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Summary

Site of 2 possible prehistoric barrows or 18th-18th century landscaped mounds are possibly visible as earthworks on aerial photographs of 1946 onwards, on Bicton Common.

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1018051: Two bowl barrows on Woodbury Common, 640m and 625m east of Four Firs
• SHINE: Bronze Age barrows and/or 18th/19th century landscaping features on Bicton Common

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: 448602
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SY08NW/45
• Old SAM County Ref: 60 J.L.

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• BARROW (Early Neolithic to Late Bronze Age - 4000 BC to 701 BC)
• MOUND (XVIII to XIX - 1701 AD to 1900 AD)

Full description

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV132340.

Site of 2 possible barrows marked on os 1801 drawings.

Ancient Monuments, Untitled Source (Report - Survey). SDV132341.

Vis=-/6/1923 (ancient monuments). Opposite to the two barrows marked on the os map (sy08nw/7 and nw/8), are two groups of scots pines, one on either side of the road, and it is almost certain that at some time tumuli existed here also, making 4 similar to the 4 at four firs (sy08nw/12,13,14,15). Indications of the one on the right hand side are unmistakeable.

RCHME, Untitled Source (Report - Survey). SDV132343.

Vis=5/9/1990 (rchme) centred sy03608642. Four probable landscaping mounds, arranged in 2 pairs, flank the woodbury-yettington road on woodbury common.

SEE 5,IAM, Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV132344.

All mounds are steep sided with gently rounded tops. Their diam vary between 9.3 and 10.5 with heights between 1.8m and 2.6m. The 2 e mounds at sy03448646 and sy03458642 are enclosed by circular earth and stone banks, 1.3m wide and 0.7m high which lie close to the mound. The w mounds at sy03758636 and sy03738633 are unenclosed, lying on the woodbury/bicton parish boundary. Mature conifers cover the e mounds while the 2 to the w are currently unplanted. The two mounds scheduled 60 j and l do not exist. It seems unlikely that they were ever present, 2 clumps of scots pines were apparently scheduled on circumstantial evidence without being investigated (see 5,iam).

NMR, CITING PROBERT, Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV132345.

Although one of the mounds is alleged to have produced evidence of a cremation and associated finds ( see brighouse) there can be little doubt that in their present form they are the result of landscaping activity initiated by lord rolle of bicton in the late 18c or 19c (nmr, citing probert).

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV132346.

Nmr=sy08nw8.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV132347.

Des=probert, s. A. J. /(5/9/1990)/rchme field investigation.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV132348.

Des=ea/(2003)/east devon heathlands archaeological survey/report no.03.26/in smr.

Royal Air Force, 1946, RAF/CPE/UK/1823, RAF/CPE/UK/1823 RP 3001 04-NOV-1946 (Aerial Photograph). SDV354994.

Earthworks mounds are possibly visible.

Royal Air Force, 1946 - 1949, Royal Air Force Aerial Photographs (Aerial Photograph). SDV342938.

Circular feature visible to north of road on south-east side of probable barrow. Map object based on this Source.

Royal Air Force, 1965, RAF/58/7106, RAF/58/7106 018-19 12-NOV-1965 (Aerial Photograph). SDV356245.

Earthworks mounds are possibly visible. Map object based on this source.

Griffiths, D., 1983, ?Quay (Worksheet). SDV13596.

Vis=19/1/1982 (griffiths). No indication of either of these tumuli; a track now exists where the southern-most one is supposed to be.

Exeter Archaeology, 2003, East Devon Heathlands Archaeological Survey, 72, Part 2: Gazetteer, Site No. 577 (Report - Survey). SDV101648.

Site of two possible barrows believed to represent two of the four mounds depicted on the Ordnance Survey 1801 surveyors’ drawings (see also sites 575 and 576). The exact location of these mounds seems uncertain. Two groups of Scots pine flanking the road were identified as the sites of the barrows and were scheduled, however, there are apparently no mounds at these locations and it is now thought that the identification is erroneous. The sites, however, appear to still be scheduled. This area is excluded from the survey area.

Exeter Archaeology, 2003, East Devon Heathlands Archaeological Survey, Site No. 577 (Archive - Survey). SDV358490.

Exeter Archaeology, 2003, East Devon Heathlands Archaeological Survey, Site No. 577 (Report - Survey). SDV359019.

Exeter Archaeology, 2003-2004, East Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty Archaeological Survey, Site No. 2673 (Archive - Survey). SDV351568.

Barrow. Scheduled Monument.
See description in East Devon Heathlands Archaeological Survey 72, Part 2: Gazetteer, Site No. 577 - SDV101648.

Exeter Archaeology, 2007, East Devon Access Land Archaeological Survey 2007, 18, Site No. 2673 (Archive - Survey). SDV351571.

Sites of two possible barrows believed to represent two of four mounds depicted on Ordnance Survey 1801 surveyor’s drawings. The exact location is uncertain. Two groups of scots pines flanking the road were identified as the sites of the barrows and were scheduled, however, there are apparently no mounds at these locations and it is thought that the identification is erroneous. The sites are still scheduled.

Interpretation is not relevant due to possible erroneous identification.

Hegarty, C. + Knight, S. + Sims, R., 2014-2015, East and Mid Devon River Catchments National Mapping Programme Project (Interpretation). SDV356883.

The two earthwork mounds interpreted as either 18th-19th century landscaped mounds or prehistoric barrows are possibly visible on aerial photographs from 1946 until 1965. The possible oval shaped mounds measure up to 17m in length and are poorly defined. They did appear to be visible as slight earthworks, or as areas of denser vegetation growth. The possible earthworks were not visible after 1965 and would appear to have been largely or completely levelled.

Sources / Further Reading

SDV101648	Report - Survey: Exeter Archaeology. 2003. East Devon Heathlands Archaeological Survey. Exeter Archaeology Report. 03.26. A4 Unbound + Digital. 72, Part 2: Gazetteer, Site No. 577.
SDV132340	Migrated Record:
SDV132341	Report - Survey: Ancient Monuments.
SDV132343	Report - Survey: RCHME.
SDV132344	Migrated Record: SEE 5,IAM.
SDV132345	Migrated Record: NMR, CITING PROBERT.
SDV132346	Migrated Record:
SDV132347	Migrated Record:
SDV132348	Migrated Record:
SDV13596	Worksheet: Griffiths, D.. 1983. ?Quay.
SDV342938	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1946 - 1949. Royal Air Force Aerial Photographs. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Digital).
SDV351568	Archive - Survey: Exeter Archaeology. 2003-2004. East Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty Archaeological Survey. East Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty Archaeological Survey. Digital + Mixed Archive Material. Site No. 2673.
SDV351571	Archive - Survey: Exeter Archaeology. 2007. East Devon Access Land Archaeological Survey 2007. East Devon Access Land Archaeological Survey 2007. Mixed Archive Material + Digital. 18, Site No. 2673.
SDV354994	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1946. RAF/CPE/UK/1823. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). RAF/CPE/UK/1823 RP 3001 04-NOV-1946.
SDV356245	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1965. RAF/58/7106. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). RAF/58/7106 018-19 12-NOV-1965.
SDV356883	Interpretation: Hegarty, C. + Knight, S. + Sims, R.. 2014-2015. East and Mid Devon River Catchments National Mapping Programme Project. AC Archaeology Report. Digital.
	Linked documents:1
SDV358490	Archive - Survey: Exeter Archaeology. 2003. East Devon Heathlands Archaeological Survey. East Devon Heathlands Archaeological Survey. Mixed Archive Material. Site No. 577.
SDV359019	Report - Survey: Exeter Archaeology. 2003. East Devon Heathlands Archaeological Survey. Exeter Archaeology Report. 03.26. Site No. 577.

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV6530 - The East and Mid-Devon Rivers Catchment NMP project (Ref: ACD613)

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