Round barrow to the east of Darracott Moor, crossed by the B3232

Reasons for Designation

Bowl barrows, the most numerous form of round barrow, are funerary monuments dating from the late Neolithic period to the late Bronze Age, with most examples belonging to the period 2400 -1500 bc. They were constructed as earthen or rubble mounds, sometimes ditched, which covered single or multiple burials. They occur either in isolation or grouped as cemeteries and often acted as a focus for burials in later periods. Often superficially similar, although differing widely in size, they exhibit regional variations in form and a diversity of burial practices. There are over 10,000 surviving bowl barrows recorded nationally (many more have already been destroyed), occurring across most of lowland Britain. Their ubiquity and their tendency to occupy prominent locations makes them a major historic element in the modern landscape and their considerable variation of form and longevity as a monument type provide important information on the diversity of beliefs and social organisation amongst early prehistoric communities. They are particularly representative of their period and a substantial proportion of surviving examples are considered worthy of protection. The barrow is one of a small dispersed group which have demonstrated considerable potential for the preservation of environmental evidence both of a contemporary kind as well as of the pre-barrow ground surface.

Details

This round barrow is 35m in diameter and stands 1.05m high. As the barrow has been affected by ploughing in the past any ditch may have been obscured and the barrow may be broader and lower than originally constructed. It is at present under grass and is bisected by the B 3232 road. The greater part of the barrow lies to the west of the road and a smaller part to the east. The mound is built of clay and when partially excavated in the last century, charcoal and the possible remains of a cremation burial were found. The length of road which crosses the barrow and the road boundaries are excluded from the scheduling but the barrow beneath, which shows clearly as a hump in the road, is included.

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:

13601

Legacy System:

RSM

Sources

Books and journals
Doe, G, Trans Devonshire Assoc in Report on Barrows (1884), Vol. 16, (1884), 124-6
Doe, G, Trans Devonshire Assoc in Report on Barrows (1899), Vol. 31, (1899), 99-100
Grinsell, L V, Proc Devon Arch Soc in The Barrows of North Devon, Vol. 28, (1970), 119

Other
OS, OSA SS52SW2A - DCC SMR,

End of official list entry

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