thesweetcheat

From Historic England:

The earliest evidence for occupation on the headland was uncovered by excavation in 1963. There survived the part remains of a large pre-Roman round house measuring 11.5m in diameter within a wall of upright posts set within a narrowly dug foundation trench. There was a doorway through the south wall. An outer concentric line of post holes which held the eave posts was situated 0.6m beyond the inner wall giving an overall diameter of 14m. Roman pottery found above the foundation trench indicated that the house had gone out of use by the late second century AD. It is thought that the house may belong to a much more extensive Iron Age settlement, possibly a promontory fort where the neck of land which joins the headland to the mainland would be defended by a palisade or a series of ditched defences.

The 1963 excavations at Tynemouth also uncovered the remains of a second circular house, 4.5m in diameter and of different form to the first. This house was not considered to be contemporary with the first, instead it was dated to the later Romano-British period. There was a concentration of Romano-British pottery in this area as well as a scatter across the rest of the excavated area and one of the pieces of pottery was dated to the late second century AD.

From A Guide To The Archaeological Sites Of The Isle Of Man- Andrew Johnson & Allison Fox (2017, Culture Vannin):

There are no visible prehistoric remains on St Patrick’s Isle, but archaeological excavations found a shallow hollow, in which flint tools had been manufactured. These tools have been dated to the Mesolithic period, when such hollows were commonly dug to provide shelters in which to work, process food, eat and sleep. The variety of flint tools discovered suggests the islet was seasonally used around 8000 years ago. St Patrick’s Isle continued to be used into the Neolithic period, as worked flints, stone tools and some pottery characteristic of this time have also been discovered.

Evidence of more permanent occupation from the Bronze Age onwards has been revealed in the form of post hole foundations for a series of roundhouses. Their sheltered location on the east side of the islet and apparently continuous occupation into the late Iron Age suggests that the site was both attractive and significant. Its apparent security resulted in the construction of a large roundhouse about 8.5-9m in diameter which served as a granary and would have been controlled by the local elite. A substantial deposit of charred timber and grain however showed that the building, which had stored large quantities of spelt wheat and smaller amounts of emmer wheat and barley, had been completely destroyed by fire just over 2,200 years ago.

Pastscape descriptions of two cairns on Treswallock Downs:

SX 11607782

The mutilated cairn comprises a ragged, turf-covered mound which incorporates an incomplete kerb of upright slabs (the tallest is 1.1m high). The overall dimensions of the mound are about 7.2m by 6.9m although much of its centre and north-west side have been robbed; the kerb is approximately 4.4m in diameter.

The cairn material may have originally been contained within the standing slabs.

SX 11627783

A disturbed turf-covered cairn approximately 7.7m in diameter and 0.4m high. It has traces of a kerb fringe of the mound. Its top has been mutilated and a large earthfast boulder lies to one side of an 0.3m deep central pit.

There’s disagreement as to whether the mounds below the Shortwood toposcope are round barrows, quarry dumps or simply natural features.

The National Trust favour the round barrows option, describing them as “good candidates”:

Two conjoined probable round barrows. Visited with wardening team. The site lie 200m south west of Shortwood 200m south-west and downslope of Shortwood toposcope on the north side of a pathway. From here there is a clear view to the north towards Haresfield Beacon.

SW Mound:

This is a prominent mound estimated as 15m diameter and 2.5m high. A quarry ditch could be traced on all but the norh-east side where it joins the north-east mound. The ditch is 3-5m wide and about 0.5m deep except on the south-east side where it has been backfilled presumably for the pathway but it is vaguely discernable there.

Recent disturbance on the south-west side of the mound top revealed the make-up the mound to be limestone rubble mixed with dark brown humic loam. The hole was c. 1.5m long and 0.5m wide and 0.4m deep.

Light scrub was growing on the SW and NE sides. Ranger David Armstrong agreed to clear this.

These are good candidates for barrows and may be those identified by Ordnance Survey and referred to in 71307.

NE mound:

This is a prominent mound estimated as 15m diameter and 2.5m high. A quarry ditch could be traced on all but the south-west side where it joins the south-west mound. The ditch is 3-5m wide and about 0.5m deep except on the south-east side where it has been backfilled presumably for the pathway.

Light scrub was growing across most of the mound. Ranger David Armstrong agreed to clear this.

The Pastscape record is less promising:

1998 – The site was visited by A Douthwaite of English Heritage as a result of MPP on 19/08/1998. The site was first noted by R. Jowett-Burton in 1931, and was visited by Grinsell in 1960, who assessed the mound to be 11m in diameter and 1m in height. However, Grinsell was uncertain whether the feature represented a barrow, as he had noted the presence of other, natural mounds in the area. During a survey of the Haresfield Beacon Estate in 1995, the mound was not located as the area contains numerous mounds of natural origin and the underlying ground is composed of geologically unstable deposits of landslip and foundered strata. Parry, who undertook the survey, concluded that ‘it would seem highly improbable that round barrows would be present in such a location’. The site was visited under the MPP in August 1998, and although a number of mounds were noted in the location specified, there is no evidence to indicate tht they represent round barrows, and they may be quarry dumps or natural features (pers comm A Douthwaite 19/08/1998).

Either way, they’re big mounds in a lovely location, with views across the Severn towards the Forest of Dean. They are also intervisible with the prominent round barrow on Haresfield Beacon.

As well as the summit cairn, there is a further round barrow at the northwestern end of the Black Mixen summit ridge, Mynydd Ffoesidoes, at SO19096521.

Coflein description:

The monument comprises the remains of a substantial round barrow, a burial mound probably dating to the Bronze Age (c.2300 BC – 800 BC) and situated in enclosed rough moorland on the NW end of the Black Mixen ridge on Radnor Forest. The heather-covered barrow is circular on plan and measures about 24m in diameter and up to 1.3m in height. Although the W side of the monument has been disturbed and is generally lower, the base of the round barrow appears to be undisturbed. Traces of a surrounding ring ditch are visible, in places measuring up to 2m in width. The barrow is situated within boggy moorland – a Site of Special Scientific Interest – and has great archaeological and paleoenvironmental potential. The barrow possibly represents the remains of a platform cairn – the barrow displays no evidence of original ‘bulk’ indicating a rounded profile and is unlikely to have been extensively robbed.

Three round barrows located on the top of the curving escarpment edge either side of Cwm Bwch, on the northwestern slopes of Great Rhos.

Coflein descriptions, north-south:

Cwm Bwch I at SO17586497

One of two barrows, 11m in diameter and 0.9m high.

Cwm Bwch II at SO17576494

14m in diameter and 1.1m high, mutilated to the E.

Cwm Bwch III at SO17566414

Remains of a round barrow, situated in enclosed moorland on the edge of a prominent west-facing terrace on the summit of a ridge within Radnor Forest. The grass and heather covered barrow is circular on plan and measures about 12.5m in diameter and up to 1.2m in height.

The remains of a very substantial cairn with several smaller ones, at the bottom of the eastern slopes of Dod Hill, which is an obvious focal point.

Pastscape description:

Although severely robbed, the surviving rim of this round cairn shows it was originally about 23.0m overall diameter.

An arc of earthfast kerbstones is visible around the S side, but the entire NE quadrant has been destroyed by robbing. Standing to a maximum height of 1.3m on the W side, the original height of the cairn was probably at least double this, judging by the large rubble heaps and sheepfolds nearby.

Six metres S. of the cairn, is a compact sub-circular earth and rubble mound about 5.0m in overall diameter and about 1.0m high. It appears undisturbed and cannot be regarded as spoil from the larger mound. Possibly a small satellite cairn, but one cannot be certain on ground evidence.

Remains of a further 4 round cairns, between 3.5 metres and 5 metres in diameter and up to 0.5 metres high, can be seen to the south and east.

A mile to the southeast was a massive cairn, which yielded finds but is now gone. From pastscape:

(centred NU 039470) A tumulus of water-worn stones, about 26 feet high and 50 feet diameter, stood about 250 yards from High Water Mark, on the very extreme limit of the cultivated land, on the left of the road from Cheswick to the beach. When opened in 1826, it was found to contain several secondary inhumations, and, at its centre, a primary burial in a cist, 5 feet x 2 feet 6 inches, together with a bronze knife-dagger, now in the B.M.

No trace of a cairn in the area.

Canmore description of the fort/settlement site:

This fort is situated at an elevation of some 250ft OD, and occupies the NW end of a rocky knoll which rises some 40ft above a cultivated field.

It is enclosed by a single earth-and-stone rampart which follows the contour on three sides and crosses the summit on the fourth. In the interior are several rather indefinite foundations, and apparently a circular one on the right of the entrance and another nearer the centre. There are also a number of mounds and hollows of indeterminate character outside on the slope from the SE, probably due to quarrying.

The remains at this site are those of a probable two-phase settlement overlain by a farmstead. In the first phase the settlement measured 40m by 24.5m internally; subsequently it was extended on the NW by 13m. The enclosing bank is spread to a width of about 3.3m, except on the SE, where it is considerably thicker, with traces of an external ditch. The gap on the SE is probably associated with the farmstead, and the original entrance may have been on the N. The remains of the later farmstead are situated within the wall of the settlement. The buildings appear to have been ranged around a yard which was open on the SE. The most prominent feature is a building platform measuring 13m from NW to SE by 4.2m transversely set against the SW wall of the earlier settlement.

As well as the fort there is an intervisible prehistoric settlement site to the NW at NT 9083 6863. Canmore description:

This roughly rectangular settlement, measuring about 44m by 28.5m within a wall (0.6m high and spread to a thickness of 3.7m) occupies the rounded summit of a hill due S of Pettico Wick Harbour, (at an elevation of 105m OD). The S corner of the interior has been incorporated into what is probably a secondary enclosure containing the turf-covered footings of two circular houses. Within the settlement there are footings of two houses with internal diameters of 6.2m and 7m respectively.

There are two distinct groups of barrows on Brean Down, located on the eastern and western summits of the ridge. Pastscape descriptions:

Eastern group

Seven mounds are contained within the eastern field system on Brean Down. One of these is a round barrow, centred at ST 29325 58814. It is most likely to be the site that Skinner, writing in the early 19th century, found Roman pottery and human bones on the surface, and recorded that the primary deposit had been removed. The barrow lies just to the south of the Roman temple (ST 25 NE 6) and appears to overlie part of the field sytem. The NW side of the barrow has been damaged by ridge and furrow cultivation. A small hollow at the SE corner of the barrow represents the remains of a small building, visible on aerial photographs taken in 1948. Four small depressions on the W and E sides of the mound and to the S of the barrow probably mark the position of ApSimon’s trial trenches.

The mound centred at ST 29135 58925 may be a burial cairn. It is portrayed thus on a map of 1821. Silty clay has been dumped on the W end of the mound, obscuring its original form.

The remaining mounds are all small and are most likely to be clearance cairns or modified field banks. The mound centred at ST 2932 5881 is larger than the others, measuring 15m in diameter, has been interpreted as a round barrow or cairn which may be Bronze Age or Roman in date.

The other four mounds are centred at ST 2911 5893, ST 2913 5892, ST 2921 5889 and ST 2924 5887. They are predominantly sub-circular except for the largest mound and range in size, measuring between 3m in diameter and 7m by 10m. The largest of the mounds has been interpreted as a Bronze age burial mound. The other mounds may be clearance cairns which are possibly later in date.

Western group

Six mounds are contained within the western field system on Brean Down. Two of these are most likely to be small, Bronze Age burial cairns. The cairn at ST 28412 50920 is a low, circular, stony mound, close to a field bank. The cairn at ST 28519 59010 is a circular, turf-covered mound. Both of these cairns are shown on Colt Hoare’s map of 1821 as burial cairns.

The large, flat-topped, sub-rectangular mound at ST 28487 59007 is surmounted by an OS trig. pillar. The hollow and small mound by the pillar suggest that the mound has been dug into. The field system may have incorporated an earlier cairn, or it may have been altered by the addition of a large burial cairn. The mound may have been augmented by field clearance. The present day appearance of the mound suggests that it may have been used as a beacon during the post medieval period.

The small rectangular mound on top of a field bank at ST 28647 58955 appears to be of recent construction. The mound at ST 28695 58942 is caused by the junction of two field banks, although it may have been augmented by field clearance. The sub-rectangular mound at ST 28733 58937 is part of a field bank, perhaps augmented by field clearance. A small hollow in its centre suggests that it has been dug into, and its northern end appears to have been modified by the removal of material.

Summarised description from Pastscape sources:

At the east end of Brean Down, a bank of stones, 4-8 feet high, with an outer ditch, makes an angle, ending on the steep slope on the north and destroyed by quarrying on the east.

In the part of the camp destroyed by quarrying a number of Roman gold coins of Augustus, Nero and Drusus, and two silver denarii of Vespasian, were found by quarrymen and dispersed to private collectors. A Roman cornelian ring is also recorded from the earthwork.

The principal feature of the earthwork is a bank and rock-cut ditch running north south across the ridge. At its southern end the bank turns to the east and follows a natural fault line along the top of exposed limestone outcrop.

Some mutilation of the earthwork and disturbance of the enclosed area was caused by military installations of the 1939-45 war.

A small excavation of the western bank of this feature was carried out in 1974, providing information for the following abstract:-

“Limited excavation at the SW angle of this small and now L-shaped earthwork showed the defences to consist of abutting rubble banks
revetted front and rear with massive drystone walling, with a ditch to the west. Radio carbon determinations indicate that the defences were constructed in the latter part of the Iron Age, and
provide dates for the coarse pottery of Iron Age `A’ type in use on the site prior to the construction of the banks and while ditch silting was taking place. The site continued to be frequented in the Roman period.”

The site was surveyed at a scale of 1:1000 by the RCHME in June 1995 as part of a landscape survey of Brean Down. The remains comprise an elongated L-shaped bank and ditch on the eastern side of Brean Down, centred at ST 29805900. Although the earthworks do not form a hillfort in the generally accepted definition of the term, the historical evidence, the scale of the western and southern ramparts, and the excavated evidence for Iron Age occupation, suggests that the term hillfort is appropriate for these earthworks.

The best preserved sections of the earthworks are the western rampart and ditch, and the western end of the southern rampart. The western rampart runs for 45m N-S and is, on average, 2m high and 2m wide. The ditch is present for some 25m on the outer side of the western rampart, south of the Military Road, and is rock-cut at its southern end. The ditch is 1.5m deep and 3.5m wide, giving a maximum width for the defences of 10m. North of the Military Road, the ditch has been disturbed by the construction of a 20th century military building.

The southern rampart utilises an outcrop of bedrock for much of its length. It is fronted by a narrow ledge 5m wide and 30m long at its western end. The rampart is breached at a point 35m east of the south-western angle; this is probably the result of erosion caused by a footpath. East of this breach, the earthwork is smaller in scale and comprises a bank, 110m long, 1.5m wide and 0.5m high. Disturbance caused by the construction of the Military Road occurs at ST 29895887, and east of this the bank changes direction and becomes less well-defined. The bank terminates at the Military Road at its eastern end, where it has been much disturbed by quarrying. There is no evidence for its extension east of the Military Road.

On the northern side of the earthwork, the ground falls away very sharply to the cliffs on the edge of Brean Down; this area has been disturbed by the construction of 20th century military buildings and no defensive remains are visible. None are shown on a 19th century map of Brean Down, which depicts the earthwork as very similar to its present day appearance.

Who put Bella in the Wych Elm?

Those visiting who pass the otherwise anonymous obelisk next to the fort might notice the old graffiti “Who put Bella in the Witch Elm?” painted on the base.

Rather macabrely, it relates to the discovery by four children in 1943 of the skeletonised remains of a women placed inside a tree in nearby Hagley Wood (not the hillfort, thankfully). The murder remains unsolved.

en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Who_put_Bella_in_the_Wych_Elm%3F

Two large cairns on West Hill and Fire Beacon. Pastscape descriptions:

Fire Beacon cairn (ST 1491 3697)

A Bronze Age cairn located on the summit of Fire Beacon, a south west facing hill in the western region of the Quantock Hills. The cairn is of irregular shape with a spread mound, approximately 2 metres above ground level at its highest point and 26 metres in diameter. The surface of the mound has been disturbed which may indicate that a partial excavation has been carried out, probably in antiquity. Scheduled.

West Hill cairn (ST 15433719)

A very large platform cairn lies on the summit of West Hill at ST 1542 3717. The cairn comprises a rather disturbed stony mound, 28m in diameter and 1.6m high. Stone has been taken from the mound, probably to build the nearby enclosure bank. Despite this disturbance, the vestiges of a bank around the north part of the mound, and a central mound, 10m NS x 12m EW x 1m high, may be original features, suggesting that the cairn may have been an embanked platform cairn with a central mound.

There are two cairns at Wilmot’s Pool. Pastscape descriptions:

Western barrow (ST 15303813)

A large Bronze Age barrow lies on the southeast side of Wilmot’s Pool at ST 15310 38135. The barrow comprises a circular mound 21m in diameter. The top of the mound has a circular depression in it, 10m NS x 8m EW x 1.5m deep. This may be the result of antiquarian excavations or it may be the site of a beacon fire. The semi-circular bank on the south edge of the mound is formed of material from this hollow. A small satellite cairn, 5m NS x 4m EW x 0.6m high lies on the southeast side of the barrow and compares to a similar feature on the southeast side of the barrow on Beacon Hill.

Wilmot’s Pool is a pond, teardrop-shaped, 45m x 30m and some 1.5m deep. It still holds water in the winter, although the north side has been breached. The pond is of considerable antiquity: it appears on a map of 1609 (Somerset Record Office 1609 A plot of Quantock belonging to the right honourable the earle of Northumberland DD/SAS C/923). Narrow ridge and furrow ploughing has slighted its west and southwest sides. The pond was probably dug in the medieval period for watering stock on the commons.

Eastern cairn (ST 15483813)

A large embanked platform cairn lies some 200m to the east of Wilmot’s Pool at ST 1548 3813. The cairn comprises a circular mound, 17m in diameter and 1.1m high. The bank which runs around the perimeter of the mound is 0.8m wide and 0.8m high. A mound 3.4m in diameter and 0.8m high is placed to the northwest of centre on top of the mound.

As well as the main Thorncombe Barrow, there is a group of three further barrows on the summit of Thorncombe Hill to the southeast, centred on ST131391.

These are very low and (at the time of writing) heavily overgrown with heather.

Pastscape descriptions:

Three Bronze Age burial cairns lie on the summit of Thorncombe Hill. The largest of these three cairns lies at ST 13199 39105. This is a low, stony mound with a flat top, 8.5m in diameter and 0.5m high. The top of the mound has a central depression, 1.6m x 1.4m x 0.5m deep. The cairn has been cut through by a track which has exposed much of the west side of the cairn. Some 30m to the northwest, at ST 13175 39123, is a second cairn. This is a circular mound, 4.4m in diameter and 0.7m high, with a small central depression. A third cairn lies some 100m to the north at ST 13150 39224. This is a circular stony mound, 5m high and 0.7m high. The west edge of the cairn has been clipped by a track.

Slightly longer description of the cairn and cist from GGAT, hinting that there may be a deliberately incised V in one of the cist slabs:

The cairn described by OS workers (1975 & 1979) is a partially destroyed round barrow cist situated in open heathland. The mound is circular in form, the N area is almost level whilst the SE area is more substantial in height. It would appear that the N-NW-W of the mound has been robbed away leaving a slight curved earthwork around the cairn’s former boundary. To the central S area of the cairn is an impressive cist (diameter; 2m x 1.2m x height; 0.65m) of two long parallel flagstone slabs aligned NE-SW, with smaller slabs (0.4m) defining each open end. There is a linear incision mark (0.16m long) on the inside of the S cist slab that does not appear natural; the incision is ‘V’ shaped and may have been caused by prehistoric stone rubbing. To the S of the cist is the only area of exposed boulders.
Dimensions: diameter 15.5m; height 1.4m (max)

The fine kerbed cairn at SW 4751 3616 was sold by the bassist of Van Der Graf Generator in 2003. From the Cornwall & Scilly HER:

The OS describe this barrow as a flat topped mound average height 1.1m composed of small stones held in position by a retaining wall of large slabs set on edge. The retaining wall is fully exposed on the north side but only the tops of the stones are visible on the south part. In three places, stones of an inner ring are visible. The ‘piggery’ referred to by Henderson is a rectangular hollow in the south east quadrant with two stones forming an entrance. Although these stones bear drill marks their position indicates that they might have formed part of the inner ring.
The barrow was put on the market in the summer of 2003; the owner established a web-site for the sale, which included moody photographs, information gleaned from the SMR and quotes from Steve Hartgroves. There was much media interest in the sale, which was reported initially in the property columns of a Sunday newspaper, and subsequently in several other papers. Despite much interest, the barrow did not sell; it was then put up for auction but failed to reach the reserve. The barrow was eventually sold privately. The new owner hopes to fund an excavation of the site.

Scattered group of 9 Bronze Age round cairns located on the southern slopes of Caradon Hill.

Details of the cairns from the National Heritage List For England, generally northeast to southwest:

Round cairn 310m west of Heather House (SX 27260 70284)

The cairn survives with a low sub-circular mound measuring up to 16.5m north west-south east by 14.1m north east-south west, the mound slightly truncated along its north east edge by a ditch accompanying a substantial post-medieval wall which passes 1m beyond the cairn’s visible edge, following the line of a medieval manorial and parish boundary. The cairn’s mound has a low, shallow-domed profile, up to 0.9m high, but relatively recent small-scale quarrying for wall stone has produced an uneven surface with several rounded hollows running in from the edges of the mound.

Round cairn with peripheral berm 402m SSW of Caradon Hill summit (SX 27115 70385)

The cairn survives as a circular mound, 21m in diameter and up to 2m high, of heaped small stones; around the SW and W sectors a distinct ledge, or berm, 0.5m wide, is visible in the mound’s periphery at a height of 0.3m. Some stone extraction has occurred in the relatively recent past, resulting in a lowering of the cairn’s interior in the E and S sectors but not reaching the base of the cairn, and in its N half the cairn survives undisturbed to full height as a consolidated turf-covered mound.

Round cairn 472m SSW of Caradon Hill summit (SX 27208 70282)

The cairn survives as a well-preserved circular turf-covered mound, 11.5m in diameter and 1m high, composed of heaped small to medium-sized stones. The mound rises to a flattened upper surface 7m in diameter and has survived essentially intact.

Round cairn 480m SSW of Caradon Hill summit (SX 27085 70314)

The cairn survives as a circular mound, largely turf-covered, 18.5m in diameter and up to 2.25m high, of heaped small to medium-sized stones, with occasional larger stones up to 1m long. Some relatively recent stone- quarrying is evident as limited depressions up to 1m deep in the N half of the cairn’s central area.

Round cairn 527m SSW of Caradon Hill summit (SX 26976 70323)

The cairn survives as a circular mound, largely turf-covered, 11m in diameter and up to 1.75m high, of heaped small to medium sized stones. Some stone extraction has occurred in the relatively recent past, removing stones from the central 2-3m diameter area and the SSE side of the cairn, but leaving the remainder of the cairn’s mound intact and well-consolidated.

Round cairn 557m SSW of Caradon Hill summit (SX 26988 70283)

The cairn survives as a circular mound, 16.5m in diameter and up to 1.5m high, of heaped small to medium sized stones. Some stone extraction has occurred in the relatively recent past, removing stones from the central area and hollowing it to a maximum depth of c.0.75m, but leaving the remainder of the cairn’s mound intact and well-consolidated.

Tor cairn with adjacent sub-rectangular hut 650m SSW of Caradon Hill summit (SX 26966 70186)

The monument includes an ovoid tor cairn with a peripheral bank and kerb, and a later sub-rectangular hut adjoining the cairn’s S edge.

The tor cairn survives as a low ovoid bank, measuring 34m NE-SW by 27m NW-SE externally, 2-3m wide and up to 0.5m high, composed of heaped small to medium sized stones. The bank’s inner edge is defined by a row of edge- and end-set boulders and slabs up to 1m high forming a distinct kerb around the N, E and S sides. Within the kerb is an almost level surface covering a thin platform, of compacted and largely turf-covered small to medium stones. The cairn’s platform surrounds a natural granite outcrop, 22m long and rising to 2.5m above the neighbouring land on the crest of the spur, forming a clear natural spine along the cairn’s long axis. The outcrop comprises weathered slabs, tilted to the SE with a scarp along its NW edge, and widens from 3m at the NE end to 11m at the SW. The cairn platform is represented on the outcrop’s upper face by a discontinuous thin layer of compacted small stones. The S edge of the cairn’s bank and platform has been modified by the insertion of a sub-rectangular hut of a form typical of early medieval stock herders’ huts on Bodmin Moor. Externally the hut measures 6m N-S by 5m E-W, with rubble walls 1.5m thick and 0.5m high, probably of stone robbed from the cairn. No certain entrance is visible.

Round cairn 740m SSW of Caradon Hill summit (SX 26833 70162)

The monument comprises a round cairn on and around a natural rock outcrop.

The cairn survives as circular mound, 14m diameter and up to 1.75m high, composed of small to medium-sized stones, up to c.0.5m long, heaped upon a small natural flat rock outcrop, extending beyond its edge on the N and E sides, but defined by a sheer drop along the outcrop’s S and W sides. The outcrop clearly forms the bulk of the cairn’s volume, but the heaped stone is well-consolidated and largely turf-covered, with no evidence for any previous disturbance.

Round cairn and shelters 812m SSW of Caradon Hill summit (SX 26852 70058)

The monument comprises a large circular funerary cairn with two small shelters scooped into one side, at the SW end of a linear cairn group.

The cairn survives as a large circular mound, 23m in diameter and up to 2m high, of heaped stones varying in size from small pebbles to small boulders up to 1m across. Some stone extraction has occurred in the relatively recent past, removing stone from the NNW side of the cairn, extending to the mound’s centre, but leaving the remainder of the cairn’s mound intact. The surface beneath the area from which stone has been removed retains well-consolidated stone of the cairn mound, 0.4m above the external ground level, and is largely turf-covered. In the E and SE sides of the cairn are two small scoops in the stone rubble content of the mound, each 3m in diameter and 0.75m deep, separated by a very coarsely-built drystone wall. Such structures are typical of short-term shelters for medieval and post-medieval workers on the moor.

Group of 10 Bronze Age round cairns located across Caradon Hill’s summit dome on an overall alignment south west from the summit.

Details of the cairns from the National Heritage List For England, north to south:

Banked cairn 125m NNE of Caradon Hill summit (SX 27331 70870)

The monument comprises a large circular embanked funerary cairn, part of a linear cairn group near the summit of Caradon Hill on SE Bodmin Moor. The cairn survives as a circular bank of small stones, 19m in external diameter, 2-3m wide and 0.5m high, encircling a central mound, 12m in diameter and up to 1.5m high, composed of medium to large stones. Around the S and SW sectors of the central mound’s edge are a row of end-set, inward-sloping, large slabs surviving from a retaining kerb.

The surface of the central mound shows a number of hollows from stone-robbers, whose spoil has been dumped largely over the N and NE sectors of the cairn, filling the space between the mound and outer bank in that area. The same activities are responsible for a pit in the NE part of the mound, exposing a large natural boulder in its base; this pit is the only disturbance to reach a significant depth into the body of the cairn, and is off-centre and restricted in extent; consequently it is considered that any primary funerary deposits at the centre of this monument, and secondary deposits made in most other areas, will survive intact, together with the old land surface on which the monument was constructed.

Embanked platform cairn 47m NW of Caradon Hill summit (SX 27280 70791)

The monument comprises a large circular platform cairn with a peripheral bank, part of a linear cairn group near the summit of Caradon Hill on SE Bodmin Moor. The cairn survives as a large, circular, flat-topped platform of heaped small stones, 30m diameter and 0.4m high. The bank on the platform periphery starts 3m from platform edge, leaving a clear peripheral berm; the bank is also composed of heaped small stones and survives 2m wide and generally 0.5m above the platform level, rising to 1m high in the NW sector; it is visible around the entire periphery except the disturbed S sector. The cairn interior bears no trace of any internal mound, but has a number of hollows and hummocks from limited stone-robbing from the cairn. One such hollow exposes part of a recumbent slab, appearing 1m square, at the cairn’s centre. The entry for these activities has been from the S and SE sector, where the peripheral bank and platform edge have been reduced.

Ring cairn 77m E of Caradon Hill summit (SX 27377 70759)

The monument comprises a large, circular, funerary ring cairn, part of a linear cairn group near the summit of Caradon Hill on SE Bodmin Moor. The cairn survives as a large circular ring, 24m external diameter, 4-5m wide and up to 1m high, comprising heaped small stones with occasional larger boulders, an arrangement typical of the cairn type termed a ring cairn. Three of the larger boulders remain as upright slabs within the cairn’s N sector, forming the remains of a stone kerb within the body of the cairn. The interior of the ring cairn is almost stone-free, with no evidence for previous disturbance, and conforms in both level and slope with the external ground surface.

Round cairn 15m SSE of Caradon Hill summit (SX 27303 70733)

The cairn survives as a low circular mound, 15m diameter and up to 0.4m high, composed of heaped small stones. The cairn has been subject to some stone removal in the relatively recent past, modifying its original form by hollowing the central area within an undisturbed, turf-covered 2.5m wide periphery but leaving intact a consolidated stone cover overall. As a result of this stone cover, it is considered that sub-surface funerary deposits and the old land surface beneath this cairn will have survived undisturbed. A small stone-heap 4m diameter and 1m high on the SSW periphery of the cairn is clearly a mound of waste from the stone-robbing and not an original feature of the Prehistoric cairn.

Round cairn 82m SW of Caradon Hill summit (SX 27216 70717)

The cairn survives as a circular turf-covered mound, 26m diameter and up to 1m high, comprising heaped small stones with occasional larger boulders visible; the N and W perimeters of the cairn are particularly well-defined. In the interior, some relatively recent disturbance for stone-robbing is evident as a shallow trench, 3m wide, running in from the SSW almost to the N edge, together with several linear mounds and hollows parallel to it on each side. This disturbance penetrates only to a limited depth within the cairn and it is considered that sub-surface funerary deposits and extensive areas of the old land surface will have survived intact beneath it.

Platform cairn 110m SW of Caradon Hill summit (SX 27215 70682)

The cairn has a central turf-covered mound, 13m diameter and 2m high, composed of small to medium-sized stone. The mound has a hollowed upper surface, 5m in diameter and 0.6m deep. The mound drops to the level of the platform, 0.5m higher than the external ground level. On the periphery of the platform is the outer bank, 22m in external diameter, 2-3m wide and 1.5m high, leaving a gap 1.5-2m wide to the central mound. No trace of the platform projects beyond the bank. The bank has some gaps in its S sector due to recent stone robbing, but this cairn shows no evidence of any major disturbance.

Banked cairn 175m SW of Caradon Hill summit (SX 27170 70633)

The cairn survives with an irregular central mound, c.10m in diameter and up to 1m high, composed of small to medium stones, with a number of smaller heaps and hollows in its surface deriving from the relatively recent activities of stone-robbers which have also spread the mound towards the outer bank in the S half. In the less disturbed N and NW sectors a clear gap, 4m wide and at the same level as the external ground surface, is observable between the central mound and an encircling bank, 22m in external diameter, 2-2.5m wide and up to 0.4m high. This bank is also composed of heaped small stones.

Round cairn 230m SW of Caradon Hill summit (SX 27119 70608)

The cairn survives as a circular mound, 18m diameter and up to 0.75m high, composed of heaped small and medium sized stones visible in breaks in the turf cover. The surface of the cairn shows some slight hollows from relatively recent stone-robbing but, with one exception, these are both of limited extent and depth. This exception is a pit, 4m long by 2m wide, dug 1m deep into the SW edge of the cairn to expose a large ground-set boulder from which one end was subsequently split away by drilling. Beyond that peripheral pit, the body of the cairn remains substantially intact, as will any funerary deposits associated with it.

Round cairn 520m north west of Heather House (SX 27114 70566)

The cairn survives with a low rounded mound up to 18.8m in diameter and to 1m high. Parts of the mound’s original surface show a formerly shallow-domed, almost flattened, profile however its present visible form has been affected by post-medieval quarrying for wall stone. That has lowered an area about 6m across at the centre of the mound though it remains above the ground level surrounding the cairn, with discarded rubble and soil heaped unevenly onto intact areas of the cairn’s periphery; several hollows pass across that periphery to give access to the central quarried area.

Platform cairn 550m north west of Heather House (SX 27073 70541)

The cairn survives with a low rounded mound up to 18.25m in diameter and up to 0.6m high. The mound rises over its peripheral 1m-1.5m to a flattened upper platform, a profile slightly modified in some areas by post-medieval rubble extraction which has produced several shallow hollows running onto the cairn from the edges. Occasional small stones from the cairn’s rubble fabric are exposed in the turf, but slightly north east of centre, a group of larger slabs, some edge-set and up to 0.8m long, break through the surface turf and are considered to derive from a slab-built funerary structure called a cist.

Further relatively recent stone extraction occurs on the cairn’s southern edge, which has been dug away to expose a large natural boulder; the west end of the boulder was split away using the plug-and-feather technique characteristic of 19th century and later stone-splitting. The break was clearly unsuccessful with the split end left where it fell, but one of the holes intended to guide the next break still retains its broken iron plug and two feathers jammed in place.

CPAT description with excavation details:

An excavated round barrow cist which is circular in form with quite steeply sloping sides and a depressed interior. The mound’s perimeter is well defined although no kerbstones or ditch was visible. The sides of the mound are under turf, whilst the levelled interior exposes stone. A large sandstone slab, aligned E-W, dominates the central S area of the cairn’s interior. This is presumably the remains of the cist excavated by Jones (1981); the upper most edge of this slab is all that is now exposed.

Dimensions: diameter 15.2m; height 1.2m-1.4m
(1981) A cairn 15.5m diameter, c.1.5m high with a large cist at the centre was examined. Small particles of bone and a few potshereds were found in soil in the cist, and further sherds, the rim of a large vessel with incised decoration and a barbed and tanged arrowhead were found on the cairn floor. There was no evidence of a kerb.

(1981) EXCAVATION: The removal of the part-fill of loose boulders together with C20th rubbish revealed an irregular layer of dark brown soil slopping down towards the E end. Progressive trowelling revealed no stratification, the soil being of a disturbed nature and containing burned bracken and some broken glass similar to that associated with the boulder deposits. However, there was a firmer area of soil in the angle between the easternmost orthostat and the boulder clay on which the cist had been constructed. In this undisturbed material the first and largest pottery sherd, a piece of the rim of a large, decorated, vessel was discovered. Scattered in a random manner and near the first find were other small fragments of pottery together with several fragments of bone. A tanged and barbed arrow head and other small flint flakes and artifacts also appeared in a scatter across this area.

The Cist had been constructed from sandstone slabs. The S orthostat measured 1.86m in length, 1.2m deep and was 0.075m in thickness, being set into the ground so that its upper edge was almost exactly horizontal. The N slab was 1.56m, 0.87m deep and 0.075m thick. Both these main orthostats were orientated generally E-W. Slots had been cut into the original boulder clay surface and the orthostats were held upright with small stones and earth packing. The smaller E and W slabs were not so deep set and were given additional support by small stones placed within the cist. The N orthostat had cracked under lateral pressure while that at the W end was incomplete and badly damaged. A matching portion of this slab was found lying within the cist.

All the indications were of a robbed burial, impression futher strengthened by finds made outside the cist itself and at its E end. At this point an area of the cairn boulders were cleared so that any pattern of construction could be investigated. Although the cairn proved to have been made of randomly placed boulders at this point, on the original ground surface and in close proximity to one another, were five small sherds of pottery. The loose nature of the cairn boulders would have allowed such small fragments of pottery to have percolated downwards had they been placed on the edge of the cist by the original robbers.

From Pastscape:

A late Iron Age sub-rectangular enclosure, previously thought to be a Roman Marching Camp was seen centred at SO 7140 4788 and mapped from aerial photographs. The site was excavated in autumn/winter 2000 and found to be a late Iron Age enclosure. The aerial photographs show the enclosure being defined by a single ditch, with straight sides and curved corners and measuring approximately 64m x 83m. In one corner are the faint traces of a curved enclosure or division with possible pits.

Early discovery from this year’s Penycloddiau dig, courtesy of Dr Rachel Pope:

“A bit of new info. from Penycloddiau is that as early as the Early Iron Age, they’re using clay as a bonding material in construction, and also lime for weatherproofing. Something we didn’t know, we’d assumed all that was Roman invention.”

A little to the northwest there is a better preserved bowl barrow, Amesbury 40 (SU 13027 42384). It’s situated on a crest just to the south of the Avenue, about midway between New King Barrows and Stonehenge.

Colt Hoare excavated in the 19th century and found “a primary inhumation, a ‘drinking cup’ and a bone pin”.

West Overton 9 is a further round barrow at SU 12601 71026, situated immediately to the east of the Ridgeway, in a triangular enclosure north of the Herepath.

Pastscape description:

Bronze Age bell or disc barrow West Overton 9 on Overton Down excavated by Merewether in 1849, who found a depression and a small sarsen at the centre. Middle and Late Bronze Age pottery was subsequently recovered from the mound by O. Meyrick. Excavations in 1960 located a primary cremation in pottery vessel, while some Roman pottery was recovered from the ditch. The barrow is still extant as an earthwork, and the cropmark of an external ring ditch has been seen on air photographs.

The Gwynedd Archaeological Trust record has more information. The site appears to be in someone’s garden:

The small megalithic burial chamber (SH 51908275) at Benllech was excavated on behalf of the MOW in March 1965. It was previously unrecorded and was revealed when new sewers were dug nearby and the site cleared for the erection of a bungalow.

No prehistoric finds were made and the only reason for regarding the main chamber as a prehistoric burial chamber is its structure, which is comparable with the Lligwy and Glyn burial chambers. The annexe and field wall are relatively modern.

Not entirely convincing small low ‘burial’ chamber. Capstone perforated (natural limestone pavement). Now in garden of Drws y Nant and in built up area. Capstone supported by uprights and blocks at west side and by recent concreted pillars at east. Stands on gently sloping hillside above the coast. 2 large orthostats – one 2.2 x 1.2m stand just to south. Cadw recently reclassified this as a ‘goose house’ after F Lynch – this doesn’t seem to be a prehistoric monument as it stands – the chamber is very low and could not have been deeper because it stands on bedrock. This could have been disturbed at the time of the sewer construction – a considerable depth of bedrock would have been removed.

There is a holy well a couple of hundred yards from the fogou at SW 3767 3470.

It’s been cleared of rubbish and vegetation in the last few years and is well worth a visit if you’re going to the fogou. Structurally it is very similar to Sancreed Holy Well.

Information from the GGAT HER:

Cairnfield originally identified as consisting of nine cairns, with another three identified after additional survey of the area in 1979. Three cairns of the original group were excavated following damage by forestry ploughing. The remaining six original cairns were reinstated without excavation; the three additional cairns identified in 1979 could not be positively identified on the ground due to plough damage.

Cairn B (ii) (relatively undamaged) was carefully constructed over three pits which contained burned material, including unidentifiable bone, in their fills. It was surrounded by a well-defined kerb 9.5x3.2m, orientated almost exactly N-S and surviving in places to a height of 0.6m (five courses), which may have been set against the partially completed core. This was almost certainly funerary in origin. Other pits were noted to the W of the cairn, but their relationship with it was unclear. Both of the two more badly damaged cairns, H (viii) and J (xi), may also originally also have had kerbs, and may also originally have been rectangular in shape, though there was no evidence that either had been funerary. Both turned out on excavation to be 2.2m across, showing that surface dimensions may be misleading.
Now in an area of impenetrable forest; it was not possible to find a way through to the NGR given.

(i) 9m in diameter, 0.9m high. Disturbed. Partly overgrown.
(ii) Long mound. S end square, with two courses of a built kerb visible, 10m N-S by 4m; 0.5m high, with a rounded profile. Turf-covered and undisturbed.
(iii) 3m in diameter, 0.3m high
(iv) 3.2m in diameter, 0.5m high. Two upright slabs at the centre may be the remains of a cist, of 1.1m maximum length. A small slab and other stones are the probable remains of a kerb. Disturbed.
(v) 3.7m in diameter, 0.6m high. One possible kerb-stone. Disturbed.
(vi) 5.2m in diameter, 0.3m high.
(vii) 4m in diameter, 0.5m high.
(viii) 2.5m in diameter, 0.3m high.
(ix) 1.8m in diameter, 0.3m high. (Source 01)

NG references amended to: (i) ST02829838; (ii) ST02849840; (iii) ST02849838; (iv) ST02889835; (v) ST02909836; (vi) 02919834; (vii) ST02939837; (viii) ST029119838; (ix) ST02909837; (ix) ST02939839 diameter 4.5m, hight 0.4m; (xi) ST02859833 diameter 4.0m, height 0.4m; (xii) ST02889833 diameter 4.0m, height 0.6m.

A possible standing stone noted by OS fieldworkers at ST02879840 was considered to be a natural feature.

CPAT description of the stone:

Standing stone, comprising a sandstone slab 0.8m high x 0.5m x 0.15m, aligned NNE-SSW, leaning slightly to the ENE,and with an area of sheep scour around its base on that side. On its WNW side is a recumbent slab of limestone which does not appear to have ever been erect, and may well be natural. The standing stone is sited on a west-facing slope, with views to west and north-west.

There are three sets of earthworks on Huish Hill, all of which have been tentatively dated as prehistoric. Pastscape descriptions, west to east:

Western earthworks (centred SU144645)

Iron Age ‘A’ and ‘C’ sherds were found by Meyrick in the area of the earthworks SU 144644, and Bronze Age sherds by him at SU
14356441. Now in his private collection.

SU 14336436 to SU 14386482: A linear work comprising a bank up to 2.7m high above a 0.8m deep ditch to the W. The ditch has a counterscarp bank up to 0.5m high except in the S where the dyke turns sharply down the steep hillside. The southern portion of the main bank is over-laid by a modern bank. In the N the earth-work can only be traced by a faint undulation in arable ground. Two trackways cut the work, but it is not possible to
ascertain if either obscures an original gap. An angled bank abutting the E side at SU 14416453 is the remains of the rectangular enclosure shown by Colt Hoare of which no evidence of a N side now survives.

Central enclosure (SU 14966420)

Possibly the oblong earthwork north of Huish Church noted by Colt Hoare in which Iron Age and Romano-British pottery had been dug up.

The sub-rectangular enclosure 65m NS by 50m, comprises a bank 0.4m high with an outer ditch 0.2m deep. It is situated near the edge of an escarpment, the E and W sides extending to the steep slope.

The enclosure has no obvious entrance but was evidently used for pastoral purposes, probably of IA/RB origin; though a Md or later date cannot be discounted.

Eastern linear earthworks (centred SU 15891 63886)

A linear boundary bank and ditch running from Huish Hill SU 1549 6372 to Martinsell Hill Settlement at SU 1745 6417. The western section below Huish Hill has a sharp
profile ditch 1.5m deep cut into the head of the steep scarp, but is mutilated in parts by holloways and paths. A section of the ditch at SU 1563 6376 has an unfinished appearance.

Another bank and ditch, which appears to be of earlier date, branches from the linear at SU 1597 6393. This bank averages 1.4m high with ditch on the western side 1.6m deep. It runs in a gradual curve to the summit on the hill but cannot be traced beyond the track at SU 1594 6408. It is not a cross-ridge dyke.

The linear fades on the lower slopes of Oar Hill, but a similar feature forms at SU 1692 6405 and runs to the NW corner or Martinsell, broken only by modern tracks and quarries. From SU 172 642 the bank fades and the ditch is of weaker profile.

Three fields away to the southeast at SO 28369 82022, on the same side of the river, the Shropshire SMR lists a bowl barrow:

The monument includes a bowl barrow situated on a low rise north of the River Clun. Although much reduced by past ploughing, it survives as a low mound 25m north to south by 20m transversely standing up to 0.3m high. Although no longer visible as a surface feature, a ditch, from which the material was quarried for the construction of the barrow, surrounds the mound and has an estimated width of 2m.

Funnily there is a standing stone at this grid reference, it’s not very tall though (a couple of feet max.).

I noticed it on the way from Gatcombe Lodge long barrow to The Bulwarks on Minchinhampton and noted the grid reference when I passed, never thinking anything more of it. This was before Chance added it to TMA.

According to the info plaque beneath the rocks, they originally stood on the coast at Manacle Point (about 1/4 mile to the east) and were re-sited to where they are now as the quarry expanded.

The area to the west of Lowland Point is one of those marvellous palimpsest landscapes you get in some places.

Here, there are traces of Mesolithic flint working, Bronze Age hut circles and a possible round barrow known as The Barn (at SW 80251952), as well as a 2nd century AD Romano-British field system and salt works. Pottery of the Bronze Age (Trevisker Ware) and Romano-British periods has been found here.

A medieval field system known locally as The Stitch covers the northeastern part of the area.

There are several groups of cairns on Craddock Moor.

One group forms a rough arc to the northeast of the Craddock Moor embanked avenue, centred on approx. SX244721. Cornwall & Scilly HER:

A scattered group of approximately six cairns (1291.01 – 1291.10) on the floor of a west facing re-entrant which cuts into the high ground of Craddock Moor, in an area dotted with prospecting pits and surrounded by disturbed ground. These features were first recorded by CCRA and in 1985 were surveyed on the ground by RCHME. According to the latter, they may be cairns rather than clearance heaps, although one large mound (at SX 2445 7210) within the group is formed from upcast dug out of the adjacent mining pit. The identified cairns consist of turf covered stony mounds, 1.5m – 8.5m in diameter and 0.3m – 0.8m high, none of which show evidence of a kerb or a cist and the majority of which have mutilated in one way or another. The cairns are in generally good condition though many have been disturbed. Their sepulchral / ritual character is supported by their proximity to an embanked avenue and a stone row.

A further three small cairns are centred on approx. SX 246719:

A small group of three cairns situated on a gentle north western slope in unenclosed moorland pasture. These cairns were surveyed on the ground in 1984 by RCHME. They are simple mounds, circular and oval in plan and have diameters ranging from 3.5m to 0.4m. Two of the cairns have been dug into, but the group as a whole is in good condition.

The largest cairns are the pair mentioned by Mr Hamhead at SX 2444 7168.

Western cairn

Overall diameter of 18m, comprising a platform or berm 0.2m high and a raised perimerter, 1.5m wide and 0.2m high. Some protruding stone suggests that it has stone kerb. At the centre of the platform there is a mound of stone 7.3m across and a further 0.5m high. This cairn is in good condition.

Eastern cairn

A platform with an overall diameter of 13m and a height of 0.4m, with traces of a kerb on the northern side. There is a central mound 9.2m in diameter and 0.8m high. This cairn is in good condition.

Other isolated cairns are dotted about the moor, with a further group clustered around Tregarrick Tor.

Two cairns here, on a flattish saddle surrounded on three sides by rising ground – the granite outcrops of Kilmar Tor to the north, Bearah Tor to the east and the more gentle Langstone Downs to the south.

Descriptions from Cornwall & Scilly HER:

Platform cairn at SX 2532 7430

A rimmed platform cairn in enclosed moorland to the west of Bearah Tor, on a very slight western slope. It was discovered by the RCHME surveyor during field investigation and surveyed onto the 1:2500 air photo plot. It is a turf covered cairn, 9.3m in diameter and 0.4m high. It has a slightly dished interior, the centre being 0.2m above the natural ground level, and a perimeter rim 0.1m high. Four stones about 0.3m across protrude 0.1m to 0.2m from the top of the rim bank but these are widely spaced and do not seem to be part of a retaining wall or structure. The cairn is situated 4.0m to the north of the Bearah Tor reave, at a point where the reave appears to have been stripped of much of its stone content. It would, however, be exceptional if the reave stone had been used for the cairn, particularly in view of the cairn to the east where the reverse seems to have taken place, and reaves generally seem to post-date cairns.

[Shown on the OS 1/25000 Explorer]

Cairn with cist at SX 2551 7426

A small round cairn with a central cist situated near other broadly contemporary cairns and a prehistoric linear boundary in the broad saddle between Bearah Tor and Langstone Downs. The cairn survives as a circular mound of heaped rubble, 5.3m in diameter and up to 0.5m high. The mound is covered by a thick peaty turf which has protected this cairn from earlier antiquarian discovery and disturbance. At the centre of the mound is a slab-built cist, rectangular in plan, with each side formed from a single slab 0.1m thick, giving an internal chamber measuring 1.1m long by 0.65m wide and 0.7m deep. The two side slabs and the end slab are upright. The cist’s covering slab is sub-circular, 1.0m in diameter and 0.15m thick, and has had small angular facets along its edge which may result from a recent, unsuccessful, attempt to fashion it into a millstone.

[Not shown on the OS 1/25000 Explorer]

An extensive but widely spread Bronze Age cairn cemetery occupies Twelve Men’s Moor, from the northern slopes of Kilmar Tor (at 396m OD, the third highest hilltop in Cornwall) down to the saddle between it and Hawk’s Tor.

Details of cairns from Cornwall & Scilly HER, generally north to south:

Cairn at SX 2511 7558

A cairn discovered during fieldwork by RCHME in 1983, on a flat valley floor in an area of partly cleared moorland pasture. In poor condition and measuring 4.9m in diameter, the cairn is much robbed and now merely the base of earthfast stones 0.1m high. Just off centre are two slabs, 0.3m-0.4m long and 0.3m high, set at almost a right angle, both leaning but very firmly embedded in the base stones. Possibly the remains of a small cist, but very uncertain.

Cairn and cist at SX 2511 7551

A cairn, first recorded by Trahair in 1978. Surveyed by RCHME in 1983. It lies on flat ground in an east – west ‘valley’ between Kilmar Tor and Trewortha Tor in an area of moorland bracken, furze and boulders. A round cairn of which only the south part survives, this measuring 9.0m by 4.0m and 0.8m high. Robbing has exposed a fine cist with four slabs set about 0.1m into the ground and standing about 0.5m above it. The cist, set in a NE-SW direction, measures 0.9m by 0.6m internally. A coverstone lies immediately to the north of the cist.

See themodernantiquarian.com/site/11120/twelve_mens_cist.html.

Group to the east of Trewortha
Cairn at SX 2479 7548

This cairn is part of a compact cairn group, to the east of Trewortha. It is marked on early OS maps as a ‘hut circle’ and was Scheduled as such by Mercer in 1978. It was surveyed from the air and from the ground by the RCHME in the 1980s. Shown as a cairn on the latest OS map. The cairn is located in a flat valley with a slight west slope, in an area of grazed pasture enclosed by rough moorland with boulders. It is circular, 15.4m in diameter, and 0.9m high. Top probably flat originally, but it has been disturbed.

Cairn at SX 2477 7547

It is located in a flat valley with a slight west slope, in an area of grazed pasture enclosed by rough moorland with boulders. The cairn is first recorded by Trahair, who considered that it could be the result of stone clearance. In 1983, it was surveyed by Quinnell onto the RCHME’s 1:2500 air photo plot. Described by Quinnell as a spread of stone 6.0m by 4.8m and 0.4m high.

Not shown on the OS 1/25000

Cairn at SX 2472 7545

It is located on a very slight south west slope in an area of pasture free of stone. Quinnell describes the cairn as a circular grass covered mound of stones 5.0m in diameter and 0.4m high.

Not shown on OS 1/25000

Cairn at SX 2471 7545

One of the larger cairns in the group. Marked as a cairn on the latest OS map. The cairn is almost circular, 9.3m in diameter and 1.1m high. There is an old excavation hollow in the top. Trahair suggests that this could be a clearance cairn, but Quinnell notes that if so, it must be prehistoric to have warranted exploration.

Cairn at SX 2474 7545

It is located on a very slight south west slope in an area of moorland pasture free of stone. The cairn was first recorded by Trahair, who considered that it could be the result of stone clearance. In 1983, it was surveyed by Quinnell onto the RCHME’s 1:2500 air photo plot. Quinnell describes the cairn as 5.0m in diameter and 0.8m high, with a small central excavation hollow.

Not shown on the OS 1/25000

Cairn at SX 2473 7545

The cairn was first recorded by Trahair, who considered that it could be the result of stone clearance. Quinnell describes the cairn as circular, 5.0m in diameter, and 0.7m high.

Not shown on the OS 1/25000

Possible cairn at SX 2470 7544

This possible cairn is a member of a compact cairn group located on a very slight south west slope, in an area of moorland pasture free of stone. The cairn was first discovered by Trahair, who suggested that it could be the result of clearance. Quinnell describes it as a triangular mound, 5.7m at its widest and 9.7m long and up to 0.7m high. It appears to have been recently disturbed.

Not shown on OS 1/25000
....

Cairn at SX 2487 7546

This cairn, which lies within a compact cairn field, is located in a flat valley with a slight west slope, in an area of grazed pasture enclosed by rough moorland with boulders. The cairn is circular, 11.8m in diameter, and 0.8m high. Top disturbed, but probably originally a flat platform type.

Possible long cairn at SX 2482 7543

This possible long cairn is part of a compact cairn group 500m to the east of Trewortha. It lies adjacent to an old track, in a flat valley with a slight west slope, in an area of grazed pasture enclosed by rough moorland with boulders. The cairn was probably first discovered by Trudgian and King, who made a rough survey of it in May 1974; although in 1974, Mercer scheduled a long cairn in the area which is probably to be identified with this. Quinnell describes the feature as a long low mound, 21m long, 3.7m wide and up to 0.8m high, though it varies a little throughout its length. Stone is exposed in part. Trudgian and King’s plan shows a number of kerb stones and a ‘marker’ stone at the east end. Considered to be a very likely long example of a prehistoric long cairn by Rose.

Not shown on the OS 1/25000

Cairn at SX 2520 7536

Cairn, first recorded by Trahair in 1978. Surveyed by RCHME in 1983. It lies in an area of boulders and bracken, on a very slight NW slope, consists of earth and stone, and measures 6.5m by 5.2m and 0.8m high. Two narrow trenches have been dug from the north and west towards the centre where there is north – south aligned pit measuring 2.1m by 0.8m wide and 0.4m deep. An upright slab forms the east side of the pit and to the north a stone about 1.0m square lies partly buried. Trehair’s view that this is a cairn and cist seems correct although it seems curious that coverstone, one end and one side stone are missing rather than displaced. There has been some clearance of small stones to the west of the cairn, possibly for its construction.

Cairn at SX 2557 7526

A probable prehistoric cairn located by RCHME air photo survey and surveyed on the ground by Quinnell in 1983. This cairn is on a slight northern slope, within an area of scattered stone, bracken and furze and is in fair condition. A moss and turf covered mound of stones, 6.5m in diameter and 0.5m high, with no evidence of excavation.

Cairn with kerb and cist at SX 2456 7503

This cairn is one in a group of three in scrubby moorland on a gentle west facing slope. It was first located by the OS reviser in 1958 and is shown on the 1963 OS map. It is mentioned by Trahair in his 1978 survey of barrows. The cairn is oval, measuring 5.1m by 4.4m overall and is up to 1.0m high on its lower side. It has a kerb of contiguous stones up to 1.1m high. The disturbed interior reveals a possible inner stone setting concentric with the kerb, 3.6m by 2.0m within which is a slab 1.4m long and 0.4m wide, aligned north west – south east, which may represent part of a cist. The residue of an excavation surrounds the cairn, with most of the material deposited to the north west.

Cairn with cist and kerb at SX 2452 7499

See themodernantiquarian.com/site/11123/trewortha_cairn_and_cist.html.

There is another possible ring cairn at SH61123094.

Gwynedd Archaeological Trust have it listed as a hut circle, but the most recent notes in 2001 say:

Possibly a ring cairn, not a hut circle. It has inner orthostatic thin slabs, no obvious entrance and on an exposed viewpoint. However, an old wall adjoins and there is possibly early field. Also rather large for a hut circle 7m internal diameter (Smith 2001).

Round house settlement to the east of Moel y Geifr, alongside the track between the Y Gyrn cairns and Bryn Cader Fader. The site consists of scattered individual hut circles to the north at SH64543572, SH64433568 and SH64423549, and a more compact enclosed courtyard group at SH64533516.

There are suggestions of fragmentary field systems around the hut circles.

Dating could be anywhere between Bronze Age and Romano-British.

Yr Eifl means “the Trident”, from its three striking peaks. The Welsh name has been Anglicised into The Rivals.

One the three peaks is occupied by the frankly astonishing Tre’r Ceiri hillfort, but is also topped with a large Bronze Age burial cairn. The other two summits also have BA cairns.

The highest of the three peaks, Garn Ganol, rising to 564m OD straight from sea-level at Nant Gwrtheryn, boasts two cairns, one substantial and intact, the other rather wrecked and fragmentary. GAT:

Summit cairn at SH36484474

A large featureless summit cairn on top of Yr Eifl. Visible on skyline from parts of Pen Llyn to W and SW and from Tre’r Ceiri to SE. Made from randomly piled large stones collected from around summit. A substantial hole, forming a shelter, has been dug into the cairn, about 2.5m wide and up to 0.8m deep. This contains broken glass, burnt plastic etc. Trig pillar also stands on cairn, also 1 small (1.5m diameter, 0.3m deep) excavation in W side.

Southwestern cairn at SH36464472

33.3m SW of the summit cairn. The top levelled and used as a platform for a small modern cairn.

Low circular cairn markedly different from the other cairn on Yr Eifl (PRN 616). Made up of small stones 5cm long with occasional larger 0.5m long slabs. Very low and flat in profile intervisible with Tre’r Ceiri cairn & Carnguwch. Could this cairn have been robbed to form 616?

The northwestern peak (Garn For or Pen Bwlch yr Eifl) has been (and still is being) badly damaged by quarrying, but there is still a cairn on its summit. GAT:

A surprisingly large cairn considering that the summit area is quite small. There is an original cairn base about 10m diameter and up to 1.2m high and this has traces of laid slab kerbing in places – not just a heap. On this has been built a modern ‘pillar’ cairn about another 2m high and there has been other disturbance as well. The original cairn is so large and well-built it seems likely to be prehistoric and resembles those on Yr Eifl and Tre’r Ceiri.

There are four cairns in a linear group towards the northern end of the summit ridge of Mynydd Rhiw. A further cairn was destroyed by the erection of the radio transmitter to the west of this group.

Coflein details, south to north:

Cairn I (destroyed) (SH2297229496)

No trace of this cairn survives; it was removed during the construction of a radio station and mast. In 1939 it was described as being 18m in diameter.

Cairn II (SH2325029497)

Cairn situated on a prominent SW to NE aligned ridge of volcanic rock crossing the summit of Mynydd Rhiw.

An impressively sited cairn, comprising a max 17m diameter spread of stone that falls away down the hillslope. Within this spread there is a 6m diameter core some 1.5m high, within which a modern structure/shelter has been constructed.

Cairn III (SH2327429600)

The cairn is situated just 9m south of and below a more prominent cairn (Cairn IV). It comprises a low spread of stone 14m in diameter and 0.5m high into which a recent structure has been constructed. Around the north-west edge of the cairn, a series of stones may represent the original kerb.

This cairn appears to have been used as a sighting point on the line of the Parish Boundary. The boundary runs up and changes direction at the cairn and there is some suggestion that parts of the parish boundary may have earlier antecedents.

Cairn IV (SH2327829625)

The cairn sits on a high point of the ridge and is one of the largest, comprising a wide spread of stone 23m in diameter that is partly mixed with natural scree. Within this spread a 10m diameter pile stands up to 3m high and has a number of modern structures/shelters constructed in it.

Cairn V (SH2330429679)

The cairn comprises a spread of stone 12m in diameter, of which some material has fallen down the slope. The cairn stands up to 0.7m in height and is comprised sub-angular stones 0.2m to 0.4m in size. A small modern cairn has been constructed onto this cairn.

The summit of Beacon Batch is crowned with a superb round barrow cemetery, one of which has been rebuilt and topped with an Ordnance Survey trig pillar. A further two barrows lie to the east on the edge of the open access land.

Details of the prominent barrows from Somerset HER:

Burrington 11/T170 (ST 48375725)

A low mound with a cover of heather except at the S where the path has removed a broad swathe of vegetation. The stone of the mound is exposed and being loosened.

This barrow is the most westerly in a group of six (PRNs 24104, 24105, 24106, 24107 and 24108). The barrow is defined by a sub-circular mound which measures 10m in diameter. The barrow appears to have been incorporated into the Black Down bombing decoy (PRN 24114).

Burrington 13/T172 (ST 48455726)

2m high and 15m diameter with triangulation point on top Good turf cover apart from the top where everyone stands. Here stones are exposed but stable.

Burrington 14/T173 (ST 48485726)

1.75m high and 13m diameter. Whole of the top area dug into and stones exposed. There is active erosion down into the central hole which is 4m diameter and up to 1m deep. Grass covered with little heather.

This barrow is the third most easterly in a group of six (PRNs 24103, 24104, 24105, 24107 and 24108).

Burrington 15/T174 (ST 48525725)

2m high and 15m diameter. The maximum height is at the rim due to upcast from the centre hole which is 4m diameter and up to 1.75 deep. Loose stones lying in the bottom. Good turf cover.

This barrow is the second most easterly in a group of six (PRNs 24103, 24104, 24105, 24106 and 24108). An external ditch is situated adjacent to the eastern side of the mound measuring up to 2m in width.

Burrington 16/T175 (ST 48545725)

1.75m high and 15m diameter Marked central depression but no stone exposed. Good turf cover, some heather.This barrow is the most easterly in a group of six (PRNs 24103, 24104, 24105, 24106 and 24107). The mound has an external ditch measuring up to 3m in width. A sub-oval depression is visible in the top of the mound, probably the result of an excavation in the past, measuring up to 6m in length by up to 3m in width.

This next is to the SE of the trig point and the linear group, on the south side of the path:

Burrington 20/T126 (ST 4861057150)

Mound 2m high and 15m diameter. Flat topped with a central animal hole Slight berm to the S. Heather covered. Major trackway passes by on the N side.

The next two lie to the south of the trig point:

Burrington 18/T168 (ST 48455711)

0.25m high and 11m diameter. Not as obvious as some of the others in the group. Cut into on the SE side by a trackway running S from the trig point. Here cairn material is spilling out and being spread along the track. Central depression with a few stones exposed. Heather covered.

This barrow is the most westerly in a group of four (PRNs 24109, 24111 and 24112).

Burrington 19/T167 (ST 4848057080)

2m high and 15m diameter crossed by a trackway running c.SE from the trig point. Marked central depression where cairn stones are exposed. Covered with turf, heather and gorse on the SE side.

Appears stable under a cover of dense heather and low gorse. There is a narrow path across from N-S which is causing some erosion of the N crest of the mound. This barrow is the second most westerly in a group of four (PRNs 24109, 24110 and 24112).

The final two barrows marked on the OS 1/25000 are to the east of the summit, on the edge of the access land:

Burrington 22/T166 (ST 4899056930)

Round barrow, isolated under heather and moorland 0.9m high and 18m diameter.

Possibly mentioned as “the broken barrow” in the Anglo Saxon charter of AD904 for Wrington. Path to west eroded by bikes and horses – path to east not as bad.

Blagdon 1/T165 (ST 4908057030)

Mound crossed by stone wall running c.N-S which is the old Burrington-Blagdon parish boundary. 1m high and 11m diameter, the W very small part lies in undisturbed heathland. The E part is very stony, part of very rough grazing. Stones cleared from the field at some time lie along the wall and on the barrow. There is also a certain amount of brick and mortar, possibly from a small building at one time, on the mound. Could have been recently dumped. A drainage ditch to the E of the stone wall approaches the barrow but stops short of it. The mound is very spread and almost devoid of vegetation.

Possibly the “broken barrow’ referred to in the Anglo Saxon charter of Wrington (AD904).

Circular ditch identified indicates that centre of barrow is mostly destroyed by a path which is now avoided as muddy – path now diverts over ditch causing further erosion.

Two substantial if eroded Bronze Age round barrows and a possible third, at the western end of the summit ridge of Black Down. Details from Somerset HER:

Burrington 8/T177 (ST 47325710)

13m diameter and 1m high under heather. Whole area rather disturbed. There are several small deep holes on the mound where soil has been leeched from between the stones of the cairn. Lies on the N side of a well used ridge path.

A fairly prominent mound with a generally dense cover of heather. The southern edge is crossed by the path and is denuded of vegetation and suffering damage. Very muddy areas may mark the position of the barrow ditch.

Burrington 9/T178 (ST 47355710)

15m diameter and 1.75m high on N side of ridge path. The S edge of the mound is crossed by the path where some stone is exposed. Mound rather uneven with stones protruding, otherwise grass covered with a few heather plants.

A fairly prominent mound with a dense cover of heather except where crossed by the path. This has removed all vegetation and topsoil exposing the stone make-up of the mound. The path has made a significant depression in the top of the mound.

Burrington 9a/T179 (ST 47335707)

The southern mound is not very distinct but is probably a low, heather and gorse covered mound some way S of the path. Stable and undisturbed beneath dense ground cover.

This area of common north of Black Down is the site of an extensive Bronze Age cemetery of cairns and cremations. Beaker sherds were also found in Bos Swallet, a large sinkhole to the west of the cemetery. Details of the cairns that appear on the OS 1/25000, from the Somerset HER:

Burrington 1/T5 (ST4743058460)

Possible saucer barrow. Consists of a ring mound and an inner mound. Total diameter c41ft with mound 25ft diameter and 2.5ft high. Built of stones.

Excavated by H Taylor following R.F Read c1925 and 1950-6. Primary inhumation (inferred) with barbed wire type beaker (Clarke’s Barbed-wire type no 784) in a grave 2ft 3ins by 3ft 7ins which also contained fragments of burnt bone. There were inner and outer ring-cairns or retaining circles. Secondary fragments included one accompanied by a food vessel, and a cremation with a primary series collared urn. On the W and SW margin of the barrow was a cremation cemetery.

Burrington 3/T6 (ST 47465836)

Possible saucer barrow total diameter 35ft and central mound about 1ft high.

Excavated by R.F Read in 1923 – primary cremation in stone cist 2ft by 1ft 8ins with fragment of polished flint implement. Mound truncated.

Section prior to excavation suggests a disc barrow. Cist was previously robbed.

Burrington 6c/T6c (ST 47435820)

Barrow 21ft diameter and 1.5ft high. One of several that occur locally but do not really fit into any category. Consists of a low mound roughly ring shaped with a gap in it communicating with the central depressed area. This area does not seem to be due to disturbance. The gap is to the S.

Information from Pastscape:

A cave near Burrington Combe, discovered by RF Read in 1919 and excavated by Professors Tratman and Palmer for the University of Bristol Speleological Society from 1919 to 1925 and again in 1929. The bulk of the material discovered relates to use of the cave in the Iron Age, with finds including pottery, antler cheek-pieces, bronze fittings for chariot wheels, part of a bronze bracelet, stone spindle whorls and some iron shackles. Some human remains and a quantity of animal bones were also discovered. The sole find of definite Roman date, a coin of Magnentius, is regarded by Branigan and Dearne as “an accidental contamination of the site”.

It was originally called Keltic Cavern.

Two cairns, now in (felled) forestry. Info from Pastscape:

Shipham 3/T8 (ST 46125844)
A round cairn excavated circa 1924. 37 feet in diameter and on average 2 feet high, a very small quantity of calcined human bone was found on the original ground surface beneath the mound,which was restored after excavation. The cairn is listed by Grinsell as Shipham 3, and by the UBSS as cairn T8. Circa 1960, a leaf-shaped flint arrowhead was found amongst road-spoil adjacent to the cairn. It seems unlikely to be associated.

Shipham 4/T7 (ST 46655843)

T.7: Tumulus 35’ dia. x 1’ high. Excavated 1923. Cremation found in inverted enlarged food vessel, Abercromby type 7, with pygmy cup nearby: the whole encircled by vertical slabs and covered by an internal cairn.

This is a multi-phase settlement site, according to CPAT. Some smaller round huts of a prehistoric type are mixed with larger sub-rectangular structures of a medieval or post-medieval type.

It’s a perfect location, with easy access to running water in the Tawe below and the streams running from the plateau above.

There are apparently two monuments here, maybe both “hengiform”, maybe one is a cairn, with maybe a standing stone near to the northern one.

All I can say is there’s a lot of trees and vegetation in these parts. And a stone.

GGAT and Coflein have the following, somewhat contradictory records:

Graig y Gilfach 1 (north) (SO02940346)

GGAT

This cairn was described by RCAHMW in 1960 as ‘a cairn 6.4m in diameter with a flat, turf-covered top, built of loose stone on a natural boss of rock. Beside it on the W is a large block of stone (? an ‘outlier’) on which most of the outline of a millstone, 1.2m in diameter, has been shaped to a depth of 0.10m’.

Poor GPS coverage on day of site visit, but NGR appeared to be in quite a large area of fallen trees. This was searched as well as possible, but no cairn could be seen – possibly concealed below fallen trees.

The site is likely to be a hengiform monument (Wiggins and Evans 2005)

Coflein

Remains of a round burial cairn situated within forestry on the edge of the summit of Twyn Gwersyllfa. The grass covered cairn is circular on plan and measures about 9.5m in diameter and up to 0.7m in height. The cairn was originally scheduled in 1961; however, the area covered by the original designation did not relate accurately to the remains on the ground.

Graig y Gilfach 2 (south) (SO0300103375)
GGAT

Roughly circular monument consisting of an external bank, now spread and indistinct and clearly visible only at the W and N, with an internal ditch 0.4m wide and 0.3m deep. Most of interior falls within a clearing, which also contains the W side of the bank and ditch; elsewhere the bank and ditch are obscured by overhanging trees or have disappeared; young trees are self-sown in the SE quadrant of the enclosure. Classified by RCAHMW, with reservations, as a ring ditch, but actually appears closer in form to a henge, though because of damage to earthworks and low overhanging branches it was not possible to be certain whether there was any entrances. RCAHM however noted in 1960 that the bank was in ten straight sections. Dimensions: 25m diam; ?c0.3m high.

Coflein

A subcircular enclosure, 21.3-24.4m in diameter, defined by a ditch with a slight external bank.

Description from GGAT:

A low mound with traces of a kerb on the W side and a cist in the middle. The mound is well marked on the N side as an earthwork but less so on the other sides. It consists of a slightly raised rim and a raised centre with a more depressed area in between.

It is not possible to determine without excavation whether this is a ring cairn with internal structures, or a badly robbed ordinary cairn. The possible kerb consists of four stones (up to 0.9m across) of which the two middle ones are on the line of the outer side of the rim and therefore probably in situ; the two end stones look as though they have been displaced outwards, especially the N one. The cist is represented by a slit-like hole measuring 2.0m N-S x 0.3m, the E and W sides of which are lined by slabs; only the W side can be clearly seen, and here the lining is a single slab not quite as long as the hole.

In a clearing in forestry at the top of a hill, with a trig point on it and a radio mast immediately to its NE. A N-S path crosses the mound and has eroded slightly into it. Dimensions: Diameter 18.9m, height c0.8m max.

Lovely little Iron Age site in a forestry clearing surrounding by dense conifers giving a sense of seclusion.

The interior also includes two Bronze Age cairns.

From GGAT:

Gwersyll is a rampart, roughly semi-circular in plan, standing on a broad ridge in enclosed, but uncultivated pasture within a forestry plantation.

It appears to be an unfinished ringwork; no trace of a marking out ditch appears on the ground but on an air photo a very slight mark completes the circuit. The diameter is about 52m and the enclosed area, if completed, would have been c0.2ha. The defences measure 11m wide by nearly 2m high overall and comprise a bank, ditch and counterscarp bank. The intended entrance was probably at the east end of the rampart where a slight bank curves round the end of the ditch. There is a causeway across the ditch on the south-east, but no corresponding gap in the bank.

Two platform cairns stand within the enclosure. They stand about 0.3m high; the centres have been dug out though no cists are visible. The larger cairn measures 11mx10m, with a displaced coverstone near the centre. It consists of an irregular oval ring of stones, c 1.2m wide. In the middle is a large stone slab, 1x1m. Outside the stones is a bank 1m wide abnd 0.2m high, which is clearly visible on all but the W side.

There was (is?) a further cairn uphill from here, to the NNE. If it still exists it’s lost on the verge of a forestry track.

From GGAT:

Carn Buarth Maen (SO0269104854)
Possible cairn, appearing as a low indistinct mound entirely covered with thick tussocks of grass; stone can be felt underneath. Edges most clearly marked at S and E; fade out on N and W. On the verge at the S of a forest ride, at the top of an E-facing slope. Dimensions: ?5.6m diameter; c 0.2m high
(1976) Now in a forestry plantation; nothing could be found (RCAHMW)
(1999) Cairn as noted on OS 6 inch 1st edition 1885 map. No visible presence; possibly destroyed by the FE or perhaps it is located within dense tree cover.