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Summary

Prehistoric bowl barrow at Codden Beacon surrounded by a mutilated ditch and surmounted by a triangulation pillar

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1016229: Bowl barrow at Codden Beacon
• SHINE: Prehistoric barrow at Codden Beacon

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: 33686
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SS52NE/3
• Old SAM County Ref: 646
• Old SAM Ref: 30306
• Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division: SS52NE3

Monument Type(s) and Dates

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

Full description

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

'Codden Beacon (Tumulus)' shown on 19th century map as a circular feature on the south side of a path across Codden Hill with a U-shaped outer earthwork to the west, south and east. A triangulation point is shown in the centre.

Gover, J. E. B. + Mawer, A. + Stenton, F. M., 1931, The Place-Names of Devon: Part One, 353 (Monograph). SDV1312.

Coddon Hill. 192 metres above sea level. Mentioned as 'Coddeton' in 1281, 'Codden' in 1333. Codda's Farm or Dun. John Ogilby, Brittania, 1675, at Map 33 mentions Cotton Beacon of stone and shows the fire basket mounted at the top of a steep stone stair. The site commands the valley of the Taw inland of Barnstaple. Coddon Barrow. Round. Other details: Part II.

Ordnance Survey, 1938, 13SE. Revision of 1903 with additions in 1938. Provisional Edition (Cartographic). SDV335653.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1953, SS52NE3 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV320946.

Shapeless mound 21 metres by 19 metres. Surrounded by a mutilated ditch and surmounted by a triangulation pillar
Grass covered bowl barrow known as Codden Beacon with a ditch visible around most of the circumference.

Russell, P., 1955, Fire Beacons in Devon, 282 (Article in Serial). SDV336138.

Other details: Appendix A.

Ministry of Public Building and Works, 1968, Codden Beacon Round Barrow (Schedule Document). SDV344914.

Codden Beacon round barrow about 4 feet (1.22 metres) high by 60 yards (54.86 metres?) diameter. Much of the ditch is visible. Small pit on the west side. Flat top with triangulation point.

Ancient Monuments, 1968, Untitled Source (Un-published). SDV71325.

Site visited in 1968. Codden Beacon round barrow. Much of ditch is visible. Small pit on the west side. Flat top with triangulation pillar on top.

Grinsell, L. V., 1970, The Barrows of North Devon, 105, 111 (Article in Serial). SDV7849.

Ditch visible around most of the circumference crowned by concrete Ordnance Survey triangulation point.

Snell, R., 1986, Green Lanes in Devon Project (Un-published). SDV8442.

Department for Culture, Media and Sport, 1997, Bowl Barrow at Codden Beacon (Schedule Document). SDV344915.

Bowl barrow at Codden Beacon includes a Bronze Age bowl barrow with a later 20th century memorial. It is situated on a high upland ridge with views across the valley of the River Taw and extending to Dartmoor, Exmoor and the sea beyond Barnstaple. The monument survives as a 17.4 metre diameter circular mound standing up to 1.6 metres high. The surrounding ditch measures from 2.9 metres wide on the western side to 3.4 metres wide on the northern side and is between 0.1 and 0.2 metres deep. The ditch has been cut on the southern side by the construction of a 2.5 metre wide by 1 metre deep ditch with a stone built ha-ha. The top of the mound was partly cut to facilitate the construction of a stone memorial. A circular paved plinth lies on top of the mound and this is 6.3 metres diameter. Above is a stone pillar dedicated to Caroline Thorpe, late wife of the Right Honourable Jeremy Thorpe MP, and a tablet indicates its dedication by the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Bishop of Crediton in 1971. The pillar itself is 3.5 metres high. On the western side of the mound a memorial stone bench was inserted which has cut the mound slightly on this side. There is also a paved area in front of the seat. This was erected in the 1970s and is dedicated to Stanley J H Verney R.A.F.V.R. 1918-1943. The bench, paved plinth and paved area are excluded from the scheduling although the ground beneath these features is included.

Devon County Council, 2000, Fire Beacons: Warning Signals across the Countryside (Monograph). SDV320945.

National Monuments Record, 2010, 33686 (National Monuments Record Database). SDV344913.

A Bronze Age bowl barrow with a later, 20th century, memorial. The barrow survives as a 17.4 metre diameter circular mound standing up to 1.6 metres high. The surrounding ditch from which material was quarried to construct the mound measures from 2.9 metres wide on the western side to 3.4 metres wide on the northern side, and is between 0.1 metres to 0.2 metres deep. The top of the mound was partly cut to facilitate the construction of a stone memorial. A circular paved plinth lies on top of the mound and this is 6.3 metres in diameter. Above is a stone pillar dedicated to Caroline Thorpe, late wife of the Right Honourable Jeremy Thorpe MP, and a tablet indicates its dedication by the Archbishop of Canterbury and Bishop of Crediton in 19971. On the western side of the mound a memorial stone bench was inserted which has cut the mound slightly on this side. There is also a paved area in front of the seat. This was erected in the 1970's and is dedicated to Stanley JH Verney R.A.F.V.R. 1818-1943.

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

Barrow shown within a triangular enclosure but only labelled 'Codden Beacon' on modern mapping.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV970 - Unnamed Event
• EDV971 - OSA=SS52NE3
• EDV972 - OSA=SS52NE3
• EDV973 - Unnamed Event

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