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Summary

An ovoid cairn circle and a cist are on a gentle north-facing slope. The cairn circle, with seven upright granite slabs, measures 2.4 metres north-east to south-west by 1.7 metres north-west to south-east. It encloses the cist, orientated north-west to south-east, measuring 0.8 metres by 0.5 metres internally and with a depth of 0.4 metres. There is no trace of a coverstone or any cairn material. This site is on the local list of Nationally Important Dartmoor sites.

Location

Protected Status

• SHINE: Prehistoric cist and retaining cairn circle north-east of Fox Tor Mire Cross

Other References/Statuses

• Dartmoor Non-designated Heritage Asset (Historical): NI Site
• National Monuments Record: SX67SW41
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 443352
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX67SW/64
• Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division: SX67SW41

Monument Type(s) and Dates

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

Full description

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1950/1977, SX67SW41 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV261951.

(15/06/1950) Cist and retaining circle. Western end stone of the cist leans slightly inwards, but otherwise this is a perfect cist, although the cover stone is missing. The cist is orientated north-west by south-east. The retaining circle consists of seven stones all standing. There is no sign of a barrow.
(12/08/1977) A cairn circle and cist with no evidence of the cairn remaining. The cist measures 0.75m by 0.5m with a depth of 0.4m. Two endstones and two sidestones are in situ but no coverstone. Seven stones of the circle remain (see plan), all standing.
Surveyed at 1:10 000 on PFD.

Fox, A., 1969, Swincombe Survey, 4 (Report - Survey). SDV250998.

Grinsell, L. V., 1978, Dartmoor Barrows, 153 (Article in Serial). SDV273224.

Cairn at Fox Tor Mire with an oval retaining ring, enclosed cist placed south-east / north-west. The cairn measures 2.5 meters in diameter north to south and 2.0 meters west to east, and is 0.3 meters in height. (Visited 20/9/1975)

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

Not visible.

Royal Commission for the Historical Monuments of England, 1987-1993, Duchy Farms Project Survey Visit, S. Probert (Report - Survey). SDV350839.

(08/06/1988) At SX 61797031. An ovoid cairn circle and a cist are on a gentle north-facing slope. The cairn circle, with seven upright granite slabs, measures 2.4 metres north-east to south-west by 1.7 metres north-west to south-east. It encloses the cist, orientated north-west to south-east, measuring 0.8 metres by 0.5 metres internally and with a depth of 0.4 metres. There is no trace of a coverstone or any cairn material.

Turner, J. R., 1990, Ring Cairns, Stone Circles and Related Monuments on Dartmoor, 73, D23 (Article in Serial). SDV229817.

Ring setting, 1.7 meters internal diameter, around central cist. Other details: D23.

Butler, J., 1993, Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities: Volume Four - The South-East, 220-221, Map 64, Figur 64.3 (Monograph). SDV337765.

Goldsmith's Cross E. '2' cairn at SX61807031 of 2.5 metres diameter surrounding a cist. The covering mound has gone but the fair sized slabs of the retaining circle and all four sides of the cist are in place and stand prominently above the turf. The oval retaining circle closely surrounding the cist is exceptionally small, only 2.5 metres across and in contact with one end of the cist.

Gerrard, S., 2004, List of Sites Remaining to be Considered for Designation on Dartmoor (Un-published). SDV345444.

This site was considered for designation as a Scheduled Ancient Monument during the Monument Protection Programme. The programme ended before the entire list of sites was successfully scheduled so this is included on a local list of Nationally Important Sites.

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

Visible on aerial photograph.

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

'Cairn Circle and Cist' marked on the modern mapping.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV8630 - Fox Tor Newtake Duchy Farms Survey
• EDV8409 - Dartmoor Royal Forest Project
• EDV8423 - Duchy Farms Project

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