A bowl barrow 370m WNW 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 that form the Gittisham Hill barrow cemetery. It is the largest in the group and is a prominent landmark on the heath. Despite later disturbance it survives in good condition and will retain archaeological and environmental evidence relating to its construction and use.

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 the east side of Gittisham Hill. The barrow consists of a substantial mound of evenly rounded profile, 40m in diameter and c.3.5m in height, surrounded by a ditch 4m wide and up to 0.5m deep, visible on the west, north and east sides. The mound has been subject to a number of later disturbances. The lower slope of the mound is circumscribed by a shallow trench, 1m wide and c.0.4m deep, with an upcast bank, 1m wide, on its outer side. This feature was observed in 1880 when the trench is reported to have contained a hedge enclosing the mound from the surrounding heath. On the west and north sides small pits have been dug into the mound from the inner side of the trench. On the top of the mound and towards its north side there is a large steep-sided conical pit, 4m in diameter and 2m deep, surrounded by a bank of upcast soil. On the north west side of the mound and inside the circuit of the circular trench, another short trench, 3m long, 2m wide and c.1m deep, has been dug radially into the mound. There are no records of the barrow being subject to archaeological investigation.

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:

27404

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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