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Summary

Eastern of two prehistoric bowl barrows visible as an earthwork mound on Darracott Moor, Huntshaw.

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1013671: Two bowl barrows south of Haycroft, Huntshaw
• Scheduled Monument 1013671: Two bowl barrows south of Haycroft, Huntshaw

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: 33777
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SS52SW/3/1
• Old SAM County Ref: 762B
• Old SAM Ref: 10501
• Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division: SS52SW1
• Royal Albert Memorial Museum Accession Number: EXE/A 6234

Monument Type(s) and Dates

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

Full description

Fowler, H. + Doe, G., 1867, On Opening an Ancient British Barrow at Huntshaw, 187-9 (Article in Serial). SDV339136.

Barrow B.Trenched and contained some charcoal.

Doe, G., 1875, The Examination of Two Barrows Near Torrington, 102-5 (Article in Serial). SDV339137.

Further excavated. Small cist found beneath small cairn. Cist contained burned human bones while on the exterior a bronze dagger was found.

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

Eastern of wo 'Tumuli' shown on 19th century map.

Evans, J., 1881, Ancient Bronze Implements, Weapons and Ornaments of Great Britain and Irela (Monograph). SDV322234.

Worth, R. H., 1902, 21st Report of the Barrow Committee, 120,122,131 (Article in Serial). SDV20971.

Other details: Plate 8.

Burnard, R., 1906, Early Man, 365 (Article in Serial). SDV322231.

Doe, G. M., 1939, Address of the President, 47 (Article in Serial). SDV14615.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1953, SS52SW1 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV339138.

One of two stubble and grass-covered bowl barrows ploughed down and spread, with no trace of mutilation or of ditches. Where they meet their lower slopes are mingled. Barrow B has heavy scatter of stones on it. No surface finds. Diameter 24 meters, height 1.3 meters.

Grinsell, L. V., 1970, The Barrows of North Devon, 119 (Article in Serial). SDV7849.

Visited on 6th April 1969. Barrow at SS52042159, diameter 25 paces, height 3 feet. Probably primary cremation, with bronze dagger. Mound comprised layers of charcoal and mould.

Department of Environment, 1970, Two Round Barrows 400 Yards South of Haycroft (Schedule Document). SDV4587.

Visited 16th March 1970. Two round barrows, each about 70 feet in diameter and 4-5 feet high. The mounds are practically contiguous, probably due to ploughing (a twin barrow structure is possible). Good condition. No ditch. Under cultivation.

Fox, A., 1973, South West England 3,500BC - AD600 (Revised Edition), 87 (Monograph). SDV16216.

Other cemetries with early grave goods in Devon are Huntshaw Cross, Torrington, with a large ogival dagger.

Gerloff, S., 1975, The Early Bronze Age Daggers of Great Britain (Monograph). SDV339147.

Pearce, S. M., 1983, The Bronze Age Metalwork of South Western Britain, 444 (Monograph). SDV341822.

Snowshill dagger, ogival, round heel, 2 lateral grooves, 3 plug rivets still in position. Length 239 millimeters, width 52 millimeters. Primary cremation in cist cut into 'pan or basin' covered by cairn.

Department of Environment, 1991, Two Bowl Barrows South of Haycroft, Huntshaw (Schedule Document). SDV4588.

Two bowl barrows south of Haycroft in Huntshaw.Two adjacent bowl barrows. The eastern barrow is 24 metres in diameter and 1.3 metres high. Both are probably broader and lower than originally constructed due to ploughing, which may also have obscured any surrounding ditch. Mainly built of clay. When partially excavated last century were found to contain charcoal, cremated remains and grave goods. The eastern barrow contained a bronze ogival dagger.

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

Other details: Huntshaw 2.

Manning, P. T., 2001, Archaeological Assessment of a Proposed Wind Farm Site at Darracott, Great Torrington, 3 (Report - Assessment). SDV336228.

The two barrows are now practically contigious. 'Barrow B' is the most eastern barrow.

Young, A., 2005, Transcriptions from Winkleigh Biomass Plant National Mapping Programme (NMP) project (Cartographic). SDV321540.

Transcriptions of a bank correspond to the grid reference for PRN167383. Map object partly based on this source.

Young, A. & Turner, S., 2005-2006, North Devon/Winkleigh Biomass Plant National Mapping Programme (NMP) project database records, PRN167383 (Interpretation). SDV358473.

A barrow is visible as an earthwork on aerial photographs (p1). It is roughly 20m in diameter and consists of a sub-circular mound. It has been digitally plotted as part of the National Mapping Programme.
Photograph reference:
1. RAF CPE/UK 2521 3060-4 22-MAR-1948

Slatcher, D., 2007, Deep Moor IVC: Desk Based Assessment, 4 (Report - Assessment). SDV339133.

Barrow forming part of a Prehistoric barrow cemetery surviving as earthworks on Darracott Moor. Other details: Appendix.

English Heritage, 2009, Heritage at Risk Register 2009: South West, 116 (Report - non-specific). SDV342694.

Extensive significant problems, ie under plough, collapse.

National Monuments Record, 2010, 33777 (National Monuments Record Database). SDV344918.

Two symmetric grass covered bowl barrows. At SS52042159 a bowl barrow 25 paces in diameter and 3 feet high. In 1969 flint flakes were found on it. It was opened in 1867 and 1875. In construction the ground under the centre of the mound had been hollowed 2 feet deep and 38 feet in diameter before being filled with fine earth. Over this was piled to a depth of 4 feet a mound of eighteen alternate layers of charcoal and earth; a 3 feet thick layer of puddled clay; and a 2 feet thick capping of stones. Slightly north east of the centre of the mound at a depth of 2 feet a cairn, 11 feet in diameter at its base, was found. It contained a probably primary cremation with a grooved ogival bronze dagger and, in a small chamber, a mass of damp leaves of oak and beech believed to have been the remains of a chaplet. The finds are in Exeter Museum.

English Heritage, 2010, Heritage at Risk Register 2010: South West, 109 (Report - non-specific). SDV344777.

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

Eastern of two 'Tumuli' shown on modern mapping. Map object partly based on this Source.

RPS Planning & Development, 2013, Atlantic Array Offshore Wind Farm. Enviornmental Statement Volume 4. Annex 8.2: Desk Based Assessment, 9, 21; Site 4 (Report - Assessment). SDV357386.

Jones, A. M. + Quinnell, H., 2013, Daggers in the West; Early Bronze Age Daggers and Knives in the South-west Peninsula, 165 – 191 (Article in Serial). SDV361541.

Project to date Bronze Age daggers using associated cremated bone. Mentions this site.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds

• FDV1042 - WEAPON (Early Bronze Age to Early Iron Age - 2200 BC to 700 BC)

Associated Events

• EDV4280 - Deep Moor IVC
• EDV7455 - Winkleigh Biomass Plant National Mapping Programme

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