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Summary

This burial chamber lies on a boulder strewn slope. It is aligned N.W. to S.E. and measures 1.4m. by 1.2m. and 1.2m. high externally, and 1.2m. by 0.6m. and 0.8m. high internally. There is no visible surrounding mound, no end stones and no evidence of stones having been removed.

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1004570: Meacombe burial chamber

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX78NW11
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 445481
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX78NW/10
• Old SAM County Ref: 723

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• CIST (Constructed, Bronze Age - 2200 BC (Between) to 701 BC (Between))

Full description

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV260005.

Hughes, g. W. G. /dcnq/25(1952-1953)175/meacombe, moretonhampstead.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV260006.

Des=plan by m. Lawson (1982) in drewsteignton parish file.

Worth, R. H., 1930, Report on Barrows, 121-122 (Article in Serial). SDV260000.

A kistvaen lies near Meacombe Farm in a field of rough pasture. The two end stones have been removed and cannot be traced, leaving the two side stones supporting, at a height of about 2 1/2 feet, a capstone 4' 7" by 4' by 15 1/2" to 23 1/2" thick and weighing about 2 tons 2 cwt. No cairn or barrow is now traceable, nor any retaining circle.

Worth, R. H., 1946, Stray notes on the Teign Valley, 162 (Article in Serial). SDV222207.

Royal Air Force, 1947, RAF/CPE/UK/1995, 1353 (Aerial Photograph). SDV224714.

Birkett Dixon, C. E., 1952, 70th Report on Barrows, 249-253 (Article in Serial). SDV165393.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1953/1982, SX78NW11 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV260002.

(21/03/1953) Worth's description (1930) is correct.
(15/03/1982) SX 72498690. This burial chamber lies on a boulder strewn west facing scrub covered slope at approximately 250m. OD. It is aligned N.W. to S.E. and measures 1.4m. by 1.2m. and 1.2m. high externally, and 1.2m. by 0.6m. and 0.8m. high internally. There is no visible surrounding mound, no end stones and no evidence of stones having been removed. (see ground photographs).
Surveyed at 1:2500 on M.S.D.

Ordnance Survey, 1963-1996, 1963-1996 National Grid OS Metric (Cartographic). SDV350058.

(SX 72508691) 'Burial Chamber' (NR) marked on 1963 OS map.

Ancient Monuments, 1969/1978, Untitled Source (Schedule Document). SDV259999.

There is a burial chamber at meacombe, chagford. Vis=-/5/1969 (ancient monuments) free standing burial chamber. North and south ends are open, and the chamber is built against a north facing slope. The side stones still support the cover forming a trilithon. Robbed. There is no cairn, barrow, or retaining circle traceable. The chamber is surrounded by a scatter of loose moor stones in rough pasture. Worth classed this as a cist, owing to its small size. But it is built "above" ground and therefore should be classed as a chamber tomb, cf broadsands. This is presumably a late example.
Vis=29/12/1978(ancient monuments) the monument is undisturbed and stands in a small area of unfenced rough moorland surrounded by improved pasture which is itself enclosed. The owner confirmed that the area is used as permanent pasture. Grazing animals have access to the immediate area of the stones. Although there is some treading down and loss of grass, there appears to be no damage to the monument which stands clear and in good condition.

English Heritage, 1969-1989, English Heritage Records Office SAM Record, SAM: 10627 (Un-published). SDV349864.

A free-standing burial chamber. Two uprights support a capstone. 1.37 meters by 1.1 meters by 0.8 meters thick. The north and south enclosures are open and the chamber is built into a north-facing slope. Internal measurements 1.1 meters long, 0.75 meters high, 0.6 meters wide. Surrounded by a scatter of loose moor-stones in rough pasture. (Scheduling text 1969)
The monument is undisturbed and stands in a small area of unfenced rough moorland surrounded by an improved pasture which is itself unenclosed. The capstone is considerably thicker than described. It varies from c. 0.4 – 0.6 meters. (Field Monument Warden visit 04/01/1979)
The site lies on a north-west facing slope and the chamber although free-standing and above ground backs onto the slope. Two uprights support a massive capstone which is almost cubic in appearance, measuring 1.2 meters by 1.2 meters and 0.5 -0.7 meters in thickness. The uprights are set to give a long narrow chamber about 1.0 meter long and 0.56 meters wide, 0.7 meters deep, with both end stones missing. The south-west stone leans inwardly slightly giving a width of 0.45 meters immediately under the capstone.
The chamber is orientated north-west by south-east. The individual side stones are 1.0 meters long on the south-west side and 1.2 meters long on the north-east side, 0.3- 0.4 meters thick. The capstone lies horizontally on them and is supported nearly at its edges. The chamber stands in a rough area of field with some larger stones and rock outcrops; there are also many small stones probably resulting from field clearance elsewhere, but nothing resembling a cairn or retaining circle. Other zones of the field are cleared and reclaimed. (Field Monument Warden visit 17/03/1982)
No change. Gorse is growing as close as 0.5 meters from the cist on the north side and 2.0 -3.0 meters elsewhere. One root growing among the stones of the chamber has been cut and treated. (Field Monument Warden visit 10/12/1984)
Field in which the site lies has been cleared and re-seeded with grass leaving the site in an island of rough grass with gorse and bracken. At south-west end of this island and c. 30 meters from the stones of the chamber is a large dump of cleared stone. Site itself is undisturbed. Gorse in the vicinity has not yet been cut. (Field Monument Warden visit 11/10/1985)
Site stands in an area of permanent grass reserved in a re-seeded field. Gorse in the vicinity of the chamber has been cut.
A silage rack has been placed c. 15 meters south of the burial chamber. Was heavy treading round the rack and a track had been trodden by cattle leading north from the rack passing close by the east side of the stones of the chamber. (Field Monument Warden visit 30/10/1986)
Erosion round the base of the stones is slightly worse than on previous visit.
The feeding rack has been removed and the area where is stood is bare earth in process of being re-seeded. The site is otherwise undisturbed and the grass fairly short. (Field Monument Warden visit 14/07/1987)
No change. (Field Monument Warden visit 12/07/1988)
Grass cover around the monument is satisfactory except that cattle have trodden a small path close round the stones. No feeding rack was placed in the area last winter. (Field Monument Warden visit 14/07/1988)
Field under grass. The eroded areas round the base of the stones of the chamber are beginning to green over. (Field Monument Warden visit 14/04/1989)

Grinsell, L. V., 1978, Dartmoor Barrows, 132 (Article in Serial). SDV273224.

(April 1973) Placed SE/NW. No measurements given. Siting, ridge.

Robinson, R., 1982, List of Field Monument Warden Visits 1982 (Un-published). SDV342809.

Visited 17/03/1982.

Royal Commission on the Historical Monuments of England, 1985, Aerial Photograph Project (Dartmoor) - Dartmoor Pre-NMP (Cartographic). SDV319854.

Visible and recorded.

Ordnance Survey, 2012, MasterMap (Cartographic). SDV348725.

Map object is based on this source.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

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