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Summary

Prehistoric bowl barrow 380 metres to the south of Upcott Cross

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1019546: Bowl barrow 380m south west of Upcott Cross Cross

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: 437342
• Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division: SX39SE6

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• BOWL BARROW (Bronze Age - 2200 BC to 701 BC (Between))

Full description

English Heritage, 11/09/2014, Bowl Barrow 350, south of Upcott Cross Farm, Broadwoodwidger, Torridge (Correspondence). SDV357112.

English Heritage have been asked to assess a bowl barrow 350 metres to the south of Upton Cross. In 2014 an archaeological assessment of the field revealed that the area marked by the schedule entry,
NHLE 1019456, did not show any evidence of an earthwork. However, there was a mound which matched the schedule description circa 80 metres to the south west. This barrow is either a newly identified feature or the correct location for the barrow currently scheduled on the National Heritage List for England as 280 metres to the south-west of Upton Cross.

The bowl barrow 350 metres south of Upcott Cross Farm, despite reduction in its height through cultivation, still survives as a visible mound and will contain archaeological information relating to its construction and use, as well as evidence for the local environment in the prehistoric period. The barrow is at present (2014), under plough.

PRINCIPAL ELEMENTS: this monument includes a bowl barrow situated on a prominent upland ridge marking the watershed between the Rivers Carey and Wolf, with clear views to both Dartmoor and Bodmin Moor.

DESCRIPTION: the monument survives as a circular mound measuring circa 20m wide in diameter and 0.5m high, with evidence of disturbance. The barrow would have originally been enclosed by a ditch, similar to those of the nearby bowl barrows to the north, from which material to construct the mound was derived. This has been in-filled over time but will survive as a buried feature. The ditches related to the other bowl barrows located near to this example have ditches with a width of 3m and it is reasonable to assume that the ditch of this barrow is also circa 3m wide.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1951, SX39SE6 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV346044.

Badly mutilated mound at SX3898090082 with a diameter of approximately 20 metres by 0.5 metres high which appears to be a ploughed barrow. There is no sign of a berm or ditch but the ground in this area has been ploughed for many years.

Grinsell, L. V., 1983, The Barrows of South and East Devon, 30 (Article in Serial). SDV337013.

Round barrow at SX38789008.

Bayer, O. J., 1996, Barrows in the Torridge District of North West Devon: A Study in Distribution and Location (Undergraduate Dissertation). SDV319515.

Other details: Broadwoodwidger 4.

National Monuments Record, 2010, 437342 (National Monuments Record Database). SDV346045.

Bowl barrow.

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

'Tumulus' shown on modern mapping.

Richards, A., 2010, Untitled Source (Personal Comment). SDV346042.

This may be the bowl barrow which is recorded as a Scheduled Ancient Monument and located 70 metres to the northeast.

English Heritage, 23/09/2014, Bowl Barrow south west of Upcott Cross Broadwoodwidger, Torridge (Schedule Document). SDV357173.

Original scheduling of the bowl barrow to the north of this barrow, (MDV2770) scheduled in 2001 was marked in an incorrect possition. An archaeological assessment in 2014 has shown that bowl barrow described is indeed this barrow.

The current Ordnance Survey map marks a tumulus at this alternative location, and not in the part of the field which is currently scheduled. The OS map also shows two furthertumuli marked to the north and east of Upcott Cross, these accord with the location of the two other nearbyscheduled barrows. The Devon County Historic Environment Record for this earthwork and the HE record for the scheduled site both suggest that the correct location for the bowl barrow is likely to be the more southerly site. Together, this information strongly suggests that the schedule entry produced in 2001 was intended to cover the barrow located 380m south west of Upton Cross, and that it was incorrectly plotted at the time ofscheduling. Therefore, the schedule entry should be amended to properly show the correct position of the monument.

Despite reduction in its height through cultivation, the bowl barrow survives comparatively well and will contain archaeological information relating to its construction and use, as well as evidence for the local environment in the prehistoric period. The significance of the individual barrow is enhanced because it is one of a group of three barrows, the other two of which are located to the north and east of Upcott Cross. Individually and collectively, these barrows provide important information on prehistoric funerary practices and social organisations amongst early prehistoric communities.

The amended scheduled area includes the barrow mound, circa 20 metres in diameter, and its buried outer ditch,circa 3m wide, as well as a 3 metre wide margin to ensure the protection of the monument. Therefore, the scheduled area measures circa 32 metre in diameter. It is also recommended that the description for the barrow is amended to more fully describe its national importance.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

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