Ancient Monuments

History on the Ground

This site is entirely user-supported. See how you can help.

Ring cairn north west of Ewe Moor

A Scheduled Monument in Malham, North Yorkshire

We don't have any photos of this monument yet. Why don't you be the first to send us one?

Upload Photo »

Approximate Location Map
Large Map »

If Google Street View is available, the image is from the best available vantage point looking, if possible, towards the location of the monument. Where it is not available, the satellite view is shown instead.

Coordinates

Latitude: 54.0759 / 54°4'33"N

Longitude: -2.1799 / 2°10'47"W

OS Eastings: 388325.388989

OS Northings: 464453.477877

OS Grid: SD883644

Mapcode National: GBR FP69.VN

Mapcode Global: WHB6L.HT57

Entry Name: Ring cairn north west of Ewe Moor

Scheduled Date: 22 December 1994

Source: Historic England

Source ID: 1013149

English Heritage Legacy ID: 24513

County: North Yorkshire

Civil Parish: Malham

Traditional County: Yorkshire

Lieutenancy Area (Ceremonial County): North Yorkshire

Church of England Parish: Kirkby-in-Malhamdale St Michael the Archangel

Church of England Diocese: Leeds

Details

The monument is situated in a prominent position on the edge of an area of
exposed limestone pavement on a slight east facing gradient overlooking the
upper reaches of Malhamdale. The monument is largely turf-covered but with
small stones protruding in places. It has a diameter of 19m and a maximum
height of 0.5m on the south side where the enclosing bank is most perceptible.
On the east bank a small stone setting approximately 0.5m in diameter has been
disturbed at some time 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

A ring cairn is a prehistoric ritual monument comprising a circular bank of
stones up to 20m in diameter surrounding a hollow central area. The bank may
be kerbed on the inside, and sometimes on the outside as well, with small
uprights or laid boulders. Ring cairns are found mainly in upland areas of
England and are mostly discovered and authenticated by fieldwork and ground
level survey, although a few are large enough to be visible on aerial
photographs. They often occur in pairs or small groups of up to four examples.
Occasionally they lie within round barrow cemeteries. Ring cairns are
interpreted as ritual monuments of Early and Middle Bronze Age date. The exact
nature of the rituals concerned is not fully understood, but excavation has
revealed pits, some containing burials and others containing charcoal and
pottery, taken to indicate feasting activities associated with the burial
rituals. Many areas of upland have not yet been surveyed in detail and the
number of ring cairns in England is not accurately known. However, available
evidence indicates a population of between 250 and 500 examples. As a
relatively rare class of monument exhibiting considerable variation in form,
all positively identified examples retaining significant archaeological
deposits are considered worthy of preservation.

Although the ring cairn is slightly disturbed, it is still a well
preserved example of this monument type, containing further archaeological
remains.

Source: Historic England

Other nearby scheduled monuments

AncientMonuments.uk is an independent online resource and is not associated with any government department. All government data published here is used under licence. Please do not contact AncientMonuments.uk for any queries related to any individual ancient or schedued monument, planning permission related to scheduled monuments or the scheduling process itself.

AncientMonuments.uk is a Good Stuff website.