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Summary

Large, well preserved barrow near to summit of Ball Hill. One of a row of four at the northern end of Broad Down round barrow cemetery. Visible as a distinct circular mound earthwork on images derived from lidar data captured in 2016.

Location

Protected Status

• SHINE: Four Prehistoric barrows on Broad Down
• Scheduled Monument 1017642: Round barrow cemetery on Broad Down

Other References/Statuses

• MPP Archaeological Item Dataset: 144369
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SY19SE/30
• Old SAM County Ref: 241B
• Old SAM Ref: 29634
• Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division: SY19SE 3

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.

One of two small mounds near summit of Ball Hill. Not on Ordnance Survey map. In southern section of Bronze Age cemetery extending to Farway Hill and Gittisham Hill.

Worth, R. N., 1880, 2nd Report of the Barrow Committee, 139 (Article in Serial). SDV123157.

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

Ordnance Survey, 1982 - 1983, SY19SE3 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV342956.

Site visit on 19th November 1975. Barrow inaccessible in dense gorse cover on open moorland.
Site visit on 2nd February 1982. Grass covered and of flint and earth, 7.2 metres in diameter and 0.6 metres high with a flat top 3 metres across. It has a ditch, barely traceable around the east half but 1.5 metres wide and 0.3 metres deep around the west, where it seems to have been re-cut. No obvious sign of excavation, but possibly a 'restored' barrow. Other details: Plan, site B.

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

Other details: Site 37a.

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.

Site visit on 4th November 1992. Not visible from public footpath.

Salvatore, J. P., 1997, Two Bowl Barrows on Ball Hill, Broad Down, 144369 (Un-published). SDV342960.

One of two bowl barrows adjacent to each other near the summit of Ball Hill, at the northern end of the Broad Down round barrow cemetery. Both barrow mounds are flat topped, 0.7 metres high, and have a diameter of 7.4 metres. Poor quality flint nodules visible in the barrow matrix.

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

Exeter Archaeology, 2002, Ball Hill (Site Visit). SDV351833.

Site visit on 5th April 2002, to ploughed area on Ball Hill adjacent to barrows. No finds were recovered or features identified in the ploughed and disturbed areas. None of the barrows appear to have been affected.

Manning, P. T., 2002, Barrows on Ball Hill (Correspondence). SDV342958.

A survey was undertaken by Exeter Archaeology after ploughing close to the barrow group in July 2002. This barrow was not positively identified. A patch of gorse at this location had earthworks under it containing or possibly caused by animal burrows. The area was badly trampled by cattle.

Vulliamy, C., 2002, Damage Report (Report - non-specific). SDV342957.

There is one large and well preserved barrow with a second very low barrow close to it. Ploughing took place in this field in January, and the plough went immediately around the central barrow, within the area of the filled ditch and between the two barrows. Because this part of the field is often wet, the ditch has been regularly paddled by grazing cattle. As a result the soil to the depth affected by the plough has already been disturbed. It appears that the outer side of the ditch has not been disturbed. The circle ploughed around the barrow was rolled flat before more internal damage was caused.

Exeter Archaeology, 2003, East Devon Heathlands Archaeological Survey, 19 and 24, Part 1; 139, Part 2: Gazetteer, Site No. 368 (Report - Survey). SDV101648.

SMR describes flat topped barrow 7.4 metres diameter by 0.7 metre high with flint nodules exposed by probable rabbit disturbance (1997). This barrow was not positively identified during field survey. A patch of gorse at this location (which has a tree at its centre) has a low mound beneath it which contains, or may be caused by, animal burrows.

Exeter Archaeology, 2003, East Devon Heathlands Archaeological Survey, Site No. 368 (Archive - Survey). SDV358490.

Exeter Archaeology, 2003, East Devon Heathlands Archaeological Survey, Site No. 368 (Report - Survey). SDV359019.

Exeter Archaeology, 2003-2004, East Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty Archaeological Survey, Site No. 350 (Archive - Survey). SDV351568.

SMR record barrow 7.4 metres diameter by 0.7 metre high. Feature not positively identified on ground in 2002. Low mound beneath gorse contains or may be caused by animal burrows. Scheduled Monument.

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 distinct circular 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 distinct circular earthwork mound circa 7.5m across on images derived from lidar data captured in 2016.

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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