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Summary

A large round barrow situated on the highest point of Hamel Down with commanding views in all directions. The main north-south ridge-top track passes close to the east side. Four paths lead onto the mound, causing slight damage but providing some clues to the barrow structure. A boundary stone with rounded head is placed top centre and is inscribed: "Broad Barrow" (east face) and "DS 1854" (west face). It is one of a series erected on the bounds of Natsworthy Manor, which at that time belonged to Edward Augustus Seymour, the 11th Duke of Somerset.

Location

Protected Status

• SHINE: Earthwork remains of a group of Bronze Age barrows on Hamel Down, including Broad Barrow and four more barrows to the north
• Scheduled Monument 1003296: Five barrows on Hamel Down

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX77NW1
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 445043
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX77NW/4
• Old SAM County Ref: 369A

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• BOWL BARROW (Constructed, Bronze Age - 2200 BC (Between) to 701 BC (Between))
• ROUND BARROW (Constructed, Bronze Age - 2200 BC (Between) to 701 BC (Between))
• BOUNDARY STONE (Constructed, Post Medieval to Early 20th Century - 1540 AD (Between) to 1901 AD (Between))

Full description

Ormerod, G. W., 1864, On the Hut Circles on the Eastern Side of Dartmoor, 305 (Article in Serial). SDV304174.

Spence Bate, C., 1872, Researches into some Antient Tumuli on Dartmoor, 554 (Article in Serial). SDV336926.

Brailsford, J. W., 1938, Bronze Age Stone Monuments of Dartmoor, 450 (Article in Serial). SDV304210.

Fox, A., 1948-1952, The Broad Down (Farway) Necropolis and the Wessex Culture in Devon (Article in Serial). SDV123888.

Royal Air Force, 1950, RAF RP541/540, 3143 (Aerial Photograph). SDV290988.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1960/1977, SX77NW1 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV309203.

Broad Barrow (Tumulus) [O.E.] [SX 7057 7990].
Broad Barrow is of earth and stones with a central depression (Spence Bate, 1872). Lady A. Fox gives the diameter as from 142' - 150' and the height as 5'6", with a broad rim of stones and rushy centre suggesting turf (June 1950 comment). O. G. S. Crawford (OS) mentions signs of an enclosing ring of uprights in the skirts of the barrow (undated comment).
(10/03/1960) This is a bowl-barrow 2.0 m. high 43-45m in diameter. Grass-and-heather covered except on the south-west of the perimeter where a broad band of stones is exposed including some possible retaining stones. A boundary stone inscribed "Broad Burrow" is in the centre of the mound. A 25" Survey has been made.
Ground photograph: see A0/53/43/5.
(10/12/1977) Bronze Age; a group of round barrows following a ridgeway: also single barrow and two barrows. Broad Barrow is the largest. Ancient monuments: a 'composite' mound with stones as a margin and turf in the centre. Some ineffective excavation on the southern margin. An impressive monument. At present a unique construction in South Devon - no danger except from military and the forestry (Grinsell detail; possible OS recording visit).

Grinsell, L. V., 1970, Discovering Regional Archaeology: South Western England, 25 (Monograph). SDV304192.

Fox, A., 1973, South West England 3,500BC - AD600 (Revised Edition), 87 (Monograph). SDV16216.

Grinsell, L. V., 1978, Dartmoor Barrows, 155, Manaton 10 (Article in Serial). SDV273224.

(21/07/1972) Cairn or barrow slight hollow centre, crowned by boundary. Inscribed date stone 1834 - Broad Barrow. Diameter 40m, height 2.1m. Ormerod notes that there are several barrows on Hamildon Down (citing Ormerod, 1864).

Robinson, R., 1982, List of Field Monument Warden Visits 1982 (Un-published). SDV342809.

Visited 05/05/1982.

Griffiths, F. M., 1983, Site visit, Slide in SMR (Site Visit). SDV309210.

(17/06/1983) Site visited; condition stable as above.

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

Visible and recorded.

Brewer, D., 1986, A field guide to the boundary markers on and around Dartmoor, 19 (Monograph). SDV309252.

Robinson, R., 1986, List of Field Monument Warden Visits 1986 (Un-published). SDV345664.

Visited 06/03/1986.

Royal Commission for the Historical Monuments of England, 1987-1993, Duchy Farms Project Survey Visit, P. Pattison (Report - Survey). SDV350839.

(18/07/1990) SX 7057 7989: Broad Barrow. A large round barrow situated on the highest point of Hamel Down with commanding views in all directions. The main N-S ridge-top track passes close to the E side. Four paths lead onto the mound, causing slight damage but providing some clues to the barrow structure [see below].
A boundary stone with rounded head is placed top centre and is inscribed: "Broad Barrow" [E face] and "DS 1854" [W face]. It is one of a series erected on the bounds of Natsworthy Manor, which at that time belonged to Edward Augustus Seymour, the 11th Duke of Somerset (citing Brewer, 1986).
Broad Barrow is a heather-covered barrow 40-43m (across the main mound) and 50m (including the small outer slopes) in diameter and up to 3.2m high. The top centre is flat and forms an irregular, recessed area between 0.3m and 0.6m deep: this may be the result of an excavation which has been concealed and landscaped subsequently, but there is nothing documented. The rim shows slight evidence of upcast. There is a minor disturbance at A and an old path B leads out to the SE.
The main slope is markedly stepped, and can be divided into upper and lower slopes. On the N and E arcs the former falls to a flattish ditch-like depression between upper and lower slopes. The upper slope appears to be stone-free (the path cuts show clean soil), whereas the lower slope is visible very stoney (as are the path cuts]. A disturbance at D has cut back steeply into the slope to 0.6m, exposing a mass of medium and large-size stones, depositing them outwards in a concentrated jumble. Among them three edge-set, upright thin slabs E and F, the largest 1.1m long and 0.6m high, are possibly part of a structural revetment.
This dual slope and step in the profile is almost certainly due to a composite construction of earth and stone as noticed by Lady Fox [OS card, 1950 comment].
Vegetation and soil on the lower slope thinly covers a large circular ring bank of stones, whose apex is visible only at C, the apparent depression between upper and lower slopes, but in fact the only place where the ring bank in not concealed by erosion from above. The upper slope forms the earthen part of the barrow inside the stone ring. This would put Broad Barrow into exactly the same type as the N mound at Two Barrows (SX 77 NW 22) and similar to Single Barrow (SX 77 NW 23).
Around much of the barrow is another slight slope, G, averaging c.0.3m high and separated from the foot of the main slope by a slight berm. It is too regular to be soil slip and is probably part of the barrow structure. H is another slight slope beyond G on the W side.
Surveyed at 1:500.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV8658 - Challacombe, Duchy Farms Survey
• EDV8423 - Duchy Farms Project

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