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Summary

The Farway Hill Barrow complex comprises the most extensive and densest concentrations of barrows in east Devon. At least 57 barrows are located within a 3 miles stretch covering parts of Gittisham Hill, Farway Hill and Broad Down.

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1010271: Two bowl barrows to the north west of Roncombe Gate Farm, forming part of a dispersed barrow group on Farway Hill
• Scheduled Monument 1010268: Bowl barrow 340m north west of Farway Castle, forming part of a dispersed barrow group on Farway Hill
• Scheduled Monument 1010275: Bowl barrow on the line of the B3174, forming part of a round barrow cemetery on Farway Hill
• Scheduled Monument 1010272: Two bowl barrows on the parish boundary to the south west of the B3174, forming part of a dispersed barrow group on Farway Hill
• Scheduled Monument 1014246: A bowl barrow 120m south west of Ring-in-the-Mire, forming part of a round barrow cemetery on Gittisham Hill
• Scheduled Monument 1010269: Bowl barrow 210m north west of the Farway Common Road, forming part of a dispersed barrow group on Farway Hill
• Scheduled Monument 1017642: Round barrow cemetery on Broad Down
• Scheduled Monument 1010267: Bowl barrow 320m north west of Farway Castle, forming part of a dispersed barrow group on Farway Hill
• Scheduled Monument 1010274: Bowl barrow 60m south west of the B3174, forming part of a dispersed barrow group on Farway Hill
• Scheduled Monument 1010279: Bowl barrow 30m west of the Farway Common Road, forming part of a round barrow cemetery on Farway Hill.
• Scheduled Monument 1014252: An enclosure and two bowl barrows 180m east of Putts Corner, forming part of a round barrow cemetery on Gittisham Hill
• Scheduled Monument 1014243: Farway Castle earthwork enclosure
• Scheduled Monument 1014250: A bowl barrow 500m WNW of Ring-in-the-Mire, forming part of a round barrow cemetery on Gittisham Hill
• Scheduled Monument 1014251: Two bowl barrows, 220m ESE of Putts Corner, forming part of a round barrow cemetery on Gittisham Hill
• Scheduled Monument 1010278: Bowl barrow 20m north east of the B3174, forming part of a round barrow cemetery on Farway Hill
• Scheduled Monument 1014247: A bowl barrow 420m NNW of Ring-in-the-Mire, forming part of a round barrow cemetery on Gittisham Hill
• Scheduled Monument 1014245: Two ring cairns 410m south east of Higher Blannicombe, forming part of a round barrow cemetery on Farway Hill
• Scheduled Monument 1014248: A bowl barrow 460m NNW of Ring-in-the-Mire, forming part of a round barrow cemetery on Gittisham Hill
• Scheduled Monument 1010266: Bowl barrow 230m north west of Farway Castle, forming part of a dispersed barrow group on Farway Hill
• Scheduled Monument 1014253: A ring cairn and bowl barrow 540m NNE of Putts Corner, forming part of a round barrow cemetery on Gittisham Hill
• Scheduled Monument 1010270: Bowl barrow 160m north west of the Farway Common Road, forming part of a dispersed barrow group on Farway Hill
• Scheduled Monument 1014249: A bowl barrow 370m WNW of Ring-in-the-Mire, forming part of a round barrow cemetery on Gittisham Hill
• Scheduled Monument 1014254: A bowl barrow 570m NNE of Putts Corner, forming part of a round barrow cemetery on Gittisham Hill
• Scheduled Monument 1010277: Four bowl barrows divided by the B3174, forming part of a round barrow cemetery on Farway Hill
• Scheduled Monument 1010273: Bowl barrow 100m south west of the B3174, forming part of a dispersed barrow group on Farway Hill
• Scheduled Monument 1010276: Three bowl barrows to the south west of the B3174, forming part of a round barrow cemetery on Farway Hill
• SHINE: Prehistoric barrow on Broad Down
• SHINE: Earthworks of two prehistoric barrows and Ring-in-the-Mire ancient pond, located at the junction of three parish boundaries (Gittisham/Sidbury and Honiton) marked on Parish Tithe Maps c. AD 1840, at the southern end of Gittisham Hill

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SY19SE/19
• SHINE Candidate (Yes)

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• BARROW CEMETERY (Late Neolithic to Late Bronze Age - 3000 BC to 701 BC) + Sci.Date

Full description

Fox, A., 1948, The Broad Down (Farway) Necropolis and the Wessex Culture in Devon, 1-19 (Article in Serial). SDV123165.

At least 57 barrows within a 3 mile stretch, comprising parts of Gittisham Hill, Farway Hill and Broad Down. The barrows vary in size and appearance. The largest are from 80-140 feet in diameter and 6-12 feet high and ditched. The smallest are low mounds 25-30 feet diameter. A number were excavated in the 19th century. All the interments were cremations. Finds included shale cups (barrows 36 and 47), a pygmy cup (barrow 51) and a bone bead (barrow 46).

Grinsell, L. V., 1983, The Barrows of South and East Devon, 14, 32-36 (Article in Serial). SDV337013.

The densest and most extensive concentration of barrows in East Devon.

Exeter Archaeology, 2003-2004, East Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty Archaeological Survey, 284 (Archive - Survey). SDV351568.

Jones, A. M. + Quinnell, H., 2008, The Farway Barrow Complex in East Devon Reassessed (Article in Serial). SDV344746.

One of the most significant and well-preserved non-moorland barrow complexes in south-west Britain, comprising a dense concentration of more than one hundred barrows and monuments set in a roughly triangular upland plateau, some 9 kilometres east-west by 10 kilometres north-south. Most of the barrows are found in three principal clusters around Gittisham Hill, Farway Hill and Brown Down. The barrow complex contains a range of sites including earthen barrows, simple cairns, ring cairns and mounds surrounded by stone settings. This diversity is reflected in the range of artefacts and deposits placed in the barrows and in the ways in which human remains were interred. Radiocarbon dating from nine samples ranged between 2210BC and 1660BC indicating that the barrow complex was used for several centuries with different areas of the cemetery appearing to be contemporary with one another. Jones and Quinnell’s assessment draws together this information with the results of excavations undertaken in the 1860s and 1960s to provide a holistic overview of the cemetery. Details of a number of individual barrows given. See report for full details.

Jones, A. M. + Quinnell, H., 2008, The Farway Barrow Complex in East Devon Reassessed, 25-57 (Article in Serial). SDV344746.

One of the most significant and well-preserved non-moorland barrow complexes in south-west Britain, comprising a dense concentration of more than one hundred barrows and monuments set in a roughly triangular upland plateau, some 9 kilometres east-west by 10 kilometres north-south. Most of the barrows are found in three principal clusters around Gittisham Hill, Farway Hill and Brown Down. The barrow complex contains a range of sites including earthen barrows, simple cairns, ring cairns and mounds surrounded by stone settings. This diversity is reflected in the range of artefacts and deposits placed in the barrows and in the ways in which human remains were interred. Radiocarbon dating from nine samples ranged between 2210BC and 1660BC indicating that the barrow complex was used for several centuries with different areas of the cemetery appearing to be contemporary with one another. Jones and Quinnell’s assessment draws together this information with the results of excavations undertaken in the 1860s and 1960s to provide a holistic overview of the cemetery. Details of a number of individual barrows given. See report for full details.

Fairclough, P., 2010, Archaeological Monitoring and Recording of Groundworks Relating to the Construction of a Garage at Roncombe Gate Farm, Sidbury, East Devon (Report - Watching Brief). SDV348263.

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

Map object based on this Source.

English Heritage, 2011, Heritage at Risk Register 2011: South West, 90 (Report - non-specific). SDV355280.

Extensive significant problems i.e. under plough, collapse. Declining. Principal vulnerability deterioration; in need of management.

Steinmetzer, M., 2021, Monitoring and recording on land near Wiscombe Grange, Southleigh, Devon (Report - Watching Brief). SDV364683.

No archaeological deposits, features or finds were found during an archaeological watching brief undertaken during works associated with the creation of a manege at Wiscombe Grange which lies at the southern end of the barrow cemetery. The only finds were two sherds of 19th-early 20th century pottery recovered from the topsoil.

Quinnell, N. V., Unknown, Plan of Farway Monuments (Cartographic). SDV355232.

Sources / Further Reading

SDV123165	Article in Serial: Fox, A.. 1948. The Broad Down (Farway) Necropolis and the Wessex Culture in Devon. Proceedings of the Devon Archaeological Exploration Society. 4: part 1. Paperback Volume. 1-19.
SDV337013	Article in Serial: Grinsell, L. V.. 1983. The Barrows of South and East Devon. Proceedings of the Devon Archaeological Society. 41. Paperback Volume. 14, 32-36.
SDV344030	Cartographic: Ordnance Survey. 2010. MasterMap. Ordnance Survey. Map (Digital).
SDV344746	Article in Serial: Jones, A. M. + Quinnell, H.. 2008. The Farway Barrow Complex in East Devon Reassessed. Proceedings of the Devon Archaeological Society. 66. Paperback Volume. 25-57.
SDV348263	Report - Watching Brief: Fairclough, P.. 2010. Archaeological Monitoring and Recording of Groundworks Relating to the Construction of a Garage at Roncombe Gate Farm, Sidbury, East Devon. Context One Archaeological Services HER Entry. COAS/WBF/10/RSD. A4 Stapled + Digital.
SDV351568	Archive - Survey: Exeter Archaeology. 2003-2004. East Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty Archaeological Survey. East Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty Archaeological Survey. Digital + Mixed Archive Material. 284.
SDV355232	Cartographic: Quinnell, N. V.. Unknown. Plan of Farway Monuments. Digital.
SDV355280	Report - non-specific: English Heritage. 2011. Heritage at Risk Register 2011: South West. english Heritage. Digital. 90.
SDV364683	Report - Watching Brief: Steinmetzer, M.. 2021. Monitoring and recording on land near Wiscombe Grange, Southleigh, Devon. Oakford Archaeology. OA1810. Digital.
	Linked documents:1

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV4766 - Monitoring of Groundworks at Roncombe Gate Farm, Sidbury
• EDV4769 - Reassessment of the Farway Barrow Cemetery
• EDV6789 - Survey at Farway Castle, Farway, Devon
• EDV8765 - Archaeological monitoring and recording on land near Wiscombe Grange, Southleigh (Ref: OA1810)

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