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Summary

Two Late Neolithic to Early Bronze Age bowl barrows on Beacon Hill on the Paignton-Marldon parish boundary. The eastern barrow, used as a beacon mound in the post-medieval period, produced an Early Bronze Age urn during excavations in 1882.

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1020164: Two bowl barrows at Beacon Hill, 120m south of The Beacon
• SHINE: Two Late Neolithic or Early Bronze Age bowl barrows on Beacon Hill

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX86SE/6
• Old SAM County Ref: 2
• Old SAM Ref: 33798
• Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division: SX86SE 9

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• BOWL BARROW (Late Neolithic to Early Bronze Age - 3000 BC to 1501 BC)

Full description

Torbay HER record (SMR record). SDV361984.

There is evidence that at some date prior to 1882 the barrow was larger, but was subsequently robbed of its earth for agricultural purposes, leaving a more stony core. It is said that when the earth was removed, a circle of stones surrounding the barrow were disclosed, but these were taken away for hedging. The Bronze Age urn was deposited in the Torquay Natural History Society Museum; it has lost its rim and now stands 104mm high. The base has a diameter of 91mm and the bowl a diameter of 128mm. The clay is fairly fine but slightly tempered with sand. Externally the colour is brown with a distinct tinge of red. Internally, and especially in the lower half, the clay is blackened. The ornamentation is all in dotted lines.[3][4]

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

Tumulus marked.

Worth, R. H., 1902, 21st Report of the Barrow Committee, 123 (Article in Serial). SDV20971.

Worth, R. H., 1905, 24th Report of the Barrow Committee, 88-9 (Article in Serial). SDV64705.

There is evidence that at some date prior to 1882 the barrow was larger, but was subsequently robbed of its earth for agricultural purposes, leaving a more stony core. It is said that when the earth was removed, a circle of stones surrounding the barrow was disclosed, but these were taken away for hedging. Other details: Plate.

Office of Works, 1922, Westerland Beacon, Marldon (Schedule Document). SDV343470.

The barrow does not appear to have been interfered with since its opening (in 1882). Now about 35 feet diameter, rising some 5 feet. In the corner of a ploughed field but has been respected so long by the plough that it is quite safe from being ploughed down. The chief danger is that it might be dug into for material for mending neighbouring hedges.

Dowie, H. G., 1922 - 1926, A Note on the Urn Discovered Near Marldon, 15-17 (Article in Serial). SDV343462.

Find of urn described. Now in Torquay museum.

Dowie, H. G., 1924 - 1925, An Urn From a Barrow on Westerland Beacon, 103 (Article in Serial). SDV343468.

Worth, R. H., 1924 - 1925, An Urn From a Barrow on Westerland Beacon, 73 (Article in Serial). SDV343467.

Couldrey, W. G., 1932, Memories and Antiquities of Paignton, 226-7 (Article in Serial). SDV343465.

Blagdon or Westerland Beacon, 195 metres above sea level. Excavated in 1882 by W. Mudge and his brother Dr. Mudge. A trench cut in the north side found a mound of burnt clay, under which was a heap of stones. The chamber was filled with earth and a small inverted urn which contained the calcined bones of a child, aged 5-6 years. Flint chips and flakes are regularly found around the barrow.

Worth, R. H., 1937, 56th Report on Barrows, 102 (Article in Serial). SDV20973.

The urn has lost its rim and now stands 4 inches high, base diameter 3.5 inches and bowl diameter 5 inches. The clay is fairly fine but slightly tempered with sand. Externally the colour is brown with a distinct tinge of red. Internally, and especially in the lower half, the clay is blackened. The ornamentation is all in dotted lines. Other details: Plate 20, figure 1.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1952 - 1953, SX86SE 9 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV343460.

Site visit 24th November 1952. The barrow has a diameter of 15 metres and a height of 1.1 metres. It has no berm or ditch and is flat-topped. It is covered with lank grass and brambles and is surmounted by an Ordnance Survey trig pillar. Apart from its extreme flatness the barrow bears no apparent signs of mutilation. There were no surface finds.
Site visit 13th January 1953. Although no evidence was obtained in confirmation, it is considered that this barrow may be the site of a medieval beacon. The placename is suggestive and the disturbance seen in the mound in 1882 may be accounted for by the prior presence of a beacon. The land at the summit was acquired by the Admiralty for a flag station in the Napoleonic wars. There is now a small wireless station on the site.

Russell, P., 1955, Fire Beacons in Devon, 286 (Article in Serial). SDV336138.

Blagdon, or Westland, Beacon is 640 feet above sea level, adjacent to Blagdon Hamlet. The hill is shaped like an inverted bowl and dominates Torbay and Berry Head with views across the South Hams to Dartmoor.
The Totnes accounts in 1667 record 'for going thrice to Blackdown Beacon 1/-; for making up the beacon 17/-'. Land at the summit of the hill was acquired by the Admiralty for a flag station in the Napoleonic Wars. The beacon is believed to have been placed on a barrow. This was opened up in 1882. It appears to have been much reduced in size. An urn with the bones of a child, possibly a secondary burial, were recovered.
There is now a small wireless station on the site. The eastern side of the hill is quarried.

Wymer, J. J., 1977, Gazetteer of Mesolithic Sites, 65 (Monograph). SDV8096.

A mesolithic chert pick alleged to have been found close to Beacon Hill was in fact found at Beacon Hill, Sidmouth (info transferred from Torbay HER).

Department of Environment Field Monument Warden, 1979, Westerland Beacon Barrow (Site Visit). SDV362278.

The barrows have been damaged at the east end by the construction of a brick building and path. A trig. point is sited on its flat top. Sited in a police compound with wireless aerials etc. The eastern barrow was recorded by the Field Monument Warden in 1979 as circa 5-6 metres south-west to north-east and circa 15 metres north-west to south-east and is circa 1.5 metres high

Department of Environment, 1982, Scheduled Ancient Monuments in Devon (Report - non-specific). SDV343463.

Site visited in 1979 by S. Weston. Barrow damaged at east end by construction of brick building and path. Trig point on flat top. Sited in police compound with wireless aerials etc. Barrow is circa 5-6 metres south-west to north-east and circa 15 metres north-west to south-east, circa 1.5 metres high. Other details: 5448.

Grinsell, L. V., 1983, The Barrows of South and East Devon, 39 (Article in Serial). SDV337013.

Turton, S. D., 1992, Archaeological Assessment of DCC Torbay Ring Road Stage 3, 2 (Report - Assessment). SDV343469.

A mesolithic chert pick alleged to have been found close to Beacon Hill, and now in the Royal Albert Memorial Museum, Exeter was in fact found on Beacon Hill Sidmouth.

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

Department for Culture, Media and Sport, 2002, Two Bowl Barrows at Beacon Hill, 120 Metres South of The Beacon (Schedule Document). SDV343461.

Two Late Neolithic to Early Bronze Age bowl barrows, on an east to west alignment, on the crest of a broad ridge, with extensive views in all directions. The western of the two barrows survives as an earth mound 40 metres in diameter and surviving up to 1 metre high. There is no visible quarry ditch, though this will survive as a 5 metre wide buried feature. The eastern barrow is 30 metres in diameter and 1.5 metres high with a flat top and an outer ditch 5 metres wide and 0.2 metres deep, visible on the east side. A slight upcast bank is 2 metres wide and 0.1 metres high. When partially excavated in 1882, an Early Bronze Age urn was found, decorated with dotted lines, containing the burnt bones of a child. The urn was inverted in a rough stone chamber and covered with stones, then earth. The barrow was reduced in size prior to 1882 at which time a ring of stones around it was discovered, but subsequently removed. Flint chips and flakes have been found around the barrow in the past. Signs of burning found in 1882 relate to the barrow's post-medieval use as a beacon mound. A fire is recorded as having been lit here in 1897 to celebrate Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee.

English Heritage, 2009, Heritage at Risk Register 2009: South West, 109 (Report - non-specific). SDV342694.

Generally unsatisfactory condition, with major localised problems. Principal vulnerability dumping.

English Heritage, 2010, Heritage at Risk Register 2010: South West, 102 (Report - non-specific). SDV344777.

English Heritage, 2011, Heritage at Risk Register 2011: South West, 106 (Report - non-specific). SDV355280.

Generally unsatisfactory condition, with major localised problems. Principal vulnerability digging.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds

• FDV1452 - URN (Early Bronze Age - 2200 BC to 1501 BC)

Associated Events

• EDV7792 - Site Visit by DOE FMW in 1979

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