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Summary

One of a group of four barrows forming part of the barrow cemetery on Farway Hill. Partly cut by road. Visible as a semi-circular earthwork mound on images derived from lidar data captured in 2016.

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1010277: Four bowl barrows divided by the B3174, forming part of a round barrow cemetery on Farway Hill

Other References/Statuses

• MPP Archaeological Item Dataset: 134687
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SY19NE/20
• Old SAM Ref: 24963
• Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division: SY19NE9F

Monument Type(s) and Dates

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

Full description

Kirwan, R., 1869, Notes on the Prehistoric Archaeology of East Devon, 623 (Article in Serial). SDV135413.

Round barrow on Farway Hill. One of three barrows cut into when the track was made into a road circa 1800. Tradition says that sepulchral urns were discovered but not preserved.

Fox, A., 1948, The Broad Down (Farway) Necropolis and the Wessex Culture in Devon, 18 (no. 21) (Article in Serial). SDV123165.

Cut into by main road on northern edge: might be part of No. 20. Diameter uncertain. Height 3 feet.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1975 - 1983, SY19NE9F (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV345589.

Site visit 11th November 1975. Diameter 12 metres, height 0.7 metres. About three quarters of the mound survives. It is not part of Fox's No. 20. Not described by Hutchinson.
Site visit 8th February 1982. Only the southern half remains. 13.5 metres by 8.0 metres, extending from the road verge. Original diameter circa 15.0 metres. Other details: Plan.

Simpson, S. J. + Noble, S., 1993, Archaeological Survey and Management Study of Areas on Gittisham Hill, Farway Hill, and Broad Down, East Devon, 20 (Report - Survey). SDV123162.

Site visit 2nd November 1992. Stable. On edge of natural woodland. Bracken and some scrub cover.

Gibbons, 1993, Untitled Source, MPP/AI134687 (Un-published). SDV345585.

Site visit 30th November 1993. On the south side of the road is a bowl barrow with an estimated original diameter of about 15 metres and height of 0.8 metres. There is no evidence of a ditch. The construction of the road and verges has removed the north-east half of the barrow. The remaining segment of the barrow extends into the woodland beyond the verge, it is 7 metres wide, radially, and 0.8 metres in height. Old animal burrows are present within the mound. A track leads from the road into the woodland to the immediate west of this barrow. The road was constructed in the mid 18th centruy on the alignment of an existing trackway. It is reported by Hutchinson that the new road cut a mound, and that pottery, bones and weapons were found. As he was unaware that the road cuts three of the Farway barrows, it is not clear which mound is being referred to. The distance between this barrow and the adjacent barrows is an estimated 2 metres [north] and 5 metres [south].

Department of National Heritage, 1995, Four Bowl Barrows Divided by the B3174, Forming Part of a Round Barrow Cemetery on Farway Hill (Schedule Document). SDV345587.

[One of group of] four of ten bowl barrows which together make up the Farway Hill round barrow cemetery. They are aligned north-south and are situated on the crest of a ridge to the immediate south-east of Farway Castle. The B3174 runs between the middle two barrows in this group. On the south side of the road is a bowl barrow with an original diameter of about 15 metres and height of 0.8 metres. A track leads from the road into the woodland to the immediate west of this barrow.
The Farway Hill barrows, a number of which form the barrow cemetery, comprise the central section of the most extensive and densest concentration of barrows in Devon. Their association with Farway Castle [a substantial circular earthwork believed to be contemporary] adds additional depth to this relict ritual landscape. Limited archaeological excavations of some of the barrows have revealed that they have a remarkable diversity in size and form, and in the nature of their funerary contents. These four barrows form an integral part of the barrow cemetery. Two of the barrows survive in good condition, and although the other two have been partially disturbed by road construction, and one by partial excavation, a significant proportion of their buried features remain intact, including the old land surface which will contain evidence of the past environment.

Exeter Archaeology, 2003-2004, East Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty Archaeological Survey, Site No. 576 (Archive - Survey). SDV351568.

Barrow cut by road on nothern side. Remaining section 7m wide x 0.8m high.
SMR.

English Heritage, 2010, Management Agreement in Respect of Four Bowl Barrows Divided by the B3174, Forming Part of a Round Barrow Cemetery on Farway Hill (Correspondence). SDV345588.

Agreement between English Heritage and the Occupier regarding management of the site by the Occupier for a period of three years. See agreement schedule for details.

Ordnance Survey, 2010, MasterMap (Cartographic). SDV344030.

Bluesky International, 2016, LiDAR DTM data (0.5m resolution) Blackdown Hills and East Devon AONBs: 3 transects, LIDAR SY1695 Bluesky International DTM APR-JUN 2016 (exact date unknown) (Cartographic). SDV359714.

A semi-circular earthwork mound is visible.

Sims, R., Knight, S. & Houghton, E., 2020-2021, East Devon AONB Lidar Assessment and Desk based Assessment (Interpretation). SDV363914.

The barrow is visible as a semi-circular earthwork mound circa 14m by 8m on images derived from lidar data captured in 2016. Its northern extent has been truncated by the road.

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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