Details

The cairn is situated on the top of Lower Colgarth Hill. The turf covered
mound has a smooth profile and rises to a height of approximately 1.5m
tapering towards its northern end. It measures 15m by 9m, the long axis
running from north east to south west where the slope is more gradual. It is
probable that the mound would originally have been fully circular. Its present
shape is due to former agricultural operations which have truncated and spread
the original mound. The monument was excavated in 1890 and evidence of this
disturbance is still visible on the summit of the cairn.

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.

Although the monument has sustained slight damage it is still a well
preserved example of this monument type and will retain further archaeological
remains.

Source: Historic England