See important guidance on the use of this record.

If you have any comments or new information about this record, please email us.

Summary

Boundary stone inscribed 'Owlacombe Burrow' on the boundary between Bovey Tracey and Ilsington parishes. No trace of any cairn or barrow remain.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX77NE12
• National Monuments Record: SX77NE76
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 1221537
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 445013
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX77NE/58

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• (Former Type) BARROW? (Unknown date)
• BOUNDARY STONE (Constructed, XVIII to XIX - 1800 AD (Between) to 1899 AD (Between))

Full description

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

'Owlacombe Barrow (Tumulus)' shown on 19th century map to the east of the boundary stone shown as a small triangle with 'B.S.' above it.

Ordnance Survey, 1904 - 1906, Second Edition Ordnance Survey 25 inch Map (Cartographic). SDV325644.

'Owlacombe Barrow (B.S.)' shown on early 20th century map.

Victoria County History, 1906, The Victoria History of the County of Devon, 625 (Article in Serial). SDV238214.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1960, SX77NE12 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV221098.

To the west of Owlacombe and north-east of Haytor is the tumulus known as 'Owlacombe Burrow'. R. Hansford Worth remarks that this is a barrow and was shown as such on the 1st edition of the O.S. 6 inch mapping (citing R. H. Worth, 09/12/1948).
The O.S. 6 inch map (1906) shows a Boundary Stone called "Owlacombe Burrow" at SX 7764 7763 and the Tithe Map shows an outline representation of a spread of stones some 12.0m wide called 'Hollowcombe Barrow' extending along the parish boundary for about 30.0m. immediately to the east of the Boundary Stone (VCH, 1906, pg 625).
(Visited 19/04/1960) There is no trace of a cairn or a barrow in this area. The stones portrayed on the Tithe Map can be identified with a large outcrop of rock.

Grinsell, L. V., 1978, Dartmoor Barrows, 179 (Article in Serial). SDV273224.

Site visited on 5th October 1975. 'Owlacombe Burrow' is the name of the boundary stone on the outcrop. Presence of barrow itself is very doubtful.

Everett, C., 1988, Haytor Down - Summary of Archaeological Features, HD94, BS14, Map 7 (Report - Survey). SDV359684.

Butler, J., 1991, Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities: Volume One - The East, 33, photograph, Map 3 (Monograph). SDV299725.

The name on the stone 'Owlescombe Burrow/DS 1853' and its prominent position on the ridge suggests the site of a cairn, but if such existed, no trace of it now remains.

Newman, P., 1999, 2002, Haytor Down, Ilsington, Devon (Revised), 18, Figure 9 (Report - Survey). SDV346395.

One of eleven stones on the boundary between Ilsington, Manaton and Bovey Tracey parishes.

Newman, P., 1999, 2002, Haytor Down, Ilsington, Devon (Revised), 6, Figure 2 (Report - Survey). SDV346395.

(30/03/1999) 'Owlacombe Burrow' boundary stone recorded at SX77647764.
Possible cairn recorded as a natural feature; No evidence of a barrow or that one ever existed here.

Royal Commission for the Historical Monuments of England, 2002, Haytor Down: The Archaeology (Plan - measured). SDV359685.

Boundary stone shown as 'BS' on survey.

Natural England Volunteers, 2009-2015, Natural England Volunteer Archaeological Survey, R3 (Worksheet). SDV350591.

Visited 25/03/2011. One of a group of Boundary stones recorded on Haytor Down.
SX 77648 77658 Owlacombe stone, elevation 330 metres, measures 90 by 55 by 15 centimetres.

Ordnance Survey, 2013, MasterMap (Cartographic). SDV350786.

'Owlacombe Burrow (BS)' depicted on the modern map as a small circular feature.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV7021 - Haytor Down: Survey Report (Ref: A1/2/1999)
• EDV6071 - East Devon Natural Nature Reserve and surrounds Archaeological Survey

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