A bowl barrow 120m south west of Ring-in-the-Mire, forming part of a round barrow cemetery on Gittisham 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 Gittisham Hill barrow cemetery comprises the western area of one of the most extensive and densest concentrations of barrows in Devon. Limited archaeological excavations of some of the barrows in this concentration have revealed that they show a remarkable diversity in size and form, and in the nature of their funerary contents. This barrow is one of 13 which form the Gittisham Hill barrow cemetery. Although the barrow mound has been partly removed and has been further disturbed by excavation, buried features will survive which will provide archaeological and environmental evidence relating to the construction and use of the monument.

Details

The Gittisham Hill barrow cemetery is situated in south east Devon, 8km south of Honiton, on the high ground of an extensive Greensand plateau where it forms the watershed of the south-flowing River Sid. The monument includes a single bowl barrow situated within an area of heathland on level ground at the west end of a ridge. The barrow consists of a fairly level platform, 32m in diameter and c.0.3 in height, with part of its perimeter formed by a slightly raised bank, most prominently on the north east side where it is 7m in length and c.0.4m in height. The barrow does not appear to have been surrounded by a ditch. The upper part of the barrow mound was removed for field dressing in the mid-19th century, when it was described as being composed of peaty turves and soil. The centre of the base of the mound was subsequently investigated by antiquarians who failed to locate evidence of funerary remains

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:

27401

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, (1952), 1-19
Hutchinson, , Report and Transactions of the Devonshire Association in Report on Barrows near Sidmouth, Vol. 12, (1880)

End of official list entry

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