Details

The monument includes a prehistoric funerary round cairn situated near other
broadly contemporary cairns, settlement sites and field systems on the north-
western slope of the Showery Tor ridge on north-west Bodmin Moor.
The round cairn survives as an ovoid mound of heaped rubble, measuring 7.25m
east-west, down the hillslope, by 6m north-south, across the hillslope, and
rising up to 0.7m high. The rubble projecting through the mound's turf cover
includes occasional small edge-set slabs indicating the presence of a kerbed
structure within the mound's rubble. This cairn is one of a dispersed and
varied group of at least twelve broadly contemporary funerary cairns situated
near and upon prehistoric field banks covering three hectares on the north-
west slopes of Showery Tor. These cairns appear to post-date the partial
dismantling of the field walls which occurred after a change in the
prehistoric land use of the area.

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

Bodmin Moor, the largest of the Cornish granite uplands, has long been
recognised to have exceptional preservation of archaeological remains. The
Moor has been the subject of detailed archaeological survey and is one of the
best recorded upland landscapes in England. The extensive relict landscapes of
prehistoric, medieval and post-medieval date provide direct evidence for human
exploitation of the Moor from the earliest prehistoric period onwards. The
well-preserved and often visible relationship between settlement sites, field
systems, ceremonial and funerary monuments as well as later industrial remains
provides significant insights into successive changes in the pattern of land
use through time. Round cairns are funerary monuments covering single or
multiple burials and dating to the Bronze Age (c.2000-700 BC). They were
constructed as mounds of earth and stone rubble up to 40m in external diameter
but usually considerably smaller; a kerb of edge-set stones sometimes bounds
the edges of the mound. Burials were placed in small pits, or on occasion
within a box-like structure of stone slabs called a cist, let into the old
ground surface or dug into the body of the cairn. Round cairns can occur as
isolated monuments, in small groups or in larger cemeteries. Their
considerable variation in form and longevity as a monument type provides
important information on the diversity of beliefs, burial practices and social
organisation in the Bronze Age. They are particularly representative of their
period and a substantial proportion of surviving examples are considered
worthy of preservation.

This round cairn on the north-west slope of Showery Tor has survived well with
no visible or recorded disturbance. Its surface evidence for internal
structuring in the form of a kerb is unusual. Its proximity to other broadly
contemporary funerary and settlement sites demonstrates well the nature of
funerary practices during the Bronze Age. In addition, the site provides rare
evidence for a major development in land-use organisation within the Bronze
Age.

Source: Historic England

Sources

Other
consulted 10/1991, Carter, A./RCHME, 1:2500 AP transcription for SX 1481,
consulted 10/1991, Cornwall SMR entry for PRN 3288,
consulted 10/1991, Cornwall SMR entry for PRN 3288.12,
consulted 10/1991, Cornwall SMR entry for PRN 3291,
consulted 10/1991, Cornwall SMR entry for PRN 3292,
consulted 10/1991, Cornwall SMR entry for PRN 3299.2,
consulted 10/19991, Cornwall SMR entry for PRN 3299.1,

Source: Historic England