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Summary

Prehistoric bowl barrow or cairn visible as an earthwork mound on aerial photographs taken in 1947 on Galford Down to the south-west of Westdown Pool.

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1017967: Bowl barrow on Galford Down, 200m south west of Westdown Pool
• SHINE: Prehistoric barrow on Galford Down

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: 438091
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX48NE/4
• Old SAM County Ref: 943
• Old SAM Ref: 30329
• Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division: SX48NE9

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• BOWL BARROW (Early Bronze Age to Early Iron Age - 2200 BC to 700 BC)

Full description

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

'Barrow' shown as a small circular earthwork on 19th century map.

Worth, R. H., 1898, 17th Report of the Barrow Committee, 78 (Article in Serial). SDV345618.

Lew Trenchard - Galford Down, a dilapidated and unopened cairn.

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

Galford Down, Lew Trenchard. Ref to TDA 30, 78.

Ordnance Survey, 1904 - 1906, Second Edition Ordnance Survey 25 inch Map (Cartographic). SDV325644.

'Tumulus' shown on early 20th century map.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1950 - 1973, SX48NE9 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV345615.

Tumulus. OS 6" 1907.

Galford Down. A dilapidated and unopened cairn. TDA 30 1898 78.

This cairn, existing as a low turf-covered mound in a very stony arable field; the farmer apparently taking great care to plough around it. Diameter 20 metres, height 0.75 metres. Condition fair. Site visit, 19/10/1950.

"Lew Trenchard. One barrow is to the SW of Westdown Pool". VCH Devon I 1906 627.

A turf-covered cairn 21.2m in diameter and 0.6m high, slightly mutilated. Site visit, 06/06/1973.

Same condition. Diameter 20m and height up to 1m. Recent stone-robbing at one point on east side of cairn, apparently a pit dug into it. Site visit (?), June 1976.

Department of Environment, 1974, Barrow on Galford Down (Schedule Document). SDV345613.

Barrow on Galford Down of 23 metres diameter by 1 metre high and under pasture. Largely built of stone with no visible kerb or ditch. Other details: Monument 943.

Grinsell, L. V., 1978, Dartmoor Barrows, 143 (Article in Serial). SDV273224.

Site vitited on 26th April 1973. Pillaged cairn in pasture. Diameter 21 metres, height 0.8 metres.

Dyer, M. J. + Manning, P. T., 1988 - 1998, Objective 5B: Okehampton to Polson Bridge Recreation and Land Management Initiative: Cultural Heritage Appraisal, 31 (Report - Assessment). SDV266287.

Gerrard, S., 1997, 143351 (Un-published). SDV345617.

Cairn on Galford Down. Diameter 21.3 metres, height 0.6 metres. Surrounding ditch is 2.7 metres wide, up to 0.2 metres deep (buried feature). Several larger stones protrude from the cairn, possibly indicating presence of partially exposed kerb. Whole surface uneven.

Dyer, M. J., 1997, Two Castles Trail Survey (Worksheet). SDV269358.

Cairn on Galford Down. Obvious circular mound less than 1 metre high. Significant depression in top of mound. Under pasture.

Department for Culture, Media and Sport, 1998, Bowl Barrow on Galford Down, 200 metres south-west of Westdown Pool (Schedule Document). SDV345614.

Bowl barrow on Galford Down, 200 metres south west of Westdown Pool. This monument includes a bowl barrow situated on the summit of a high hill with extensive surrounding views overlooking the valleys of the River Lyd to the south and a major tributary to the north. The barrow survives as a 21.3 metre diameter mound standing up to 0.6 metres high. There is a surrounding outer ditch which measures 2.7 metres wide and up to 0.2 metres deep, although this survives mainly as a buried feature. Several larger stones may be seen protruding from the mound which may indicate the presence of a partially exposed kerb, and the whole surface is uneven. The barrow survives comparatively well and contains archaeological and environmental information relating to the monument and the landscape in which it was constructed. The prominent position of this barrow suggests that it may have also been a significant landmark in Prehistoric and later periods. Other details: Monument 30329.

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

Transcriptions of a circular bank correspond to the grid reference for PRN167210.

Young, A. & Turner, S., 2005-2006, North Devon/Winkleigh Biomass Plant National Mapping Programme (NMP) project database records, PRN167210 (Interpretation). SDV358473.

A Scheduled Bronze Age barrow is visible as an earth mound on aerial photographs (p1) and was digitally plotted as part of the National Mapping Programme.
Photograph reference:
1. RAF CPE/UK/2149/3281&2 11-JUN-1947

National Monuments Record, 2010, 438091 (National Monuments Record Database). SDV345616.

A bowl barrow situated on the summit of a high hill on Galford Down. The barrow survives as a 21.3 metre diameter mound standing up to 0.6 metres high. There is a surrounding ditch which measures 2.7 metres wide and up to 0.2 metres deep, although this survives mainly as a buried feature. Several larger stones may be seen protruding from the mound which may indicate the presence of a partially exposed kerb, and the whole surface is uneven.

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

'Cairn' shown on modern mapping.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV7455 - Winkleigh Biomass Plant National Mapping Programme

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