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Summary

One of at least six Bronze Age bowl barrows forming a round barrow cemetery on Venn Ottery Hill. It is visible as an earthwork mound on visualisations derived from lidar data captured in 2016.

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/8
• Old SAM County Ref: 52B
• Old SAM Ref: 29632
• Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division: SY09SE 5

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 'B', 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.

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

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

Site visit 06/07/1953. One of six round barrows on Venn Ottery Hill. Barrow "C", joined to "D" by a causeway of probable excavation spoil. Appears to have been excavated,

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.

Griffiths, D. M., 1982, Barrows (Worksheet). SDV343027.

Site visit 25/02/1982. All six barrows and possibly more still visible and unaffected by the ploughing which is further north. No evidence that area has been at all under plough. Current vegetation is gorse and heather.

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, 144361 (Un-published). SDV343021.

Site visit 08/05/1997. This barrow lies within the body 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 (DV52c) and it retains a height of 1 metre and a diameter of 9.5 metres. It is listed as Barrow D on the Ordnance Survey survey of 1953 where evidence of former excavation or damage is also reported along with a causeway of spoil connecting it to the barrow to the southwest. Some depression in the centre of the mound was noted in the site visit of 1997, but the area of spoil was not visible perhaps due to the level of the undergrowth.

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 (Report - Survey). SDV101648.

Exeter Archaeology, 2003, East Devon Heathlands Archaeological Survey, 57, Part 2: Gazetteer, Site No. 203 (Report - Survey). SDV101648.

One of group of bowl barrows towards top of east facing hillslope. SMR describes mound as 9.5 metres diameter by 1 metre high, with causeway joining this mound with that of SMR 09SE/7 (site 200). This barrow was not located during field visit. Area under gorse/grasses.

Exeter Archaeology, 2003, East Devon Heathlands Archaeological Survey, Site No. 203 (Archive - Survey). SDV358490.

Exeter Archaeology, 2003, East Devon Heathlands Archaeological Survey, Site No. 203 (Report - Survey). SDV359019.

Exeter Archaeology, 2003-2004, East Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty Archaeological Survey, Site No. 2856 (Archive - Survey). SDV351568.

Barrow. Scheduled Monument.
See description in East Devon Heathlands Archaeological Survey 57, Part 2: Gazetteer, Site No. 203 - SDV101648.

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

Extensive significant 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 sub-circular earthwork mound is visible.

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

A sub-circular earthwork mound, circa 7.5m 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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