Bowl barrow 30m west of the Farway Common Road, forming part of a round barrow cemetery on Farway Hill.

Reasons for Designation

Round barrow cemeteries date to the Bronze Age (c.2000-700 BC). They comprise closely-spaced groups of up to 30 round barrows - rubble or earthen mounds covering single or multiple burials. Most cemeteries developed over a considerable period of time, often many centuries, and in some cases acted as a focus for burials as late as the early medieval period. They exhibit considerable diversity of burial rite, plan and form, frequently including several different types of round barrow, occasionally associated with earlier long barrows. Where large scale investigation has been undertaken around them, contemporary or later "flat" burials between the barrow mounds have often been revealed. Round barrow cemeteries occur across most of lowland Britain, with a marked concentration in Wessex. In some cases, they are clustered around other important contemporary monuments such as henges. Often occupying prominent locations, they are a major historic element in the modern landscape, whilst their diversity and their longevity as a monument type provide important information on the variety of beliefs and social organisation amongst early prehistoric communities. They are particularly representative of their period and a substantial proportion of surviving or partly-surviving examples are considered worthy of protection.

The Farway Hill barrows, a number of which form the barrow cemetery, comprise the central section of the most extensive and densest concentration of barrows in Devon. Their association with Farway Castle adds additional depth to this relict ritual landscape. Limited archaeological excavations of some of the barrows have revealed that they have a remarkable diversity in size and form, and in the nature of their funerary contents. This barrow forms an integral part of the barrow cemetery. It survives in good condition and is one of the larger barrows in the group.

Details

The Farway Hill barrows are situated in south east Devon on the high ground of an extensive Greensand plateau in an area some 8km south of Honiton where it forms the watershed of the River Sid. These funerary monuments are grouped around Farway Castle, a substantial circular earthwork enclosure which is believed to be contemporary. The monument includes one of ten bowl barrows which make up the Farway Hill round barrow cemetery. It is situated on the crest of a ridge to the immediate east of Farway Castle and is 20m in diameter and 1.3m in height, with an even rounded profile. Exposed peaty soil on the top of the mound contains flinty stones up to 20cm in size. There is no evidence of a ditch.

MAP EXTRACT The site of the monument is shown on the attached map extract. It includes a 2 metre boundary around the archaeological features, considered to be essential for the monument's support and preservation.

Legacy

The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.

Legacy System number:

24965

Legacy System:

RSM

Sources

Books and journals
Grinsell, L V, Proceedings of the Devon Archaeological Society in The Barrows of South and East Devon, Vol. 41, (1983), 5-46
Simpson, S, Noble, S, Exeter Museums Archaeological Field Unit Report in Archaeological Survey & Management Study of Areas of E Devon, Vol. 93.38, (1993)
Fox, A, Proceedings of the Devon Archaeological Society in The Broad Down (Farway) Necropolis, Vol. 4, (1948), 1-19

End of official list entry

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