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Summary

Mound measures 16.5 metres in diameter and stands up to 1 metre high. A central hollow has been largely backfilled with loose rubble to form a pile of stones measuring 3 metres in diameter and 1 metre high. The outer edge of the mound is faced with close set orthostats, many of which are leaning outwards away from the cairn, forming a kerb standing up to 0.7 metres high. A second kerb survives largely as a buried feature 1 metre inside the outer ring and is visible as 4 edge set stones in the west side of the mound.

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1010772: A platform cairn 240m NNE of Cawsand Beacon forming part of a cairn cemetery on the summit of Cawsand Hill

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX69SW16
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 444167
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX69SW/50
• Old SAM County Ref: 785A
• Old SAM Ref: 24147

Monument Type(s) and Dates

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

Full description

Ormerod, G. W., 1864, On the Hut Circles on the Eastern Side of Dartmoor, 300 (Article in Serial). SDV304174.

Rowe, S., 1896, A Perambulation of the Royal Forest of Dartmoor and the venville precincts, 85-6 (Monograph). SDV249697.

Royal Air Force, 1946, RAF/3G/TUD/138, 5441 (Aerial Photograph). SDV229649.

A cairn was noted on air photos.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1957, SX69SW16 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV271229.

(09/08/1957) Remains of retaining circle on eastern perimeter, cairn mutilated in its centre and west side. Turf covered. Diameter 16.5m, height 1m.

Ancient Monuments, 1970, Schedule note (Schedule Document). SDV271236.

(18/03/1970) Barrow with remains of kerb stones in situ. Mound apparently made up largely of granite boulders. Diameter 17 feet, 4 feet high.

Grinsell, L. V., 1978, Dartmoor Barrows, 169 (Article in Serial). SDV273224.

(21/04/1973) diameter 16m, height 0.8m. Cairn crowned by stone heap. Signs of retaining circle 13.5m in diameter with some slabs projecting outwards.

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

Visible and recorded.

Turner, J. R., 1990, Ring Cairns, Stone Circles and Related Monuments on Dartmoor, 48 73 fig 25/e1 (Article in Serial). SDV229817.

Platform circle. Flat topped cairn with kerb that leans outward. Measures 14.2m in diameter and 1m high. Kerb stones rest on trigger stones or cairn material. Comparable to examples on Bodmin Moor.

Gerrard, S., 1990-2002, Monument Protection Programme. Archaeological Item Dataset., MPP 133337 (Report - Survey). SDV277946.

(17/01/1994) Platform cairn on the summit ridge of Cawsand or Cosdon Hill. Forms part of a cemetery including at least 2 round cairns, 2 ring cairns and one platform cairn.
Mound measures 16.5m in diameter and stands up to 1m high. A central hollow has been largely backfilled with loose rubble to form a pile of stones measuring 3m in diam and 1m high. The outer edge of the mound is faced with close set orthostats, many of which are leaning outwards away from the cairn, forming a kerb standing up to 0.7m high. A second kerb survives largely as a buried feature 1m inside the outer ring and is visible as 4 edge set stones in the west side of the mound.

Butler, J., 1991, Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities: Volume Two - The North, 206-7, 244, Map 40, Figure 40.8 (Monograph). SDV219155.

Cosdon Beacon cairn '5' at SX63709171 of 16.0 metres diameter by 1.5 metres high. Well preserved cairn with a flat top surrounded by an outer kerb of stones mostly in place. A concentric inner ring of slabs is exposed in places and near the centre is a shallow pit.

GeoInformation Group Ltd, 2010, 1:625 2010 Colour aerial photography for Dartmoor (12.5cm resolution) (Aerial Photograph). SDV346026.

Visible on aerial photograph.

Environment Agency WMS, 2019, LiDAR DSM data (1m resolution), 2019 (Cartographic). SDV362957.

Visible.

Ordnance Survey, 2023, Mastermap 2023 (Cartographic). SDV365227.

'Cairn' shown on modern mapping.

Historic England, 2023, National Heritage List for England, 1010772 (National Heritage List for England). SDV365228.

This monument includes a platform cairn situated on the summit ridge of Cawsand or Cosdon Hill. The cairn forms part of a cemetery including at least two round cairns, two ring cairns and one platform cairn. The cairn mound measures 16.5 metres in diameter and stands up to 1 metre high. A hollow in the centre of the mound representing an early excavation has been largely backfilled with loose rubble to form a pile of stones measuring 3 metres in diameter and 1 metre high. The outer edge of the mound is faced with close set orthostats, many of which are leaning outwards away from the cairn, forming a kerb standing up to 0.7 metres high. A second kerb survives largely as a buried feature 1 metre inside the outer ring and is visible as four edge set stones in the western side of the mound.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

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