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Cairn 1km west-north-west of Old Stell Crag

A Scheduled Monument in Whitton and Tosson, Northumberland

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Coordinates

Latitude: 55.283 / 55°16'58"N

Longitude: -1.9688 / 1°58'7"W

OS Eastings: 402082.035097

OS Northings: 598761.631516

OS Grid: NZ020987

Mapcode National: GBR G7PC.K0

Mapcode Global: WHB0W.QGPV

Entry Name: Cairn 1km west-north-west of Old Stell Crag

Scheduled Date: 17 September 1993

Source: Historic England

Source ID: 1011615

English Heritage Legacy ID: 20894

County: Northumberland

Civil Parish: Whitton and Tosson

Traditional County: Northumberland

Lieutenancy Area (Ceremonial County): Northumberland

Church of England Parish: Upper Coquetdale

Church of England Diocese: Newcastle

Details

The monument includes a cairn of Bronze Age date situated on a small rocky
knoll within a conifer plantation. The mound, constructed of large stones,
measures 12m in diameter and survives to a height of 80cm. The cairn has
clearly undergone some disturbance from tree planting but otherwise survives
well. There are traces of a retaining circle of stones forming its edge.

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 some disturbance from tree planting, this cairn survives reasonably
well and is a good example of its type. Significant archaeological deposits
are undisturbed and contain valuable evidence relating to the construction of
the cairn and the nature and duration of its use. Additionally, it is one of
a group of prehistoric burial cairns in the area; it will contribute to our
understanding of prehistoric settlement and activity in the area.

Source: Historic England

Sources

Other
No. 2321,

Source: Historic England

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