Homerton Hill (c.20) Cairnfield Master
Database entries
OS Map: SX 561 905
OS Source: Constructed
HER: MDV12886
Alternate name: Homerton Hill (c.20)
Short Name: CN:Homerton M
Butler map: 43.15
Exist: Yes
Record: Duplicate
Record Source: Butler
Cairn Class: Yes
Dimensions (m): 3-7.0 x 0.2-0.5
Lidar: SX 561 905
Guide Map: 4
Nearest Bus Stop: Sourton Windard Terrace (3.5 km) [Route: 118]
Nearby sites: SX 561 905
Notes
This is the master record for a cairn cemetry and as such set as a duplicate record. See individual entries.HER: Remains include a hut circle, lengths of turf-covered stony bank forming part of the associated field system which covers an area of approximately 2.0 hectares and at least twenty small clearance cairns. Several of the clearance cairns appear to have been confused with sepulchral monuments in the past and display shallow delvings in their tops. When combined with the incomplete nature of the field system the cairns suggest that the phase of enclosure in this area occurred in the later Prehistoric period and remained unfinished. Somewhat unusually for Dartmoor the field system encloses an earlier prehistoric ring cairn.
HER report from Gerrard: Visited on 31st January 1994. At SX562-904- are 10 cairns forming part of a cairnfield including at least 27 mounds, situated on a gentle north west facing slope of Homerton Hill overlooking the valley of the West Okement River. Six of the cairns are sub-circular in shap e and these range in size from 2.6 metres to 6 metres in diameter and stand between 0.3 metres and 0.8 metres high. The remainder are ovoid in shape, and these range between 3.5 metres to 7 metres long by 2.2 metres to 4 metres wide and stand between 0.4 metres and 0.6 metres high. The average height of all the mounds is 0.47 metres. Three cairns have a shallow central hollow, suggesting robbing or partial early excavation. Some of the cairns may contain burials, but the group most likely represents stone clearance connected with cultivation of the area. The individual cairns can be described individually as follows:
Cairn 1 at SX56169046 measures 6 metres in diameter stands up to 0.8 metres high. A 2 metres by 1 metre by 0.15 metres deep trench cut into the mound is orientated north-north-east to south-south-west and suggests partial early excavation.
Cairn 2 at SX56149045 measures 4 metres in diameter and stands up to 0.3 metres high.
Cairn 3 at SX56159044 measures 2.6 metres in diameter and stands up to 0.3 metres high.
Cairn 4 at SX56169045 measures 3.5 metres by 2.2 metres and stands up to 0.5 metres high. Aligned north-north-west to south-south-east and a 0.4 metre square and 0.1 metre deep central pit suggests robbing or partial early excavation.
Cairn 5 at SX56179044 measures 4 metres in diameter and stands up to 0.5 metres high. A 0.5 metres square and 0.1 metre deep central hollow suggests robbing or partial early excavation.
Cairn 6 at SX56159042 measures 4.5 metres in diameter and stands up to 0.4 metres high.
Cairn 7 at SX56199044 measures 5 metres by 2 metres, stands up to 0.4 metres high and is aligned north-east to south-west.
Cairn 8 at SX56169047 measures 7 metres by 4 metres by up to 0.6 metres high and is aligned north-north-east to south-south-west.
Cairn 9 at SX56189046 measures 4 metres by 2.4 metres by up to 0.4 metres high and is aligned north-north-east to south-south-west.
Cairn 10 at SX56189048 measures 6 metres in diameter by up to 0.5 metres high.
References
These are selected references with an emphasis on out of copyright sources linked as PDFs. For more detailed references try any linked HER or PMD record above.
- Butler, Jeremy, Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities, vol.2: The North, (1991)
- Fleming, Andrew, The cairn fields of north-west Dartmoor , D.A.S.P. No.38 pp.9-12 (1980)
- Newman, Phil, Archaeological Sites within Okehampton Training Area, Southwest Landscape Investigations (2014)