvaen is 2 feet wide, and 1 feet 10 inches deep. At ground level the length is 3 feet 9 inches; but as the end stones lean inwards, the length at the top is 6 inches less.

Rowe, S., 1896, A Perambulation of the Royal Forest of Dartmoor and the venville precincts, 217 (Monograph). SDV249697.

Baring Gould, S., 1899, Sixth Report of the Dartmoor Exploration Committee, 152 (Article in Serial). SDV344950.

The examination of the imperfect and rifled kisvaen lying east of Whittor, but about 220 yards west of Langstone Menhir, yielded no results.

Baring Gould, S., 1900, A Book of Dartmoor, 101 (Monograph). SDV277387.

Ordnance Survey, 1904 - 1906, Second Edition Ordnance Survey 25 inch Map (Cartographic). SDV325644.

'Kistvaen (Remains of)' shown on early 20th century map.

Worth, R. H., 1936, 55th Report on Barrows, 49, plate 11, figure 1-2 (Article in Serial). SDV357808.

A greenstone cist, complete except for the western slab, 2 feet wide, 1 foot 10 inches high, and 3 foot 9 inches long, at ground level. The coverstone, 4 feet 9 inches long and 3 feet 6 inches wide, is displaced. Excavation produced no finds.

Brailsford, J. W., 1938, Bronze Age Stone Monuments of Dartmoor (Article in Serial). SDV304210.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1950-1953, SX57NW6, Sketch plan included (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV225351.

Kistvaen (Remains of). Prowse (1889) cited. Visited 03/07/1950 and Prowse's description declared accurate.
Visited in 1953 and 'slight trace of a cairn; 17 feet diameter' recorded (1953).

Ancient Monuments, 1964, Schedule details for cist east of White Tor, 8/9/1964 (Schedule Document). SDV225342.

Two round barrows and cist east of White Tor. This is a disturbed cist.

Grinsell, L. V., 1978, Dartmoor Barrows, 160 (Article in Serial). SDV273224.

(8/5/1974) Cairn enclosing cist placed south-east by north-west, excavated by Baring-Gould without result. The cist is of local greenstone slabs.

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

Not visible on the 1940s Royal Air Force vertical aerial photographs.

Griffith, F. M., 1986, Note about cist east of Whittor (Personal Comment). SDV225359.

(24/08/1986). Cist is as described previously. Evidence for surrounding cairn very slight.

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

Cairn containing a stone cist. The round cairn mound measures 7.5 metres in diameter and stands up to 0.5 metres high. A stone kerb defining the outer edge of the mound is visible on the north-west and north-east sides and probably survives elsewhere around the circumference as a buried feature.
Interior of cist measures 1.1 metres long by 0.7 metres wide by 0.7 metres deep, is of greenstone and is complete except for the western slab. The displaced capstone which now lies close to the eastern side stone is partly turf covered and measures 1.3 metres long by 0.8 metres wide and 0.5 metres thick.

Butler, J., 1991, Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities: Volume Two - The North, 96, 241, Map 31, Site 22 (Monograph). SDV219155.

'White Tor E. '4' at SX54697869 of 6.3 metres diameter by 0.3 metres high with a cist. The remains of a cairn above a cist. Three sides of the cist remain with one side supported by a natural rock. Excavated in 1899.

Newman, P., 2003, The Langstone Moor Stone Circle, Peter Tavy, Devon and its Prehistoric Environs, 5, fig 2 (Report - Survey). SDV255420.

(10/10/2003) Cairn shown on the English Heritage survey of 2003 to the east of a group of three cairns. The cairn has been mostly flattened but three sides of the central cist remain in place with a chamber measuring 1.1 metres by 0.6 metres by 0.7 metres deep. Another large stone lies on the east side which may be the missing side of the cist or the capstone. The previously robbed cist was excavated in 1899 but revealed nothing.
Resurveyed using GPS September 2003.

Newman, P., 2004, Merrivale Range Baseline Condition Survey (Report - Survey). SDV346874.

(10/08/2004) Cairn is much disturbed but condition is stable.

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

Visible on aerial photograph.

Historic England, 2017, National Heritage List for England, 1007947 (National Heritage List for England). SDV359963.

This monument includes a round cairn containing a stone cist situated on a gentle south-east facing slope overlooking the valley of the River Walkham. The round cairn mound measures 7.5 metres in diameter and stands up to 0.5 metres high. A stone kerb defining the outer edge of the mound is visible on the north-west and north-east sides and probably survives elsewhere around the circumference as a buried feature. The interior of the stone cist measures 1.1 metres long by 0.7 metres wide by 0.7 m deep, is made of greenstone and is complete except for the western slab. The displaced capstone which now lies close to the eastern side stone is partly turf-covered and measures 1.3 metres long by 0.8 metres wide and 0.5 metres thick. The Dartmoor Exploration Committee excavated the cist in 1899, but found no artefacts.

National Monument Record, 2017, Pastscape, Accessed 2017 (Website). SDV359964.

A cairn with a cist is situated on the east slopes of White Tor. The cairn has a diameter of 7.0 metres and a height of 0.5 metres. The cist is 1.1 metres by 0.7 metres internally with a depth of 0.6 metres. The remaining sidestone measures 1.3 metres and the end stones 0.6 metres. The cist agrees with the attached plan. Surveyed at 1:10 000 on PFD (citing JGB, Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 13/10/1978).

SX54697868 The well preserved cist is as previously described. It is situated on an exposed ridge-top position. The low, rather amorphous cairn is now partially obscured by numerous small turf-tumps and anthills which are a predominant ground surface feature of the open moorland. (Grinsells number 27) (citing Fletcher, M. J., 15/07/1991, Field Investigators Comments).

Newman, P., 2018, Archaeological Sites within Merrivale Training Area, Dartmoor National Park, Devon: A condition survey on behalf of Defence Infrastructure Organisation (Report - Survey). SDV361635.

(11/01/2018) A round cairn comprising a 7.0 metre diameter low mound containing a well preserved, though incomplete, cist on the eastern slope of Whittor. Condition is poor but stable, with much legacy damage.

Ordnance Survey, 2022, Mastermap 2022 (Cartographic). SDV364674.

Eastern of a group of four 'Cairns' shown on modern mapping.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV7275 - Survey of the Langstone Moor stone circle and other prehistoric monuments nearby
• EDV7441 - Condition survey of the archaeological sites of Merrivale Training Area
• EDV7570 - Condition survey of Merrivale Range training area
• EDV8412 - Excavation of cairn at White Tor
• EDV8713 - Merrivale Range: Monument Baseline Condition Survey

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