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Summary

The most northerly of at least six Bronze Age bowl barrows forming a round barrow cemetery on Venn Ottery Hill.

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1017476: Round barrow cemetery on Venn Ottery Hill, 660m south east of Happy Valley

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SY09SE/6
• Old SAM County Ref: 52D
• Old SAM Ref: 29632
• Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division: SY09SE 5F

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• BOWL BARROW (Bronze Age - 2200 BC to 701 BC (Between))

Full description

Wall, J. C., 1906, Ancient Earthworks, 628 (Article in Monograph). SDV341465.

Office of Works, 1923, Tumuli on Venn Ottery Hill (Schedule Document). SDV343018.

Tumulus 'E', one of a row of five well marked tumuli exists on the south-eastern fringe of Venn Ottery Hill, opposite the sharp bend in the road that leads to Venn Ottery village. None of them appear to have been explored. Other details: Map, site E.

Radford, C., 1945, Interim Report of the Inclusion of Areas of Archaeological Importance in Nature Reserves, 142 (Article in Serial). SDV338183.

Royal Air Force, 1947, RAF/CPE/UK/1974/4466 (Aerial Photograph). SDV343022.

Other details: HER 37/71.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1953 - 1957, SY09SE5 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV343019.

Site visit 06/07/1953. A group of six barrows in a fairly poor state of preservation, on east slope of hill with unusually restricted view of surrounding area. Barrow F: small mound 4 metres diameter, 0.3 metres high Possibly a spoil mound, although it is the only one of the group with a surrounding ditch, 1 metre wide and 0.2 metres deep. Does not appear to have been excavated or mutilated.

Pollard, S. H. M., 1972, Untitled Source, 4 (Article in Serial). SDV343025.

Site visit during September 1972. Site densely overgrown. Only two barrows were definitely identified, both extensively damaged: (1) circa 4 metres diameter with a deep crater down to ground level in the centre, and (2) circa 8 metres in diameter and very irregular in outline. Consists mainly of tip heaps. At least one other scheduled barrow, possibly more, obliterated by an arable field which stretches across north side of site.

Devon Committee for Rescue Archaeology, 1975 - 1976, Untitled Source (Archive - Survey). SDV343023.

Site visited in August 1975. Barrows hard to discern as they are covered in gorse and rough vegetation. One barrow was seen in August 1975.

Balkwill, C. J., 1976, Archaeology and Development in Rural Devon, 6 (Report - Survey). SDV343024.

Six barrows, of which four are Scheduled Ancient Monuments, are recorded within the permission area of a sand and gravel quarry, where working began in 1976.

Devon County Council, 1982, Barrow (Worksheet). SDV343020.

Site visit 03/03/1982. The remains of an old trackway runs in a north-south direction immediately east of barrow 'E'. Marked on 1890 edition of Ordnance Survey 6 inch maps, but now survives as low bank, doubled in places. Other details: Plan.

Grinsell, L. V., 1983, The Barrows of South and East Devon, 40 (Article in Serial). SDV337013.

Salvatore, J. P., 1997, Bowl Barrow Within the Bowl Barrow Cemetery at Venn Ottery Hill, 144364 (Un-published). SDV343021.

Site visit 08/05/1997. This barrow is the most north-easterly of the group of barrows which make up the bowl barrow cemetery on the eastern slope of Venn Ottery Hill. The barrow was formerly the subject of a scheduling (DV52e) and it retains a height of 0.3 metres and a diameter of 4 metres. The presence of a surrounding ditch 1 metre wide and 0.2 metres deep was reported by the Ordnance Survey where the barrow is listed as Barrow F. It was under very high gorse and heather at the time of the MPP visit in 1997.

Department for Culture, Media and Sport, 1997, Round Barrow Cemetery on Venn Ottery Hill, 660 Metres South-east of Happy Valley (Schedule Document). SDV343026.

A round barrow cemetery which includes the above ground and buried remains of at least six Bronze Age bowl barrows situated on Venn Ottery Hill in Newton Poppleford. The barrows occupy a position below the crest on the eastern slope of the hill which lies centrally between two east flowing tributaries of the River Otter. They survive as earthworks recorded over the years by way of survey and field observations. At least two of the group have evidence for a surrounding quarry ditch. Despite some damage due to suspected antiquarian excavation, the round barrow cemetery on Venn Ottery Hill will contain archaeological and environmental evidence relating to the monument and the landscape in which it was built. The cemetery is an unusual example of its class having occupied a less than prominent position in the landscape being on the side, rather than on the crest, of the hill on which it was sited. Other details: Map.

Exeter Archaeology, 2003, East Devon Heathlands Archaeological Survey, 56, Part 2: Gazetteer, Site No. 202 (Report - Survey). SDV101648.

One of group of bowl barrows towards top of east facing hillslope. Area under dense gorse. SMR describes mound as 8–9 metres diameter by 1 metre high with centre hollowed out. Grid reference given variously as SY 0672 9131, and SY 0672 9128 (latter also given for SMR 09SE/7, site 200). Nothing found at grid references given. A mound located at SY 06728 91292 may represent this barrow or that recorded under SMR 09SE/7 (see site 200). A trackway is recorded running north/south between these two barrows (SMR 09SE/6/1), described as a low bank, or double bank in places, and shown on 1890 Ordnance Survey map. Feature not positively identified.

During field visit nothing located at above grid reference, however, a mound located at SY 06736 91314, seemingly the most north-easterly of the group, appears to fit the description and probably represents the same monument. Mound 3.6 metres diameter, 0.4 metres high, obscured by dense gorse.

Exeter Archaeology, 2003, East Devon Heathlands Archaeological Survey, Site No. 202 (Archive - Survey). SDV358490.

Exeter Archaeology, 2003, East Devon Heathlands Archaeological Survey, Site No. 202 (Report - Survey). SDV359019.

Exeter Archaeology, 2003-2004, East Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty Archaeological Survey, Site No. 2854 (Archive - Survey). SDV351568.

Barrow. Scheduled Monument.
See description in East Devon Heathlands Archaeological Survey 56, Part 2: Gazetteer, Site No. 202 - SDV101648.

English Heritage, 2009, Heritage at Risk Register 2009: South West, 97 (Report - non-specific). SDV342694.

Extensive signigicant problems, ie under plough, collapse. Principal vulnerability plant growth.

English Heritage, 2010, Heritage at Risk Register 2010: South West, 89 (Report - non-specific). SDV344777.

English Heritage, 2011, Heritage at Risk Register 2011: South West, 92 (Report - non-specific). SDV355280.

Extensive signigicant problems, ie under plough, collapse. Declining. Principal vulnerability plant growth.

Bluesky International, 2016, LiDAR DTM data (0.5m resolution) Blackdown Hills and East Devon AONBs: 3 transects, LIDAR SY0691 Bluesky International DTM 24-APR-2016 (Cartographic). SDV359714.

A circular earthwork mound is visible.

Hegarty, C. + Knight, S. + Sims, R., 2020, East Devon AONB Lidar Assessment and Desk based Assessment (Interpretation). SDV363914.

A circular earthwork mound, circa 5m diameter, is visible on visualisations derived from lidar data captured in 2016.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV8340 - East Devon AONB Lidar Assessment and Desk based Assessment

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