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HER Number:MDV5708
Name:Cairn on Piles Hill south of Piles Hill stone row, Harford

Summary

Cairn on Piles Hill south of Piles Hill stone row. Stony mound of 14 metres by 11 metres and 1.2 metres high with a central hollow of 5 metres diameter by 0.9 metres deep which may be for stone extraction or an unrecorded excavation. Geophysical survey in Spring 2022 detected an encircling outer ring surrounding this cairn.

Location

Grid Reference:SX 653 609
Map Sheet:SX66SE
Admin AreaDartmoor National Park
Civil ParishHarford
DistrictSouth Hams
Ecclesiastical ParishHARFORD

Protected Status

Other References/Statuses

  • National Monuments Record: SX66SE52
  • National Record of the Historic Environment: 441925
  • Old DCC SMR Ref: SX66SE/36
  • Old SAM Ref: 10560

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 25 inch map (Cartographic). SDV336179.

'Tumulus' shown on 19th century map.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1950, SX66SE52 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV178000.

(12/04/1950) A cairn, 13.5m diameter and 1.1m high. Very dilapidated with a large hollow in the centre.

National Monuments Record, 1969, NMR SX6463, 1/28-48 (Aerial Photograph). SDV165976.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1977, SX66SE52 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV177999.

(20/07/1977) A cairn 12.5m in diameter and 1.1m high situated on Piles Hill at about 385m above O.D. There is an eccentric hollow in the mound, 4.0m across and 1.0m deep probably from excavation, but both the hollow and the mound are now mostly turf-covered. Surveyed at 1:10 000 on P.F.D.

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

(08/06/1976) The ground is rough grass on granite. The cairn has wall like sides partly covered with overgrowth. The centre is hollow. Diameter (total spread) 12m - 14m, diameter (top of wall) 4.3m, height 1m - 1.5m. Size of stones in wall c.40cm - 60cm (longest dimension). Altitude c.387m. (08/06/1976) The ground is rough grass on granite. The cairn has wall like sides partly covered with overgrowth. The centre is hollow. Diameter (total spread) 12m - 14m, diameter (top of wall) 4.3m, height 1m - 1.5m. Size of stones in wall c.40cm - 60cm (longest dimension). Altitude c.387m.

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

(23/06/1973) Cairn with large hollow centre. Diameter 13.7m, height 1.2m.

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

Visible on 1969 aerial photograph.

Butler, J., 1993, Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities: Volume Four - The South-East, 64, 245, Map 54, Figure 54.22 (Monograph). SDV337765.

Piles Hill N. cairn '2' at SX65326099 of 14 metres diameter by 1.2 metres high to the south of 'Piles Hill double stone row' near the summit of the hill.

Various, 2018-2020, PALs Condition Recording forms, UG34 (Worksheet). SDV362781.

Visited in 2017 prior to this project starting; not revisited. Condition assessed as very good.

Riley, H., 2021, Archaeological Survey: Ugborough Premier Archaeological Landscape, Harford and Ugborough, 12, 7.1.7 (Report - Survey). SDV364697.

One of fifty cairns recorded during survey

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

'Cairn' shown on modern mapping.

Riley, H., 2021, UG21 heritage asset database and gazetteer of sites (Report - Survey). SDV364699.

Visited on 26th April 2021, surveyed and photographed. Cairn on Piles Hill: stony mound, 14 metres north to south, 11 metres east to west, 1.2 metres high, central hollow 5 metres diameter, 0.9 metres deep may be stone extraction or unrecorded excavation.

Edwards, M. + Trick, S., 2022, An archaeological magnetometer and resistance survey Land at Piles Hill Stone Row Centred on NGR: 265524,061055 (Report - Geophysical Survey). SDV364932.

Resistance survey convincing detected a low-resistance ring around this cairn; likely encircling ditch. Magnetic survey detected a short arcing anomaly west of the cairn, which may or may not be related.

Sources / Further Reading

SDV149931Worksheet: Hankin, C. F.. 1977-1980. Harford Parish Checklist. Parish Checklist. Digital.
SDV165976Aerial Photograph: National Monuments Record. 1969. NMR SX6463. National Monuments Record Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). 1/28-48.
SDV177999Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card: Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division. 1977. SX66SE52. Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card. Unknown.
SDV178000Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card: Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division. 1950. SX66SE52. Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card. Card Index.
SDV273224Article in Serial: Grinsell, L. V.. 1978. Dartmoor Barrows. Proceedings of the Devon Archaeological Society. 36. A5 Paperback.
SDV319854Cartographic: Royal Commission on the Historical Monuments of England. 1985. Aerial Photograph Project (Dartmoor) - Dartmoor Pre-NMP. Royal Commission on the Historical Monuments of England Aerial Photograph P. Cartographic.
SDV336179Cartographic: Ordnance Survey. 1880-1899. First Edition Ordnance 25 inch map. First Edition Ordnance Survey 25 inch Map. Map (Digital).
SDV337765Monograph: Butler, J.. 1993. Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities: Volume Four - The South-East. Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities: Volume Four - The South-East. Four. Paperback Volume. 64, 245, Map 54, Figure 54.22.
SDV362781Worksheet: Various. 2018-2020. PALs Condition Recording forms. PALs Condition Assessment Project Forms. Digital. UG34.
SDV364015Cartographic: Ordnance Survey. 2021. MasterMap 2021. Ordnance Survey Digital Mapping. Digital.

Associated Monuments

MDV25676Related to: Peat cutting or possible cairn on Piles Hill south of stone row, Harford (Monument)
MDV25684Related to: Possible cairn on Piles Hill, Harford (Monument)
MDV25678Related to: Possible cairn on the Harford-Ugborough parish boundary, Piles Hill (Monument)
MDV5662Related to: Stone alignment on Piles Hill, Ugborough (Monument)
MDV5763Related to: Summit cairn on Piles Hill, Harford (Monument)

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

  • EDV8770 - Archaeological Survey: Ugborough Premier Archaeological Lanscape, Harford and Ugborough
  • EDV8817 - Geophysical survey of Piles Hill Stone Row and cairns, Ugborough (Ref: 2111-PIL-R-1)

Date Last Edited:Jul 25 2022 12:14PM