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<< Our Photo Pages >> Roundy Park Cairn - Cairn in England in Devon

Submitted by AngieLake on Wednesday, 13 July 2011  Page Views: 8575

Neolithic and Bronze AgeSite Name: Roundy Park Cairn Alternative Name: Grinsell Lyford40; Dixon 15; Butler (V2 27.4); Roundy Park
Country: England County: Devon Type: Cairn
Nearest Town: Princetown  Nearest Village: Postbridge
Map Ref: SX6392079669
Latitude: 50.600833N  Longitude: 3.924224W
Condition:
5Perfect
4Almost Perfect
3Reasonable but with some damage
2Ruined but still recognisable as an ancient site
1Pretty much destroyed, possibly visible as crop marks
0No data.
-1Completely destroyed
3 Ambience:
5Superb
4Good
3Ordinary
2Not Good
1Awful
0No data.
4 Access:
5Can be driven to, probably with disabled access
4Short walk on a footpath
3Requiring a bit more of a walk
2A long walk
1In the middle of nowhere, a nightmare to find
0No data.
3 Accuracy:
5co-ordinates taken by GPS or official recorded co-ordinates
4co-ordinates scaled from a detailed map
3co-ordinates scaled from a bad map
2co-ordinates of the nearest village
1co-ordinates of the nearest town
0no data
5

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Roundy Park Cairn
Roundy Park Cairn submitted by AngieLake : Roundy Park Cairn and Cists south corner. (Vote or comment on this photo)
Situated next to the prehistoric enclosure of Roundy Park, this is one of the largest Cists exposed from its Cairn on Dartmoor. It lies on the west bank of the East Dart River, about 3/4 of a mile NW of Postbridge, where parking is easily available in the Dartmoor National Park car park (with visitor centre and toilets). Postbridge's other attraction is its famous clapper bridge.

This is a beautiful area with many ancient sites to explore.

Butler, writing in his 'Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities', Vol. 2, The North, writes:
"This site is best known for the massive cist outside the north-eastern wall of Roundy Park enclosure, one of the largest cists on Dartmoor. It now stands clear of the much-denuded cairn, its large size necessitating two cover stones and seven side slabs instead of the usual four. When discovered by Burnard in 1893 it had already been emptied and the contents piled alongside. Nothing was found amongst this rubble but he recovered two small fragments of flint and some burnt bones from the debris left inside. He also noticed that one of the end slabs was propped up by a 'cooking stone', perhaps one discarded from the settlement alongside. The cist had been slightly restored as Burnard re-erected two side slabs that had fallen and replaced one of the cover stones.
The cairn lies in contact with the prehistoric circuit wall, now a stony bank 0.3m high and spread to 4.0m across, which has been entirely overbuilt by the present dilapidated field wall. Traces of prehistoric occupation have not been completely removed from within the enclosure though no doubt much has disappeared. The probable foundations of at least 5 huts built against the outer wall yet remain, all associated with curved rubble banks which cut off small sections around the edge but leave most of the interior open."

End of quote.

From here one can look up to Broad Down which is the large hill that has dominated the view ahead during the walk up the west side of the river valley. On its slopes are two enclosures: the very large Broadun Settlement and the smaller more oval Broadun Ring. They're not very easy to see from below, but once up there, command views down the valley, especially to Roundy Park.

Update November 2019: This cist is featured on the Prehistoric Dartmoor Walks (PDW) website - see their entry for the Roundy Park, Postbridge Cist, which tells us this is: "One of the largest cists on Dartmoor. Discovered in August 1893 by Robert Burnard, who was responsible for the restoration of the grave".

The cist is also recorded as Pastscape Monument No. 442513, as MDC5935 (Cairn with cist on north-western side of Roundy Park enclosure) on the Devon and Dartmoor HER, and scheduled as part of Historic England List Entry No. 1021332 (Roundy Park prehistoric enclosure and cairn with cist, 560m north east of Archerton).

Note: Going for Bronze Exhibition all month and walks Fri 22–Sat 23 & Sat 30 July
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Roundy Park Cairn
Roundy Park Cairn submitted by AngieLake : Roundy Park Cairn and Cist's east corner. (Vote or comment on this photo)

Roundy Park Cairn
Roundy Park Cairn submitted by cazzyjane : Roundy Park Cairn in beautiful surroundings. (Vote or comment on this photo)

Roundy Park Cairn
Roundy Park Cairn submitted by AngieLake : Roundy Park Cairn's Cist with Broad Down (where Broadun Settlement and Broadun Ring are situated behind to the NW and NNW). (Vote or comment on this photo)

Roundy Park Cairn
Roundy Park Cairn submitted by Bladup : Roundy Park cist. (Vote or comment on this photo)

Roundy Park Cairn
Roundy Park Cairn submitted by Bladup

Roundy Park Cairn
Roundy Park Cairn submitted by Bladup

Roundy Park Cairn
Roundy Park Cairn submitted by cazzyjane : Roundy Park Cairn near Postbridge.

Roundy Park Cairn
Roundy Park Cairn submitted by AngieLake : Looking up to the north side of the cairn and cist from a low level.

Roundy Park Cairn
Roundy Park Cairn submitted by AngieLake : Looking approx West at Roundy Park Cairn and Cist.

Roundy Park Cairn
Roundy Park Cairn submitted by AngieLake : Looking over the two slabs on the top of the cist of Roundy Park cairn, from SE.

Roundy Park Cairn
Roundy Park Cairn submitted by Bladup : Roundy Park settlement, The modern wall is built on the ancient bank.

Roundy Park Cairn
Roundy Park Cairn submitted by Bladup

Roundy Park Cairn
Roundy Park Cairn submitted by Bladup : Roundy Park cist.

Roundy Park Cairn
Roundy Park Cairn submitted by AngieLake : Roundy Park (on west bank of river) from Broadun Settlement on the slopes of Broad Down. (Looking back down the East Dart River towards Postbridge.) (1 comment)

Roundy Park Cairn
Roundy Park Cairn submitted by AngieLake : Plan, after Butler, of the Roundy Park Enclosure and Cairn [Cist]. He describes it as being outside the NE wall, but it appears to be the NW wall in his plan and on the OS map.

Roundy Park Cairn
Roundy Park Cairn submitted by AngieLake : Roundy Park Cairn and Cist looking N towards the upper East Dart Valley.

Roundy Park Cairn
Roundy Park Cairn submitted by AngieLake : Directly above the centre of this gate the cairn can be seen, standing outside the walls of Roundy Park enclosure. Hartland Tor is in the background. (This is a good access point.)

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Nearby sites listing. In the following links * = Image available
 58m ESE 119° Roundy Park settlement* Ancient Village or Settlement (SX63977964)
 310m SW 227° Chittaford Down Platform Cairn Circle and Cist* Cairn (SX6368779463)
 458m WNW 303° Broadun Settlement* Ancient Village or Settlement (SX6354179928)
 555m NNW 335° Broadun Ring* Ancient Village or Settlement (SX6369980178)
 633m SW 220° Chittaford Down cairn circle and cist* Cist (SX6350179193)
 727m SE 139° Archerton Newtake Cist* Cist (SX6438179105)
 813m S 184° Archerton Tennis Court cist* Cist (SX63847886)
 829m ESE 102° Ringhill Stone Row / Alignment (SX64737948)
 887m SSE 167° Archerton Settlement* Ancient Village or Settlement (SX6410078800)
 1.1km SE 138° National Park Visitors Centre Postbridge* Museum (SX6463578836)
 1.3km ESE 109° Maggie Cross* Ancient Cross (SX6516679216)
 1.5km SW 232° Hollowcome Cairn and Cist* Cist (SX62757879)
 1.5km SSE 148° Lakehead Newtake Cist* Cairn (SX64687838)
 1.6km SW 230° Hollowcombe Cairns* Barrow Cemetery (SX627787)
 1.6km SSE 160° Kraps Ring* Ancient Village or Settlement (SX64427814)
 1.8km N 359° Lade Hill Brook Beehive Hut* Ancient Mine, Quarry or other Industry (SX63938145)
 2.0km SSE 166° Lakehead Cairn Circle 1* Ring Cairn (SX6435677766)
 2.0km N 5° White Ridge SW cairn* Round Cairn (SX64158162)
 2.0km SSW 201° Arch Tor* Cairn (SX63167784)
 2.0km S 169° Lakehead Hill 2* Cist (SX6425077696)
 2.0km NE 43° Stannon Newtake West Cairn and row* Multiple Stone Rows / Avenue (SX65338110)
 2.1km NE 47° Stannon Newtake cist* Cist (SX65468105)
 2.1km SSE 166° Lakehead Hill W* Stone Row / Alignment (SX6437977653)
 2.1km SSE 165° Lakehead Hill* Stone Row / Alignment (SX644776)
 2.1km SSE 163° Lakehead Hill E* Stone Row / Alignment (SX6449577603)
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"Roundy Park Cairn" | Login/Create an Account | 2 News and Comments
  
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Going for Bronze Exhibition all month and walks Fri 22–Sat 23 & Sat 30 July by Andy B on Saturday, 18 June 2011
(User Info | Send a Message)
Festival of British Archaeology Walks – Prehistoric Dartmoor

Fri 22–Sat 23 & Sat 30 July 10.30–13.00 & 14.00–16.30

Dartmoor National Park Authority archaeologists are offering free guided walks to visit some of the many prehistoric sites within Bellever Forest and out on the Moor. This will include a visit to the site of a very recent excavation of a prehistoric round house to find out the latest discoveries from this. There will also be the opportunity to visit the Bronze Age Exhibition at the Postbridge Information Centre.

Location: Postbridge Information Centre. Grid ref: SX 646 788. Located on B3212 Moretonhampstead – Two Bridges/Princetown Road

Org: Dartmoor National Park Authority
Tel: 01822 880272

Going for Bronze Exhibition

Sat 16–Sun 31 July 10.30–17.00

An exhibition on life in Bronze Age Dartmoor. An exhibition produced by a partnership of Dartmoor National Park Authority and the Royal Albert Memorial Museum, Exeter.Open all summer. Free.

Location: Postbridge Information Centre. SX 646 788. Located on B3212 Moretonhampstead – Two Bridges/Princetown Road

Org: Dartmoor National Park Authority
Tel: 01822 880272

Part of the Festival of British Archaeology 2011
[ Reply to This ]

Re: Roundy Park Cairn by Anonymous on Thursday, 05 August 2010
Did I just miss it? or does this article lack any indication of where the name "Roundy Park" came from? Just because it's round? Seems kind of shallow for a reason, but if that's all there is, some emphasis on the lack of a better might be a nice addition.
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