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Summary

A spread mound of uncertain organ - but possibly a Bronze Age barrow - is situated at the end of a broad ridge. It measures 13.6 metres (east-west) by 12.6 metres and 0.7 metres high and it appears to be composed of peat; no stone is evident. Numerous low, amorphous peat mounds lie on the marshy broad ridge to the south and west. A boundary stone (NRHE number 1063505, NMR number SX 66 NW 76) lies 6 metres to the east on a slight, amorphous peat mound. The site was assessed in 1997, but was not scheduled.

Location

Protected Status

• SHINE: Earthwork remains of possible prehistoric barrow surrounded by later peat stands at Langcombe Head
• SHINE: Earthwork remains of possible prehistoric barrow surrounded by later peat stands at Langcombe Head

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX66NW30
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 441644
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX66NW/40
• SHINE Candidate (Yes)

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• (Former Type) BARROW (Constructed, Bronze Age - 2200 BC to 701 BC)
• Peat Burning Platform (Constructed, XIII to XIX - 1201 AD (Between) to 1900 AD (Between))

Full description

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

'Tumulus' shown on 19th century map.

Grinsell, L. V., 1978, Dartmoor Barrows, 36 (Article in Serial). SDV273224.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1978, SX66NW30 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV276663.

(12/09/1978) A flat-topped circular earthen mound measuring 14.0m. in diameter and 0.7m. in height. The centre has a hollow in which a boundary stone is set, but there is no evidence of a cist. Surveyed at 1:10 000 on PFD.

Royal Commission on the Historical Monuments of England, 1985, Aerial Photograph Project (Dartmoor) - Dartmoor Pre-NMP (Cartographic). SDV319854.

Not visible on aerial photograph.

Gerrard, S., 1993-2010, Monument Protection Programme Alternative Action Report (Report - non-specific). SDV145710.

(30/01/1997) Langcombe Head. An irregular shaped area defined on the north-east by a 0.8 metre scarp. Probing revealed that it is composed entirely of peat. The scarp is much to steep to be indicative of a 2000 year old peat mound. This feature is almost certainly not a barrow.
Probing confirms that the mound is a peat stack.

Butler, J., 1994, Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities: Volume Three - The South-West, 154, Map 50 (Monograph). SDV137656.

Langcombe Head cairn at SX62026628 of 13.0 metres diameter by 0.7 metres high. The turf covered mound on the highest point of the ridge is probably a cairn or barrow of the summit series. Alongside it a short pillar defines the Shaugh Moor and Cornwood junction where the boundary alters course. The whole of this tract is a boggy wasteland rutted with turf ties and occasional ill-defined mounds protrude above the surface.

Newman, P., 2018, The Upper Erme Valley, Dartmoor National Park, Devon: An Archaeological Survey, Appendix 1 (Report - Survey). SDV362921.

A group of mounds formerly recorded as barrows or cairns are more likely to be charcoal burning mounds or meilers (see MDV 122892).

Ordnance Survey, 2019, MasterMap 2019 (Cartographic). SDV362729.

Circular feature shown as 'Mound' on modern mapping.

Historic England, 2021-2022, NRHE to HER website, Accessed 13/01/2022 (Website). SDV364039.

[441644 / SX66NW30] (28/02/2002) SX62026629 A spread mound of uncertain organ - but possibly a BA tumulus - is situated at the end of a broad ridge. It measures 13.6m (E-W) by 12.6m and 0.7m high and it appears to be composed of peat and no stone is evident. Numerous low, amorphous peat mounds lie on the marshy broad ridge to the south and west.
A boundary stone (SX 66 NW 76) lies 6m to the east on a slight, amorphous peat mound.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV8082 - Survey of the Upper Erme Valley

Search results generated by the HBSMR Gateway from exeGesIS SDM Ltd.