Details

The monument includes a cairn 7m in diameter, and a carved rock which is
embedded in the cairn. It is situated on Barningham Moor, in the modern
sheep-grazing enclosure known as Scale Knoll Allotment. The monument is north
of the road from Barningham to East Hope, on a small knoll west of Cowclose
Gill.
The cairn is composed of sandstone rocks, and survives to a height of 0.7m. It
has been slightly disturbed by stone-robbing in the past, which has given it
an irregular shape.
The carved rock is visible embedded in the southwest side of the cairn, and is
partly covered by vegetation. It is not possible to establish whether the rock
is part of the cairn material or predates the cairn. The visible part of the
rock measures 0.8m by 0.35m by 0.1m. The carving consists of two large cups
joined by a groove, and one small cup.

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.

Prehistoric rock carving is found on natural boulders and rock outcrops in
many areas of upland Britain. It is especially common in the north of England
in Northumberland, Durham, and North and West Yorkshire. The most common form
of decoration is the `cup' marking, where small cup-like hollows are worked
into the surface of the rock. These cups may be surrounded by one or more
`rings'. Single pecked lines extending from the cup through the rings may also
exist, providing the design with a `tail'. Other shapes and patterns also
occur but are less frequent. Carvings may occur singly, in small groups, or
may cover extensive areas of rock surface. They date to the Late Neolithic and
Bronze Age periods (2800-c.500 BC) and provide one of our most important
insights into prehistoric `art'. The exact meaning of the designs remains
unknown, but they may be interpreted as sacred or religious symbols. All
positively identified prehistoric rock carvings sites will normally be
identified as nationally important.
The carved rock and cairn 460m west of Haythaite form part of a wider group of
carved rocks and other prehistoric remains on Barningham Moor. The carving on
the rock survives well. Although the cairn has been slightly disturbed by
stone-robbing, it retains evidence of its form and location. Information on
the relationship between the carved rock and the burial cairn will be
preserved.

Source: Historic England