Ancient Monuments

History on the Ground

This site is entirely user-supported. See how you can help.

Group of round cairns, 40m east of Hob's Nick

A Scheduled Monument in Callaly, Northumberland

We don't have any photos of this monument yet. Why don't you be the first to send us one?

Upload Photo »

Approximate Location Map
Large Map »

If Google Street View is available, the image is from the best available vantage point looking, if possible, towards the location of the monument. Where it is not available, the satellite view is shown instead.

Coordinates

Latitude: 55.3759 / 55°22'33"N

Longitude: -1.9074 / 1°54'26"W

OS Eastings: 405964.991513

OS Northings: 609107.040437

OS Grid: NU059091

Mapcode National: GBR H638.VP

Mapcode Global: WHB0J.N4XL

Entry Name: Group of round cairns, 40m east of Hob's Nick

Scheduled Date: 4 February 1994

Source: Historic England

Source ID: 1011099

English Heritage Legacy ID: 20996

County: Northumberland

Civil Parish: Callaly

Traditional County: Northumberland

Lieutenancy Area (Ceremonial County): Northumberland

Church of England Parish: Whittingham and Edlingham with Bolton Chapel

Church of England Diocese: Newcastle

Details

The monument includes a group of Bronze Age cairns situated on the southern
edge of a spur immediately above steep west facing slopes. There are at least
five cairns in a line orientated south-east to north-west. The central cairn,
which is the most visible cairn in the group, is 8m in diameter and 0.8m high;
to the east of it there is a second cairn 9m in diameter and 0.5m high.
Between these cairns there is a small cairn measuring 4.5m in diamater by 0.3m
high. This last cairn has a peripheral stone kerb formed of large boulders.
Immediately to the west of the central cairn there are a further two cairns,
heavily obscured by heather; these are both are 8m in diameter and 0.8m high.

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 cairn cemeteries date to the Bronze Age. They comprise groups of cairns
sited in close proximity to one another and take the form of stone mounds
constructed to cover single or multiple burials. Contemporary or later `flat'
graves may lie between individual cairns. Most cemeteries developed over a
considerable period of time and they can exhibit considerable diversity of
burial rite, plan and form. Occasionally they are associated with earlier long
cairns. They may also be associated with clearance cairns - heaps of stones
cleared from the adjacent ground surface to improve its quality for
agricultural activities; these were also being constructed during the Bronze
Age, although some examples are of later date. It may be impossible without
excavation to distinguish between some burial and clearance cairns. Round
cairn cemeteries occur throughout most of upland Britain; their distribution
pattern complements that of contemporary lowland earthen round barrows. Often
occupying prominent locations they are a major historic element in the modern
landscape. Their diversity and longevity as a monument type provide important
information on the variety of beliefs and social organisation amongst early
prehistoric communities. They are particularly representative of their period
and a substantial proportion of surviving or partly-surviving examples are
considered worthy of preservation.

The group of round cairns near Hob's Nick are well preserved and a good
example of a small cairn cemetery. The importance of the monument is enhanced
by the survival of further Bronze Age settlement and funerary remains in the
vicinity.

Source: Historic England

Sources

Other
2662,

Source: Historic England

Other nearby scheduled monuments

AncientMonuments.uk is an independent online resource and is not associated with any government department. All government data published here is used under licence. Please do not contact AncientMonuments.uk for any queries related to any individual ancient or schedued monument, planning permission related to scheduled monuments or the scheduling process itself.

AncientMonuments.uk is a Good Stuff website.