Reasons for Designation
Exmoor is the most easterly of the three main upland areas in the south
western peninsula of England. In contrast to the others, Dartmoor and
Bodmin Moor, there has been no history of antiquarian research and little
excavation of its monuments. However, detailed survey work by the Royal
Commission on the Historical Monuments of England has confirmed a
comparable richness of archaeological remains, with evidence of human
exploitation and occupation from the Mesolithic period to the present day.
Many of the field monuments surviving on Exmoor date from the later
prehistoric period. Examples include stone settings, stone alignments,
standing stones, and burial mounds (`barrows'). Bowl barrows, the most
numerous form of round barrow, are funerary monuments dating to the Late
Neolithic period to the Late Bronze Age, with most examples belonging to
the period 2400-1500BC. 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. Over 370 bowl barrows, varying in diameter
from 2m to 35m, have been recorded on Exmoor. Many of these are found on
or close to the summits of the three east-west ridges which cross the moor
- the southern escarpment, the central ridge, and the northern ridge -
whilst individual barrows and groups may also be found on lower lying
ground and hillslopes. Those which occupy prominent locations form a major
visual element in the modern landscape. Their considerable variation in
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.
Details
The monument, which lies in two separate areas of protection, includes two
bowl barrows located in a prominent position on the broad plateau of
Withypool Common. The barrows occupy an area of level ground which falls
steeply away to the north, overlooking the Barle Valley and beyond, and
eastwards, to Knighton Combe and Withypool Hill. The barrows are the two
surviving members of a linear group of three known collectively as
Brightworthy Barrows. The original profiles of both barrows have been
modified in antiquity, and in the modern era when stone was removed for
road metalling. The easternmost barrow survives as a near circular earth
and stone rim about 0.5m high with an average width of 6m. The surface of
the rim is uneven and has been hollowed in places. An irregularly shaped
mound of the same material lies within the rim, offset slightly to the
north west side and has a maximum diameter of 12.5m and is 1.4m high. The
rim is surrounded by an outer ditch from which material was quarried for
the mound's construction, this is visible on the south eastern side as a
shallow depression 1.7m wide and 0.2m deep. The remaining circuit of the
ditch survies as a buried feature which can be seen on aerial photographs.
The overall diameter of the bowl barrow is 27.4m. An Ordnance Survey
triangulation pillar surmounts the top of the mound.
The second bowl barrow lies 90m to the west and survives as a near
circular rim bank 4.2m wide, up to 0.75m high and with a maximum overall
diameter of 19m. The bank encloses an uneven slightly raised area of
ground which represents the remains of the bowl barrow mound. In common
with the bowl barrow located to the east, the mound would have been
surrounded by a quarry ditch which is not visible at ground level but will
survive as a buried feature aproximately 1.5m wide.
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
Legacy System number:
35973
Legacy System:
RSM
Sources
Books and journals Other
Legal
This monument is scheduled under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979 as amended as it appears to the Secretary of State to be of national importance. This entry is a copy, the original is held by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.
End of official list entry
