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 as 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 cairn cemeteries date to the Bronze Age (c.2000-700 BC). They comprise
groups of cairns in close proximity to each other and take the form of stone
mounds covering single or multiple burials. Most cemeteries developed over a
considerable period of time, often many centuries. They may be associated
with Bronze Age clearance cairns - heaps of stones cleared from the adjacent
ground surface to improve its quality for agriculture. It may be impossible
without excavation to distinguish between some burial and clearance cairns.
Round cairn cemeteries are found throughout most of upland Britain. Often
occupying prominent locations, they are a major historic element in the modern
landscape, whilst their diversity and longevity as a monument type provide
important information on the variety of beliefs and social organisation
amongst prehistoric communities.
The remains of the cairn cemetery on Gibbet Moor, 1100m south west of Stonelow
Farm, survive well and provide an important insight into Bronze Age ceremonial
practices on the East Moors of the Peak District.
Details
The monument includes the remains of a Bronze Age cairn cemetery standing in
open moorland.
The cemetery comprises two relatively large cairns together with at least six
smaller cairns and similar features. The two large cairns measure 10m by 8.5m
and 8.5m by 7.5m in diameter respectively. Both stand approximately 0.4m
high. These two cairns have been disturbed, especially at their centres,
although much of the original structure of the monuments appears to remain
intact. To the south and south east of the two cairns stand at least six
smaller ones. These are visible as three rings of stones and three or more
small cairns. The rings of stones are arranged as carefully-placed kerbs
around earthen interiors with no appreciable height to them. In addition to
these are at least three small and low cairns ranging from 2m to 5.5m in
diameter. The cairns and associated features are located on an exposed knoll
of moorland, overlooking the north and west. They are set apart from
extensive and contemporary settlement remains on the same moorlands to the
west and south west and, as such, are interpreted as a dedicated cemetery
complex dating to the Late Neolithic or earlier Bronze Age.
MAP EXTRACT
The site of the monument is shown on the attached map extract.
It includes a 5 metre boundary around the archaeological features,
considered to be essential for the monument's support and preservation.
