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Summary

Central barrow of three ploughed down in World War II, at south end of linear group of seven in Broad Down cemetery. Still visible as low mound in pasture and visible as a very subtle earthwork on images derived from lidar data captured in 2016.

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1017642: Round barrow cemetery on Broad Down

Other References/Statuses

• MPP Archaeological Item Dataset: 144373
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SY19SE/32
• Old SAM County Ref: 241
• Old SAM Ref: 29634
• Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division: SY19SE 2

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• ROUND BARROW (Bronze Age - 2200 BC to 701 BC)

Full description

Ministry of Public Building and Works, Southleigh and Fairway Group of Barrows on Broad Down (Schedule Document). SDV342868.

Round barrow on Broad Down, one of 4 southern members of a row of seven, destroyed. Part of Bronze Age cemetery extending to Farway Hill and Gittisham Hill. Other details: Map, site 'r'.

Kirwan, R., 1871, The Prehistoric Archaeology of East Devon, 303 (Article in Serial). SDV135842.

Worth, R. N., 1880, 2nd Report of the Barrow Committee, 136 (Article in Serial). SDV123157.

Excavated by Kirwan: simple cremation found under flint cairn with trace of a bronze implement. Diameter 90 feet, height 6 feet.

Fox, A., 1948, The Broad Down (Farway) Necropolis and the Wessex Culture in Devon, 18-19 (Article in Serial). SDV123165.

Other details: Barrow 48.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1982 - 1997, SY19SE2 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV342963.

Site visit 14th March 1957. Site can only be identified now by slight rise and scatter of stones.
Site visit 1975. Diameter 22 metres and height 0.5 metres.
Site visit 3rd February 1982. Barrow 'E' still visible in pasture as a spread and rounded mound, 22.0 metres diameter, height 0.5 metres. Other details: Plan, site E.

Grinsell, L. V., 1983, The Barrows of South and East Devon, 35 (Article in Serial). SDV337013.

Site visit 17th July 1972. On arable land. Diameter 20 metres, height 0.3 metres. Other details: Barrow 33.

Pearce, S. M., 1983, The Bronze Age Metalwork of South Western Britain, 441-2 (Monograph). SDV341822.

Pearce, N., 1991, Tumulus (Worksheet). SDV342967.

Still visible, diameter about 25 metres.

Simpson, S. J. + Noble, S., 1993, Archaeological Survey and Management Study of Areas on Gittisham Hill, Farway Hill, and Broad Down, East Devon, 24 (Report - Survey). SDV123162.

Condition on 4th November 1992, stable. Visible as large swelling under pasture.

Salvatore, J. P., 1997, Bowl Barrow, Part of a Linear Group on Broad Down, 144373 (Un-published). SDV342964.

The central barrow of three barrow mounds ploughed very low, to bring the former heathland into production during World War II, within the linear group of seven on Broad Down. Three much more visible barrow mounds in the linear group which have largely escaped ploughing lie to the north, whilst one further, now virtually invisible, barrow lies to the south. This barrow is 0.3 metres high and 21 metres in diameter.

Department for Culture, Media and Sport, 1998, Round Barrow Cemetery on Broad Down (Schedule Document). SDV342874.

One of a group of seven bowl barrows in linear formation aligned north-south over a distance of 220 metres with no more than 35 metres between any two of the mounds. All of these barrows, with the exception of the southernmost, lie north of the east-west road which bisects Broad Down. The three northernmost barrows of the linear group all have visibly defined mounds and have not suffered from the same degree of ploughing as others in the group, although one of them has a deep unfilled antiquarian excavation trench running across it. The remainder have been reduced in height whilst the rim of the southernmost barrow is barely visible at ground level. The height of the mounds within the linear group varies between 0.15 metres and 1.5 metres and their diameter varies between 12.5 metres and 27 metres; at least one of the group was found to have had a surrounding quarry ditch and was reported in excavation as having an overall diameter of 36 metres.

Exeter Archaeology, 2003, East Devon Heathlands Archaeological Survey, 19, Part 1; 141, Part 2: Gazetteer, Site No. 378 (Report - Survey). SDV101648.

Barrow lies some circa 45 metres to south of survey area boundary. Described as low mound 21 metres diameter by 0.3 metre high.

Exeter Archaeology, 2003, East Devon Heathlands Archaeological Survey, Site No. 378 (Archive - Survey). SDV358490.

Exeter Archaeology, 2003, East Devon Heathlands Archaeological Survey, Site No. 378 (Report - Survey). SDV359019.

Exeter Archaeology, 2003-2004, East Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty Archaeological Survey, Site No. 356 (Archive - Survey). SDV351568.

English Heritage, 2009, Heritage at Risk Register 2009: South West, 96 (Report - non-specific). SDV342694.

Extensive significant problems. Principal vulnerability arable ploughing.

English Heritage, 2010, Heritage at Risk Register 2010: South West, 87 (Report - non-specific). SDV344777.

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

Bluesky International, 2016, LiDAR DTM data (0.5m resolution) Blackdown Hills and East Devon AONBs: 3 transects, LIDAR SY1794 Bluesky International DTM 30-APR-2016 (Cartographic). SDV359714.

A subtle 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 very subtle earthwork mound on images derived from lidar data captured in 2016, indicating it has suffered from ploughing.

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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