Scheduled Monument: ROUND CAIRN 680M SOUTH WEST OF OFFERTON HOUSE (1016625)

REASONS FOR DESIGNATION The East Moors in Derbyshire includes all the gritstone moors east of the River Derwent. It covers an area of 105 sq km, of which around 63% is open moorland and 37% is enclosed. As a result of recent and on-going archaeological survey, the East Moors area is becoming one of the best recorded upland areas in England. On the enclosed land the archaeological remains are fragmentary, but survive sufficiently well to show that early human activity extended beyond the confines of the open moors. On the open moors there is significant and well-articulated evidence over extensive areas for human exploitation of the gritstone uplands from the Neolithic to the post-medieval periods. Bronze Age activity accounts for the most intensive use of the moorlands. Evidence for it includes some of the largest and best preserved field systems and cairnfields in northern England as well settlement sites, numerous burial monuments, stone circles and other ceremonial remains which, together, provide a detailed insight into life in the Bronze Age. Also of importance is the well preserved and often visible relationship between the remains of earlier and later periods since this provides an insight into successive changes in land use through time. A large number of the prehistoric sites on the moors, because of their rarity in a national context, excellent state of preservation and inter-connections, will be identified as nationally important. Round cairns are prehistoric funerary monuments dating to the Bronze Age (c.2,000-700 BC). They were constructed as stone mounds covering single or multiple burials. These burials may be placed within the mound in stone-lined compartment called cists. They are a relatively common feature of the uplands and are the stone equivalents 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 prehistoric communities. They are particularly representative of their period and a substantial proportion of surviving examples are considered worthy of protection. The round cairn 680m south west of Offerton House is a well preserved example and, as such, will retain undisturbed buried remains. Because of its complex structure, a flat topped cairn with a platform extension, it is unusual and important to our understanding of Bronze Age funerary monuments. DETAILS The monument includes a large Bronze Age burial cairn situated on gently shelving open moorland. The cairn measures 14m by 12.5m and stands 0.8m high on its downslope (south east) side but has little height on the upslope. A public footpath crosses the cairn and there are minor disturbances on its flat top. However, the structure is well preserved and will contain undisturbed buried features, including human burial remains. The cairn has a low projecting platform extending to the south west measuring 2.5m by 1.8m. The cairn stands close to contemporary settlement and agricultural remains. SELECTED SOURCES Unpublished Title Reference - Author: Barnatt, J W - Title: Peak District Barrow Survey - Date: 1989 - Page References: 30:3 - Description: unpublished survey Unpublished Title Reference - Author: Barnatt, J W - Title: Peak District Barrow Survey - Date: 1989 - Page References: 30:3 - Description: unpublished survey