Details

Many examples of prehistoric funerary monuments are preserved on Dartmoor,
mostly dating to the Bronze Age (c.2500-500). To celebrate or commemorate the
dead, mounds of earth or stone were piled in roughly hemispherical shape over
the burial, which was sometimes contained in a small rectangular structure, or
cist, made of stone slabs. Some monuments also include kerbstones marking the
outer edge of the mound and a surrounding ditch. This round cairn lies just
to the west of Ball Gate, immediately outside the newtake wall and less than
100m from a chambered cairn. It consists of a low mound of earth and stone
21m in diameter and up to 1m in height. The centre of the cairn is hollow and
it is thought that the bulk of the stones which formed the mound were taken to
build the newtake wall. The present perimeter is defined by a residual band
of stone three metres wide.

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

Dartmoor is the largest expanse of open moorland in Southern Britain and
because of exceptional conditions of preservation, it is also one of the most
complete examples of an upland relict landscape in the whole country. The
great wealth and diversity of archaeological remains provides direct evidence
for human exploitation of the Moor from the early prehistoric period onwards.
The well-preserved and often visible relationship between monuments as well as
later industrial remains, gives significant insights into successive changes
in the pattern of land use through time.
This large cairn occupies a prominent position on a flattish neck of land
between two hills. Its close relationship to Corringdon Ball chambered cairn
and other nearby burial and ceremonial monuments indicates the wealth of
evidence relating to the ritual side of prehistoric life on this part of the
Moor.

Source: Historic England

Sources

Books and journals
Grinsell, L V, 'Devon Archaeological Society Proceedings' in Dartmoor Barrows, , Vol. 36, (1978)
Other
Devon County SMR SX 66 SE 089,

Source: Historic England