Ancient Monuments

History on the Ground

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

Enclosure containing eight round cairns known as Bartine Castle, 460m south east of Higher Bartinney

A Scheduled Monument in St. Just, Cornwall

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: 50.1067 / 50°6'24"N

Longitude: -5.6452 / 5°38'42"W

OS Eastings: 139457.068462

OS Northings: 29325.298299

OS Grid: SW394293

Mapcode National: GBR DXFD.K0R

Mapcode Global: VH05G.3LG1

Entry Name: Enclosure containing eight round cairns known as Bartine Castle, 460m south east of Higher Bartinney

Scheduled Date: 19 August 1937

Source: Historic England

Source ID: 1006716

English Heritage Legacy ID: CO 96

County: Cornwall

Civil Parish: St. Just

Traditional County: Cornwall

Lieutenancy Area (Ceremonial County): Cornwall

Church of England Parish: St Just-in-Penwith

Church of England Diocese: Truro

Details

The monument includes an enclosure containing eight round cairns, three of which are kerbed cairns, situated at the summit of the prominent Bartine Hill which provides excellent views all round but a poor defensive location. The enclosure survives as a roughly circular interior measuring approximately 75m in diameter. It is defined by a low earth and stone bank measuring up to 7m wide and 0.2m high. The eight round cairns are of various sizes. The westernmost kerbed cairn has an Ordnance Survey triangulation pillar inserted into it and one to the north east has the remains of a drystone kerb. The monument was described by Borlase in 1750 and by Henderson in the 1930's and the internal features have been variously described as hut circles, or cairns.

Sources: HER:-
PastScape Monument No:-420611

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 earthen or rubble mounds, the latter predominating in areas of upland Britain where such raw materials were locally available in abundance. Round cairns may cover single or multiple burials and are sometimes surrounded by an outer ditch. Often occupying prominent locations, they are a major visual element in the modern landscape. 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. Despite early partial excavation and robbing, the enclosure containing eight round cairns known as Bartine Castle, survives comparatively well and is unusual because the round cairns appear to have been ritually enclosed behind a surrounding bank and there are at least two distinct types of cairn present. The cairns and bank will contain archaeological and environmental information relating to their construction, longevity, funerary and ritual practices, territorial significance, social organisation and overall landscape context.

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.