Monument record MDR6888 - Cairnfield, Bamford Edge, Bamford

Numerous small cairns in and near to the plantation north-north east of the bridge over the Hurst Brook. (1) Cairns are situated on a south west facing slope and constitute about 10 irregular shaped piles of stones. These are not burial cairns and are almost certainly an attempt at field clearance. Although much of the area is obscured by deep heather it has been burnt off in certain places and from these clear patches there is no evidence of associated fields, walls or lynchets, although the ground does have a 'cleared' appearance. Area delineated on 1:10560 Record Sheet. (2-4) Recent opinion would assign some of the peak cairns a medieval origin. (6) To the east of Hurst Brook, on the valley side and ridge above, is a group of between 11 and 14 small cairns, ranging in diameter from 1.5m to 5.0m. The central area of this group is badly disturbed by packhorse trackways, and other cairns might well have been destroyed. (7) Scheduled. Cairnfield consists of a generally stone-free area within which are 14 small cairns 1.5m - 4m in diameter. The area was probably used for cultivation. One cairn to the east side is slightly larger indicating that it may have been used for funerary purposes. The latter also overlooks a small stone circle to the north east (Scheduled separately: SAM 31223). (8)