Details

The monument includes the remains of a small round cairn situated on the
summit of Stiperstones and close to the base of Manstone Rock, a spectacular
quartzite tor. The cairn is visible as a partly turf covered, circular, stony
mound 5.2m in diameter and 0.4m high. Although no longer visible as a surface
feature, a surrounding ditch, from which material was quarried during the
construction of the monument, probably survives as a buried feature with an
approximate width of 1m.

MAP EXTRACT
The site of the monument is shown on the attached map extract.
It includes a 2 metre boundary around the archaeological features,
considered to be essential for the monument's support and preservation.

Source: Historic England

Reasons for Scheduling

Round cairns are prehistoric funerary monuments dating to the Bronze Age
(c.2000-700 BC). They were constructed as stone mounds covering single or
multiple burials. These burials may be placed within the mound in stone-lined
compartments called cists. In some cases the cairn was surrounded by a ditch.
Often occupying prominent locations, cairns are a major visual element in the
modern landscape. They are a relatively common feature of the uplands and are
the stone equivalent of the earthen round barrows of the lowlands. 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.

The round cairn 38m NE of the OS triangulation pillar on Manstone Rock, though
small, survives well and is a good example of this monument class. It is one
of a group of monuments of similar age on Stiperstones summit and, as such,
contributes important information relating to the nature of land use and
diversity of beliefs and social organisation practiced during the Bronze Age
in this area of upland.

Source: Historic England