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Viewing swaag.org website implies consent to set cookies on your computer. Full details Swaledale and Arkengarthdale Archaeology Group
Registered Charitable Incorporated Organisation Number 1155775
SWAAG Honorary President:
Tim Laurie F,S,A,

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 *****SWAAG_ID***** 166
 Date Entered 24/03/2011
 Updated on 24/03/2011
 Recorded by Tim Laurie
 Category Burial Mounds and Cairns
 Record Type Archaeology
 SWAAG Site Name 
 Site Type 
 Site Name 
 Site Description 
 Site Access Public Access Land
 Record Date 22/03/2011
 Location Arkengarthdale Moor
 Civil Parish Arkengarthdale
 Brit. National Grid NY 96622 04979
 Altitude 428m
 Geology Sandstones below the Main Limestone
 Record Name Round Cairn above Great Punchard Gill
 Record Description Large round stone cairn with internal circular kerbed ring cairn. This burial monument has been severely quarried and two phases of construction are now visible, although the stone kerbed ring cairn would have been covered by the Phase 2 cairn which was built to cover this feature and enhance the appearance of the site. This round cairn was false crested with views to the south straight down Arkengarthdale. It is located on the upper slopes of the hillside to the north of Great Punchard Gill and was constructed at the the point where the Fells of the Pennine Escarpment overlook the Vale of Eden to the north of the summit of Stainmore Pass first become visible There can be little doubt that the route through Arkengarthdale and Stainmore (together with those which follow the route of the Badger Way following the northern edge of Teesdale crossing Gayles Moor, Barningham Moor and Scargill Moor to reach Bowes and the Stainmore Pass from Richmond) provide the lowest and easiest crossing of the Pennines for the traveller on foot during Prehistory from the South and East to the North and West. That is to say from the Vales of Mowbray and York across Stainmore to the Vale of Eden, to the West Of Scotland, Galloway and thence to Ireland. No other Pennine crossing has these direct advantages of a low elevation and direct route to the North and West.
 Dimensions 12m diameter overall the phase 2 round cairn.
 Geographical area 
 Species 
 Scientific Name 
 Common / Notable Species 
 Tree and / or Stem Girth 
 Tree: Position / Form / Status 
 Tree Site ID 0
 Associated Site SWAAG ID 0
 Additional Notes In recent years a number of significant prehistoric sites have been recognised in Arkengarthdale and on the northern edge of Teesdale to reinforce the speculative conclusion that the Arkengarthdale/Stainmore Pennine Route and the Badger Way Route were known and adopted by Late Neolithic/ Bronze Age travellers.
 Image 1 ID 482         Click image to enlarge
 Image 1 Description The Punchard Round Cairn. View north-west towards Stainmore and the High Fells which overlook the Eden valley
 Image 2 ID 483         Click image to enlarge
 Image 2 Description The Punchard Round Cairn. View south-east through Arkengarthdale towards the Vale of Mowbray.
 Image 3 ID 484         Click image to enlarge
 Image 3 Description The Punchard Round Cairn. Showing the effects of quarrying operations.
 Image 4 ID 485         Click image to enlarge
 Image 4 Description The Punchard Round Cairn. View southward towards Little Punchard Gill.
 Image 5 ID 486         Click image to enlarge
 Image 5 Description The Punchard Round Cairn. Detail of the phase 1 ring kerb below the phase 2 cairn
 Image 6 ID 487         Click image to enlarge
 Image 6 Description The Punchard Round Cairn. Detail of the Phase 2 ring kerb.
 Image 7 ID 488         Click image to enlarge
 Image 7 Description The Punchard Round Cairn. View to the higher ground south of the cairn.
 Image 8 ID 489         Click image to enlarge
 Image 8 Description The Punchard Round Cairn. Satellite cairn adjacent to the ring cairn.
 Image 9 ID 490         Click image to enlarge
 Image 9 Description The Punchard Round Cairn. Vview westward to higher ground.
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