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Summary

Remains of a bowl barrow situated at the junction of three parishes, partially destroyed by the construction of field boundaries and reused as a beacon mound. Part of barrow cemetery on prominent ridge at Heathfield.

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1020075: Round barrow cemetery and beacon at Heathfield, 650m west of Moorlands

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX47NE/13
• Old SAM Ref: 34284
• Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division: SX47NE19
• Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division: SX47NE6

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• BOWL BARROW (Late Neolithic to Late Bronze Age - 3000 BC to 701 BC (Between))

Full description

Grinsell, L. V., 1978, Dartmoor Barrows, 143 (Article in Serial). SDV273224.

Site visit 6th June 1974. Round barrow, east part removed to build walls which meet near the centre. Diameter 22 metres, height 1.4 metres.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1983 - 2004, SX47NE19 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV342331.

1. The parish constable's accounts for Mary Tavy contain a reference on 18th July 1690 to Hearthfill beacon.
2. Round barrow, 22.0 metres diameter, 1.4 metres high. Site visit by L.V. Grinsell.
3. Site visit 7th November 1983. Situated on the top of a level hill with relatively unrestricted views in all directions. Mutilated mound at the junction of three earth hedge-banks, all probably utilising the material of the mound in their construction. The present diameters are 24.0 metres by 20.0 metres overall. A crescentic western extremity is most prominent and though at maximum 7.0 metres wide, it is 1.2 metres high externally and 0.5 metres high where it has been cut into alongside the hedge. Further traces exist to the east of this hedge which bounds the former common. Immediately west there is a platform about 0.3 metres high approximately to the former perimeter and to the north-east a swelling is visible in the parish boundary bank. The position and appearance are compatible with a round barrow utilised as a beacon mound. In poor condition, grass covered. No finds were made.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1983 - 2004, SX47NE6 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV342330.

1. Site visit 6th October 1950. One of four bowl barrows (D). Remains of large bowl barrow. More than half was destroyed when the field on the north-east side was enclosed. The part remaining stands to a height of 1.1 metres and gives a good section through the barrow showing a construction of dark loam containing close grained sandstone and white spar fragments, with patches of yellow clay associated with a coarser grained sandstone. Patches of charcoal and wood ash are visible in the centre and south-east of the exposed face.
2. This barrow at the junction of three parishes is probably the mound to which the published name 'The Beaon' refers. Other details: Barrow D. Photos.

Greeves, T. A. P., 1996, Devonshire Association Annual Meeting 1996. Field Excursion Monday 10th June. Archaeological Sites North of Tavistock (Un-published). SDV342363.

Department for Culture, Media and Sport, 2002, Round Barrow Cemetery and Beacon at Heathfield, 650 metres West of Moorlands (Schedule Document). SDV342326.

[Part of] the core of a round barrow cemetery containing five bowl barrows and three bell barrows, as well as a beacon. The barrows are situated on a prominent upland ridge which overlooks the valleys of the tributaries to the Rivers Lyd, Burn and Lumburn. Two additional barrows, representing outlying components of the cemetery are situated to the west and are separately scheduled. The five bowl barrows each included circular mounds which vary in diameter from 20.6 metres up to 24 metres and in heigh from 0.6 metres up to 1.2 metres. They are all surrounded by quarry ditches from which material to construct the mounds was derived. These measure up to 3.2 metres wide, some are up to 0.1 metres deep and visible but the majority are preserved as buried features. Most of the bowl barrows have a fairly steep profile and rather uneven appearance. Three of the bowl barrows underlie field boundaries and one is the focal point of three parishes and has been partially disturbed by the construction of several boundaries. One barrow which partially underlies a field boundary, and which is also a parish boundary, was reused as a beacon and has also been partially excavated.
The round barrow cemetery at Heathfield survives well despite some partial excavation, some alterations through the construction of boundary hedges, the use of the land for limited cultivation at some time in the past and the re-use of one of the bowl barrows as a beacon mound. It contains a wide variety of different sized barrows and also differing barrow types. It will also contain both archaeological and environmetnal information relating to the monument and its surrounding landscape. See schedule document for full details. Other details: Monument No. 34284.

Whiteaway, T., 2004, Barrows, Tumuli, Standing Stones, Beacon at Lamerton (Report - Assessment). SDV342328.

The earthwork mound is depicted as 'Beacon' on the 1835 'Heathfield Inclosure' map.

English Heritage, 2009, Heritage at Risk Register 2009: South West, 118 (Report - non-specific). SDV342694.

Generally unsatisfactory with major localised problems. Principal vulnerability plant growth.

Knight, S., 2009, Westcott Farm (Personal Comment). SDV342323.

English Heritage, 2010, Heritage at Risk Register 2010: South West, 111 (Report - non-specific). SDV344777.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

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