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Summary

Prehistoric bowl barrow to the west of Wrangworthy Cross being the central barrow in a line of three forming part of a round barrow cemetery between Wrangworthy and Cudjamoor. Excavations in 1934 revealed an inhumation burial. Finds included the corroded remains of a Bronze Age dagger.

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1018526: Four bowl barrows 110m and 360m west of Wrangworthy Cross forming part of a round barrow cemetery

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: 32511
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SS31NE/11
• Old SAM County Ref: 164(2)
• Old SAM Ref: 32198.01
• Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division: SS31NE5

Monument Type(s) and Dates

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

Full description

Ordnance Survey, 1880-1899, First Edition Ordnance 25 inch map (Cartographic). SDV336179.

One of two 'Tumuli' shown on 19th century map to the south-west of Wrangworthy Cross.

Anon, 1935, Excavations at Wrangworthy Cross, East Putford, 134 (Article in Serial). SDV344759.

Anon, 1936, Excavations in North Devon, 97 (Article in Serial). SDV16772.

Short report of excavations of tumulus refer to it as a typical bell barrow.

Reed, H., 1937, Proceedings at the 76th Annual Meeting, 15 (Article in Serial). SDV336033.

Radford, C. A. R. + Rogers, E. H., 1947, The Excavations of two Barrows at East Putford, 156-63, Figs 1-3, Pl. 23-25 (Article in Serial). SDV4224.

Barrow at Wrangworthy Cross, East Putford, excavated in 1934. Mound 23 metres in diameter and 1 metre high surrounded by ditch 3 metres wide and over 1 metre deep without a causeway. Central primary interment of extended skeleton, probably male, represented by stain only, in partly gabled log structure, measuring 2.5 metres by 1.5 metres with posts at four corners. Interment included untipped wooden pole over 1 metre long, completely corroded remains of a bronze dagger and a small blade of flint. Dagger belongs to Early Bronze Age.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1951 - 1977, SS31NE5 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV344763.

Barrow A. Bell barrow excavated in 1934-5. A timber mortuary structure at the centre contained traces of an extended burial. Associated with the burial were a wooden pole, a probable bronze dagger and a worked flint. The original dimensions of the barrow are suggested as 70 foot (21.33 metres) diameter, 5-6 foot (1.5-1.8 metres) wide berm and a height of 4-4.5 feet (1.2-1.4 metres). The barrow which probably dated to the Early Bronze Age and was re-constituted after excavation.

Grinsell, L. V., 1970, The Barrows of North Devon, 118 (Article in Serial). SDV7849.

Department of Environment, 1972, Group of Round Barrows North of Venn Cottages (Schedule Document). SDV340091.

One of a group of round barrows to the east of Cudjamoor. Other details: Part of Monument Number 164.

Devon Committee for Rescue Archaeology, 1979 - 1981, North Devon Barrow Survey, DCRA ND18 (Archive - Survey). SDV341310.

Site visit 7th May 1979. Recently ploughed and planted but no significant change of dimensions. Still in relatively good condition compared with others in same field.
Site visit 9th November 1979. Flattened and spread, in arable field in danger of plough damage. Most substantial of the mounds in the field. No sign of ditch. Stony composition. Fair condition.

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

Extended skeleton found in bowl barrow laid in a long structure with posts at the corners and a wooden pole, bronze dagger and flint flake. Local tradition of a bronze sword found in another barrow nearby.

Bayer, O. J., 1996, Barrows in the Torridge District of North West Devon: A Study in Distribution and Location, East Putford 7 (Undergraduate Dissertation). SDV319515.

Department for Culture, Media and Sport, 1999, Four Bowl Barrows 110 metres and 360 metres west of Wrangworthy Cross forming part of a Round Barrow Cemetery (Schedule Document). SDV344761.

Monument includes four bowl barrows forming part of a larger cemetery. Three of the barrows form an alignment running north to south with a further barrow to the west. The central barrow in the alignment is 25.8 metres in diameter by up to 1.6 metres high and is surrounded by a 4.5 metre wide by 0.2 metre deep ditch. This barrow was partly excavated in 1934 revealing a central primary interment lying within a partly gabled log structure denoted by posts at each corner. Artefacts from the vicinity included a wooden pole, a bronze dagger and a flint blade.

National Monuments Record, 2010, 32511 (National Monuments Record Database). SDV344764.

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

English Heritage, 2011, Heritage at Risk Register 2011: South West, 113 (Report - non-specific). SDV355280.

Generally unsatisfactory with major localised problems. Declining.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds

• FDV1672 - BLADE (Early Bronze Age to Middle Bronze Age - 2200 BC to 1500 BC)
• FDV1673 - BLADE (Early Bronze Age to Early Iron Age - 2000 BC to 700 BC)
• FDV1674 - WEAPON (Early Bronze Age to Early Iron Age - 2000 BC to 700 BC)

Associated Events

• EDV4415 - Devon Barrow Survey

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