Four bowl barrows at Bickleigh Brake 540m south west of Bickleigh, forming part of a linear round barrow cemetery

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 disturbance to some of its component barrows, the linear round barrow cemetery at Bickleigh Brake is an important group in an area where single barrows are more common. The large size of the northern two barrows makes the group unusual. The best surviving barrow is visible from the road at Stanborough, 2km to the south west and is an important focal point in the local landscape.

Details

The monument, which falls into three areas of protection, includes four bowl barrows, forming part of a linear round barrow cemetery which contains six barrows in all. The other two barrows in the cemetery are the subject of a separate scheduling (SM33745). The northern pair of barrows in this monument are on a north east to south west alignment, whilst the southern pair are on a NNW to SSE line. The southernmost barrow is about 0.5m high and varies in diameter between 20.7m and 23m. It is composed of orange sandy clay, with many pieces of slate and quartz on its surface. The outer ditch is not visible but will survive as a buried feature about 2.5m wide. The second barrow lies 80m NNW of the first and is about 24m in diameter and up to 3.5m high. A conical depression at the centre, about 1.5m deep, represents the site of an undocumented antiquarian excavation. Beyond the earthwork mound are traces of a 6m wide outer ditch from which material was quarried during the construction of the mound. This varies between about 0.1m deep on the south side and about 0.3m deep on the north west. The third barrow in the group lies 70m to the north of the second. It measures 42m in diameter and stands about 0.3m high with an outer ditch between 7.5m and 11.5m wide and between 0.1m and 0.2m deep. The northernmost barrow is no longer visible, the mound having been largely removed. It is known that it was 40m in diameter and that its quarry ditch, of unknown dimensions, remains intact.

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:

33747

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
Grinsell, L V, Proceedings of the Devon Archaeological Society in The Barrows of South and East Devon, Vol. 41, (1983), 5-46
Grinsell, L V, Proceedings of the Devon Archaeological Society in The Barrows of South and East Devon, Vol. 41, (1983), 5-46

End of official list entry

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