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Summary

This cairn, south-east of Lower Piles, is a mound 9 metres in diameter with a retaining kerb of seven stones, giving a total diameter of 13 metres. It is 0.5 metres high and has been disturbed in the centre.

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1013189: Cairn south-east of Lower Piles

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX66SW54
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 442336
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX66SW/58
• Old SAM Ref: 10524

Monument Type(s) and Dates

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

Full description

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

'Hut Circle' shown on 19th century map.

Ordnance Survey, 1906, 119SE (Cartographic). SDV137427.

Indicated as a hut circle on early 20th century map.

Crossing, W., 1912 (1965), Crossing's Guide to Dartmoor, 400 (Monograph). SDV320981.

Worth, R. H., 1917, 36th Report of the Barrow Committee, 80, plan (Article in Serial). SDV157184.

To the north-west of kistvaen MDV4256 is a small cairn of 20ft. (6.9m) diameter. Its centre is 110 ft. (33.5m) away from MDV4256.
The kist has been covered by a cairn, now removed, and seven stones of the retaining circle still stand. Diameter of the circle is 14 to 15 feet (4.3m - 4.6m). Six of these stones are of very moderate dimensions, but the seventh on the downhill side is larger, standing 3ft. 3in. (0.99m) in height and is 4ft. 3in. (1.3m) to 4ft. 5in. (1.34m) in width. Plan attached.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1950/1977, SX66SW54 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV157189.

(24/03/1950) The remains of a small cairn with a retaining circle 6.0 metres diameter.
(03/08/1977) A small round cairn, 8.4m diameter and 0.6m high, on a moderate, well drained, northwest facing slope at 300m above OD. Constructed of small stones, its centre has been disturbed to a depth of 0.5m. There is no indication of a retaining circle.
1:10 000 Survey revised on MSD.

National Monuments Record, 1976, NMR SX6460, 3 (Aerial Photograph). SDV157244.

Photograph taken on 8th April 1976.

Hankin, C. F., 1977-1980, Harford Parish Checklist, Harford 7 (Worksheet). SDV149931.

Site visited on 8th June 1976. All that remains is a small grass covered ring of earth and stones, mostly earth. Diameter east to west 8.8 metres, north to south 7.8 metres. Height 0.2 metres. Altitude 290 metres OD.

Grinsell, L. V., 1978, Dartmoor Barrows, 140 (Article in Serial). SDV273224.

Site visited on 24th June 1973. Cairn with retaining circle of which seven stones remain. Diameter 5.4 metres, height 0.3 metres.

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

Visible on aerial photograph and recorded.

Turner, J. R., 1990, Ring Cairns, Stone Circles and Related Monuments on Dartmoor, 83 (Article in Serial). SDV229817.

Indication of a stone ring beneath cairn.

Butler, J., 1993, Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities: Volume Four - The South-East, 30-33, Map 53, Figure 53.9 (Monograph). SDV337765.

Cairn '16' at SX64516028 of 7.5 metres diameter by 0.4 metres high to the south-west of Piles Hill has traces of an inner ring of much smaller stones about its central hollow.

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

Visible on aerial photograph.

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

Northern of two 'Cairns' shown on modern mapping.

Historic England, 2021, National Heritage List for England, 1013189 (National Heritage List for England). SDV364016.

This cairn, south-east of Lower Piles, is a mound 9 metres in diameter with a retaining kerb of seven stones, giving a total diameter of 13 metres. It is 0.5 metres high and has been disturbed in the centre.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

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