Cairnfield 320m North of Saltersitch Bridge, Eastern Moors

Summary

Group of at least 12 cairns forming a compact cairnfield, interpreted as evidence for prehistoric land clearance for settlement and agriculture.

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Description

(1) The cairnfield was recorded by John Barnatt in his 1986 Derbyshire Archaeology Journal article as cairnfield 17 'Salter Sitch'. He notes that "On a flat shelf at the southern end of the Brown Edge ridge is a small cairnfield (Derbys SMR 8077) comprising from 12 to 14 cairns with diameters ranging from 1.5 to 3.5m. Their distribution at the edge of a stone-free area where more surface stones might be expected suggests that they are clearance cairns (Barnatt, 1986 - SZE6589)

(2) The cairnfield was designated as a Scheduled Monument in 1999. The site comprises of a group of at least 12 cairns forming a compact cairnfield, interpreted as evidence for prehistoric land clearance for settlement and agriculture. It occupies a relatively well-drained location standing on a bluff of moorland directly overlooking a brook, the Salter Sitch. The cairnfield is composed of between 12 and 14 individual cairns, ranging from approximately 1.5m to 3.5m in diameter. The cairns are located on a flat shelf at the southern end of the Brown Edge ridge overlooking saltersitch brook. The distribution of the cairns lie at the edge of a stone-free area where more surface stones might be expected suggesting that the structures are evidence for prehistoric land clearance for settlement and agriculture. Some of the cairns are slightly ovoid in shape indicating that they may once have formed part of a linear field bank. Many of the cairns appear to be undisturbed, while other cairns have been damaged by hollow ways which cross the moorland or by stone robbing. Stone scatters exposed by heather burning indicate that the cairnfield was probably once more extensive. Although the cairnfield appears isolated, there are more extensive Bronze Age settlement remains to the south west which are the subject of separate scheduling. The cairnfield, 320m north of Saltersitch Bridge contains many well preserved cairns where buried information is likely to survive intact. As such, it is important to our understanding of prehistoric agriculture and settlement on the gritstone moors of the Peak District (Historic England's scheduling description last amended in 2019 - SNA66471).

(3) Between winter 2013 and 2015 Eastern Moors Partnership archaeology volunteer monitors conducted field visits of the site and reported that it appears that the SK 29021 78542 grid reference given in Historic England's 1999 Scheduling entry was incorrect and that the boundary of the site was mapped incorrectly. The EMP volunteers found that John Barnatt's survey (Derbyshire Archaeological Journal, 1986: 41-42) actually gave the central point of the site (described as Saltersitch cairnfield) as SK 28853 78254 (SNA66609).

(4) In June 2019 Historic England and the DCMS approved an amendment to the schedulding description. The entry name was changed to Cairnfield 320m North of Saltersitch Bridge, Eastern Moors' and the grid reference changed from SK 29021 78542 to SK 28875 78237 (SNA68026).

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