Details

The monument includes the remains of a round cairn of Bronze Age date. It is
prominently located on top of a glacial mound formerly known as Archer's Knoll
with broad views all round. The cairn measures 15m by 13m and stands to a
maximum height of 1m with a kerb clearly visible around the south west side.
There is a slight hollow in the centre of the cairn which suggests it may have
been partly excavated in the past.

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.

The round cairn 790m west of Smithy Strip survives in reasonable condition
despite part excavation in the past. The extent of disturbance is limited and
archaeological deposits survive well. Its importance is enhanced by the
survival nearby of contemporary unenclosed settlements on the lower slopes of
Heddon Hill to the south.

Source: Historic England