Round barrow cemetery on Venn Ottery Hill, 660m south east of Happy Valley

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.

Despite some damage due to suspected antiquarian excavation, the round barrow cemetery on Venn Ottery Hill will contain archaeological and environmental evidence relating to the monument and the landscape in which it was built. The cemetery is an unusual example of its class having occupied a less than prominent position in the landscape being on the side, rather than on the crest, of the hill on which it was sited.

Details

The monument, a round barrow cemetery, includes the above ground and buried remains of at least six Bronze Age bowl barrows situated on Venn Ottery Hill in Newton Poppleford. The barrows occupy a position below the crest on the eastern slope of the hill which lies centrally between two east flowing tributaries of the River Otter. They survive as earthworks recorded over the years by way of survey and field observations. The barrows form a group at intervals from one another of no more than 60m; two barrows in the centre of the group are immediately adjacent. Whilst not in a strict linear formation the barrows nevertheless conform to an approximate north west-south east alignment over a total distance of about 150m. The height of the barrow mounds within the group varies between a minimum 0.3m to a maximum height of 1m; the diameter of the mounds varies between a minimum of 4m to a maximum of 9.5m. At least two of the group have evidence for a surrounding quarry ditch. Some of the mounds are damaged by trenching, possibly the result of early antiquarian excavation. A number of other small mounds in the immediate vicinity of the known barrow group have been recorded but await identification as barrows.

MAP EXTRACT The site of the monument is shown on the attached map extract. It includes a 5 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:

29632

Legacy System:

RSM

Sources

Books and journals
Grinsell, L V, Proceedings of the Devon Archaeological Society in The Barrows of South and East Devon, (1983), 40
Grinsell, L V, Proceedings of the Devon Archaeological Society in The Barrows of South and East Devon, (1983), 40
Grinsell, L V, Proceedings of the Devon Archaeological Society in Barrows of South and East Devon, Vol. 41, (1983), 40
Grinsell, L V, Proceedings of the Devon Archaeological Society in Barrows of South and East Devon, Vol. 41, (1983), 40
Grinsell, L V, Proceedings of the Devon Archaeological Society in Barrows of South and East Devon, Vol. 41, (1983), 40
Grinsell, L V, Proceedings of the Devon Archaeological Society in Barrows of South and East Devon, Vol. 41, (1983), 40

Other
Title: Ordnance Survey Source Date: 1953 Author: Publisher: Surveyor:
Title: Ordnance Survey Source Date: 1953 Author: Publisher: Surveyor:
Title: Ordnance Survey Source Date: 1890 Author: Publisher: Surveyor:
Griffiths, D, Newton Poppleford Parish worksheet (unpublished), 1982,

End of official list entry

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