Summary

A kerbed cairn called Seven Lords’ Lands Cairn.

Source: Historic England

Details

This record was the subject of a minor enhancement on 12 November 2015. This record has been generated from an "old county number" (OCN) scheduling record. These are monuments that were not reviewed under the Monuments Protection Programme and are some of our oldest designation records.

This monument includes a kerbed cairn situated on the eastern slopes of Top Tor overlooking the Becka Brook. The kerbed cairn survives as a circular stony mound measuring up to 10m in diameter and 0.7m high. There is a kerb of at least six edge set stones visible to the north and west and some odd stones are visible elsewhere. There is a small excavation hollow in the centre of the mound indicating early partial excavation or robbing. The cairn is referred to as ‘Seven Lords’ Lands Sepulchral Circle’ and marked the hub of seven manorial boundaries hence its name.

Source: Historic England

Reasons for Scheduling

Dartmoor is the largest expanse of open moorland in southern Britain and, because of exceptional conditions of preservation, it is also one of the most complete examples of an upland relict landscape in the whole country. The great wealth and diversity of archaeological remains provide direct evidence for human exploitation of the Moor from the early prehistoric period onwards. The well-preserved and often visible relationship between settlement sites, major land boundaries, trackways, ceremonial and funerary monuments as well as later industrial remains, gives significant insights into successive changes in the pattern of land use through time. Round cairns are prehistoric funerary monuments dating to the Bronze Age (c.2000-700 BC). They were constructed as earthen or rubble mounds, the latter predominating in areas of upland Britain where such raw materials were locally available in abundance. Round cairns may cover single or multiple burials and are sometimes surrounded by an outer ditch. Often occupying prominent locations, they are a major visual element in the modern landscape. Their considerable variation in form and longevity as a monument type provide important information on the diversity of beliefs and social organisation amongst early prehistoric communities. They are particularly representative of their period and a substantial proportion of surviving examples are considered worthy of protection. Dartmoor provides one of the best preserved and most dense concentrations of round cairns in south-western Britain. Despite early partial excavation the kerbed cairn called Seven Lords’ Lands Cairn survives well and will contain archaeological and environmental evidence relating to its construction, funerary and ritual functions, territorial significance and overall landscape context. Clearly it remained an important and well known landmark in historic times when it formed the boundary of seven manors and still lies on a boundary today.

Source: Historic England

Sources

Books and journals
Butler, J, Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities, Volume One - The East , (1991), 62
Other
PastScape Monument No:-445151

Source: Historic England