Details

The monument includes the remains of a round cairn of Bronze Age date situated
on a low east-west ridge. The cairn, composed of stone and earth, is 11m in
diameter and stands to a maximum height of 1.5m. A large hole in the centre of
the cairn is the remains of a partial antiquarian excavation. An upright
gatepost projects from the centre of the mound clearly indicating the cairn's
subsequent reuse.

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.

Despite having been partially excavated in the 19th century, the cairn SSW of
Bolam church survives reasonably well and contains significant archaeological
deposits. The importance of the monument is enhanced by the survival of two
further round cairns in the Bolam area; taken together they will greatly add
to our understanding of Bronze Age activity in the area.

Source: Historic England

Sources

Books and journals
Davies, J, Davidson, J, 'Northern Archaeology vol 9 1988-89' in A Survey of Bolam and Shaftoe area, Northumberland, (1990), 77
Other
NZ08SE 17,

Source: Historic England