|
 Log in |
Register
|
|
Exmoor (Somerset): Latest Posts — Miscellaneous |
Previous 10 | Showing 31-40 of 74 miscellaneous posts. Most recent first | Next 10 
Kit Barrows (Round Barrow(s)) |
|
Details of barrows on Pastscape [SS 9005 4206 and SS 9003 4200] Kit Barrows [NR] The Kit Barrows are two barrows 185ft apart from centre to centre. The first, is a flattened area of stones about 75ft. in diameter, from one part of which stone appears to have been recently removed. The second, is again a flattened area of stones from which much material has been taken. There are several very large blocks of stone still lying about, some as much as 3ft. in length. Diameter of the area - 53ft. No signs at either barrow of burnt stones - the result of beacon fires (2). Scheduled (3). (2)(3) Both cairns have been robbed of almost all their material. They are now reduced to slight heather covered cairn rims enclosing patches of small stones, and a scatter of larger boulders. Published 1:2500 survey revised. They are listed by Grinsell as Cutcombe Nos. 7 and 8. (4) Kit Barrows: SS 9003 4200. Cutcombe 7. Levelled cairn 17-18 paces diameter. SS 9005 4205. Cutcombe 8. Almost levelled cairn 25-26 paces diameter. Both visited by Grinsell 25th May 1958. (5) Two cairns lie on a spur of Dunkery Hill, between Dunkery Beacon and Robin How, at SS 90042 42026 and SS 90073 42077. The cairn to the south (SS 90042 42026) has been severely robbed and comprises a low, heather covered rim 12.5m in diameter and a maximum of 0.6m high. Several large boulders are scattered across the centre, with a recent stone heap in the southern sector of the cairn. A depression to the south of the cairn appears to be a quarry scoop for the cairn material, being very similar to those associated with the large cairns at Robin How (SS 94 SW 2 and 4). The cairn to the north (SS 90073 42077) has also been robbed. It comprises a circular heather covered bank, 24m in diameter and 0.5m high. Three stone heaps lie across the centre of the cairn, which is a flat, heather covered area. An amorphous depression to the S may be a quarry scoop for cairn material. Many small depressions and hollows between Kit Barrows and the track to Dunkery Beacon may be the result of stone extraction. The cairns were surveyed using differential GPS as part of the RCHME Exmoor Project (6).SS 90054206; SS 90034201. Two prehistoric cairns known as Kit Barrows Cairns. Scheduling amended. (7) Both of the Kit Barrow monuments have been transcribed as earthworks from aerial photographs as part of the Exmoor National Mapping Programme survey. The northern cairn is 23 metres in diameter and centred on circa SS 90064207. The southern mound is 15 metres in diameter and centred on circa SS 90044202. Both mounds show slight evidence for irregular, and probably damaged encircling ditches on aerial photographs of 1964, ranging from 4-10 metres wide. Irregularly shaped pits or scoops are visible 50 metres to the south of the southern cairn and 60 metres to the east of the northern monument. As suggested above these may be the remains of quarries for cairn building material. (8-9) |
Posted by Chance27th December 2014ce |
Withypool Hill Barrow (Round Barrow(s)) |
|
Details of barrow on Pastscape [SS 84003445] Tumulus (NR) Withypoole No. 6 (a). This is a robbed bowl barrow, 1.1m high. (See GPs AO/65/192/3 & 4). Published Survey (1:2500) revised. (3) Withypool 6. Bowl barrow listed, details as Authy 3a. The mound is truncated and hummocky, and is crowned by OS trig point. Visited by Grinsell 30th Sept 1961. (4) Centred at SS 84003445 on the summit of Withypool Hill is a prehistoric barrow. It is 20.5m in diameter and 0.9m high. Its summit has been disturbed by robbing and possibly excavation: it is now covered by amorphous hollows. A modern cairn has been built on the eastern side of the summit. The southern part of the mound has a break in slope suggesting that the material from the robbing hollows has been dumped on the slope. "Quarry" ditches around the eastern and northern sides of the barrow appear to be recent and either represent robbing, or an attempt to locate a presumed kerb around the monument. Despite the interference to the monument, no excavation is documented. A nearby field bank forms part of an extensive system of enclosures on Withypool Hill , and might provide a context for the disturbance to the barrow (see SS 83 SW 49). (5) SS 84013445. Bowl barrow on Withypool Hill. Scheduled. (6) The much disturbed remains of a bowl barrow of probable Bronze Age date are visible on aerial photographs of the 1940s onwards, centred on circa SS 84003445. The diameter of the outer earthwork bank is circa 20 metres in diameter. Within this, a smaller irregularly shaped mound of circa 9 metres diameter can be seen, presumably the modern cairn described by the above authority. In addition it may be valuable to note that on the 1940s aerial photographs the ground surface is visibly rutted and disturbed probably by military vehicles, immediately around the barrow and for an area around for at least 8 hectares. Less visible disturbance probably extended for a considerable distance beyond this area. (7-10) |
Posted by Chance 27th December 2014ce |
Withypool Stone Circle |
|
Details of Stone Circle on Pastscape [SS 83833430] Stone Circle (NR) A stone circle (diam 40 yds) on the SW slope of Withypoole Hill, 733 yds ESE of Portford Bridge. Remains consist of 37 stones (3) (but formerly there were c.100) 3.5 ft apart. (see plan) (2 & 3) The remains consist of 29 earthfast stones set as the circumference of a true circle. The largest stone is 0.7m long by 0.2m thick and stands 0.5m above the ground but the majority of the others are considerably smaller. There is no trace of a bank, ditch, or any other feature associated with the stones. Surveyed at 1:2500. (4)SS 837342. Stone Circle, Withypoole Hill. Scheduled. (5) SS 83833430. The remains of a stone circle, 36m in diameter are located on a moderate SW facing slope at about 385m OD on the SW side of Withypool Hill. The area, predominantly heather, has been recently swaled so the stones were clearly visible. (see plan at 1:100). It was first described by St George Gray in 1906. Thirty-seven stones out of a possible original total of about one hundred, were planned. Twenty-nine were recorded in 1965 and again in 1978. In 1989 twenty-seven earthfast uprights and three fallen stones were identified by RCHME. Stone 20a may simply be a residual packing stone. The majority of the uprights are about 0.1m high, 0.3m wide and 0.1m thick, with some very small exceptions; stone 26, for example, measures only 0.01m high, 0.17m wide and 0.02 m thick. Only four are reasonably large 2,12,15 and 24 and are about 0.5m high, 0.6m wide and 0.2m thick. The RCHME plan follows the numbering on the 1906 survey, thus indicating former stones, such as 16 and 17, which are now lost. On the early plan, two unnumbered hollows were shown at 2a and 31a; they are no longer visible (10). SS 83823431. The remains of a stone circle standing on the south west slope of Withypool Hill. It is alleged that the circle once consisted of about 100 stones, but it now consists of around 25 upright stones and several fallen ones which remain close to their original positions. The stones average 0.5 metres high, 0.4 metres wide and 0.2 metres thick. The overall diameter of the circle is approximately 36 metres with a circumference of about 115 metres. Scheduled. (11) Considering their dimensions it is perhaps unsurprising that the stones of the Withypool Hill stone circle are not visible on aerial photographs. However, the site can be easily seen on aerial photographs of the 1940s onwards due to the footpath encircling the site and hollows around several of the stones, eroded by visitors to the site and livestock using the stone settings as rubbing posts. Hints of shadows within these hollows may be cast by the larger stones or simply the hollows indicating their former locations. The eroded path is up to 40 metres in diameter and over 120 metres in circumference. (12-14) |
Posted by Chance 27th December 2014ce |
Staddon Hill Camp (Enclosure) |
|
Details of camp on Pastscape Staddon Hill Camp is a ditch and bank defined hill-slope enclosure of probable later prehistoric date. Two outworks are visible on aerial photographs as cross-banks, approximately 27 and 140 metres to the south-west of the enclosure. A post-medieval field boundary bank, part of an extensive field system visible to the north-west and south-east, runs through the centre of the enclosure and across the inner cross bank. The outer cross bank is incorporated into this later field system. [SS 88183768] Camp (NR) Staddon Hill Camp on the lower slope of the N. side of Staddon Hill, an enclosure with outer ditch and entrance to the W. About 24 yds S. of the enclosure is a bank and ditch running E-W for 90 yds. (2) Staddon Hill Camp - univallate hillfort of under 3 acres. (3)Hill slope fort consisting of three enclosures, the outer two of crossbank type. Described as a cross bank enclosure. (5)This is an Iron Age hill-slope enclosure with two widely spaced outer ramparts on the uphill side. Except for the western and the southern rampart, which ends near the head of a small combe, the outer ramparts terminate on open ground and not against any natural obstacle. The small bank that Bothamley shows linking the main enclosure with the inner of the southern ramparts is part of a post medeval enclosure bank. (This shows clearly on APs) Re-surveyed at 1:2500. (6-7)A small Iron Age Hill-slope fort on a promontory with associated cross-dykes previously unrecorded (Evidently the two outer banks - See5; but these are recorded by VCH). 'Threatened' (by unspecified danger). (8) Staddon Hill Camp visited by Burrow 30 3 73. The main enclosure and first bank are under bracken, but the surrounding area is under commercial forestry and the outer bank could not be located. (Burrow mis-interprets the OS card, to which he refers, and confuses the description by Authy 6 of the bank running SW - NE linking the main enclosure and inner cross bank (shown on VCH plan), with the outer cross bank. In fact he states that the bank running SW - NE between the main enclosure and the inner cross bank seems to pre-date the latter as it continues SW beyond the cross bank for about 30m). The main enclosure has an entrance on the SW with a slight inturn on the NW side and a low bank connecting the angle of the inturn with the rear of the inner bank. (9) Whybrow (9) mentions a 'simple cousewayed entrance' apparently original, towards the eastern end of each cross bank, that in the outer crossbank being more doubtful. He also notes that in 1965 the area around the outer crossbank had been afforested, some of the trees actually on the bank itself. (10-11) |
Posted by Chance 27th December 2014ce |
Wambarrows (Round Barrow(s)) |
|
Details of barrows on Pastscape Three bowl barrows:- Winsford 1, SS 87563431. 33 paces diameter and 3.5 ft high. Winsford 2, SS 87613430. 21 paces diameter and 4 ft high with large hollow in centre. Winsford 3, SS 87683428. 25 paces diameter and 5 ft high with hollow in centre. (4) The most western (Grinsell's Winsford 1) has been truncated and is 1.3m high. The central barrow (Winsford 2) has had an irregular pit dug into the top and has a maximum height of 1.7m. The eastern barrow, 1.7m high, has had a pit 1.1m deep dug into the top. Wambarrows listed, details as Authy 4. Visited by Grinsell 6th April 1958. The Wambarrows were mentioned in a boundary perambulation of 1219. (6) Wambarrows, mentioned in Exmoor Forest perambulations of 1219 and 1279 as `Wamburg' and `Wimbureghe' respectively. This group of three barrows with an outlier (see SS 83 SE 3) occupy the summit of Winsford Hill and have panoramic views. They lie on heather moorland now owned by the National Trust. The group is close to the modern B3223, and an adjacent lay-by results in considerable visitor access, which has caused some erosion of the barrows themselves and the surrounding ground surface (see individual descriptions below). Winsford Hill is largely covered with a late medieval/post-medieval field system comprising earthen banks and ridge and furrow. This system has encroached on the barrows in several places. SS 8756 3432 (Grinsell Winsford 1). A heather and grass-covered circular mound measuring 27.7 m N-S by 28.8 m and 1.8 m high. The summit is uneven and slopes noticably to the north, suggesting that the barrow, which is skirted on its southern side by a field bank, has been overploughed by ridge and furrow. The barrow has been further disturbed by a modern track which passes it on its northern side. SS 8761 3430 (Grinsell, Winsford 2). This barrow has been fenced around to protect it from erosion. It consists of a circular mound 17.6 m in diameter with a very disturbed summit. The eastern part of the summit survives to its original height (1.8 m), whilst the central and western part has been extensively robbed away, probably for road building, and is now only 0.9 m high. Subsequent to this robbing, a sub rectangular pit, 5.3 m by 3.4 m and 0.6 m deep has been dug into the south-western quadrant. SS 8768 3429 (Grinsell, Winsford 3). A very well defined barrow, comprising a circular mound 21.7 m in diameter and 1.9 m high. A massive, steep-sided, sub-square pit, 8-9 m across, has been dug into its centre, leaving only an outer rim standing. The barrow lies in the corner of a former field, and is skirted by a field bank on its eastern and southern sides. Very slight north-south ridge and furrow runs up onto the barrow on its north-eastern quadrant. More recent disturbance has taken place in the form of an OS triangulation pillar mentioned by Grinsell as being on the barrow, but which is now close by on its south-eastern side. Visitor erosion has caused extensive erosion, but this is now being managed through the use of nylon meshing to consolidate and preserve the ground surface. (8) SS 876343. Wambarrows on Winsford Hill, forming part of a barrow cemetery. Scheduled. (9) |
Posted by Chance 27th December 2014ce |
Anstey Barrow (Round Barrow(s)) |
|
Details of barrow on Pastscape (SS 87342859) ANSTEY BARROW (NR) A round barrow 12.0m in diameter and 1.5m high, with no visible ditch. Mutilated in the centre and on the north side. Situated in moorland. (2) SS 87357 28585. This barrow is situated at about 332m above OD on the eastern summit of East Anstey Common. The rather flattish ridge top is mainly covered by rough grass with a scattering of heather and bracken. The barrow does not appear to be scheduled (3a). The barrow is evident as a turf, bracken and gorse-covered, flat-topped, earth and stone mound 9.5m in diameter and 1m in height. There is a central hollow, about 2m diameter and 0.7m deep accessed by the remains of an open `excavation' trench, from the ESE. The spoil has been dumped around the hollow and along both sides of the trench, raising the barrow height by some 0.4m. There are remains of a surrounding ditch and bank, about 1.5m wide and 0.7m high now in a very poor condition and best seen around the NW and NE. Elsewhere it has either gone, eroded or is hidden under the gorse around the southern arc. Published survey accepted. (3-5) A round barrow is visible as an earthwork on aerial photographs, centred on circa SS 87352858. The mound is roughly circular in shape, although appears slightly irregular in plan, measuring up to circa 11 metres in diameter. The central hollow is visible, but vegetation obscures any trace of surviving surrounding ditch or outer bank. (6-7) |
Posted by Chance 18th December 2014ce |
Periton Hill Barrows (Round Barrow(s)) |
|
Details of barrows on Pastscape SS 94844423. Minehead 1. SS 94874422. Minehead 2. Two bowl barrows on Periton Hill listed, both 11 paces diameter and 2ft high. Minehead 2 has had the south side impinged upon and destroyed by a trackway. Visited by Grinsell in May 1967 when under heath. "These two barrows seem to be shown on OS 2in MS Map c 1809" (What Grinsell refers to is the 2" drawing of 1802-3, where an ambiguous feature is shown at this location but appears to be on the south side of a trackway. Nothing is shown here on OS 1" first edition 1809. (1) Grinsell's Minehead 1 is clearly visible at SS 9484 4423, 15 m north of the OS triangulation pillar. It comprises a turf-covered mound 0.5 m high and 12 m in diameter. A modern path runs over its south side, and here beside the path a bench has been placed on the barrow. The northern part is currently in dense scrub, comprising silver birch, brambles, gorse and heather. Grinsell's Minehead 2 could not be located. Minehead 1 surveyed at 1:2500 scale, July 1997. (2) |
Posted by Chance 18th December 2014ce |
Staddon Hill Barrows (Round Barrow(s)) |
|
Details of barrows on Pastscape [A] SS 88383718. A round barrow 18 paces diameter and 3ft high.[B] SS 88403716. Round barrow 11 paces diameter, 1.5ft high. (1) Two barrows first reported by Leslie Grinsell in 1967 (see source 1 above). The sites do not appear to have been published in his `Somerset Barrows' of 1969. (2)The two barrows are centred at SS 8840 3715 on the saddle of Staddon Hill. They lie in improved pasture fields and are no more than 20 m apart (centre to centre).SS 88392 37160 (`A' on OS 1:10,000 record map). A prominent, dome-like, circular, earthen mound 16.5 m in diameter and 0.7 m high. SS 88407 37146 (`B' on OS 1:10,000 record map). A circular earthen mound 10.8 m in diameter and 0.4 m high. Surveyed at 1:2500 scale, 16th September 1997. (3) Two Bronze Age round barrows can be seen on aerial photographs as low earthworks on Staddon Hill. The larger, westernmost of the two, is clearly visible on aerial photographs as a mound circa 16 metres in diameter centred on circa SS 88383716. The second, smaller earthwork, discernible only as a very subtle feature circa 10 metres in diameter, at circa SS 88403714. The earthworks have probably been significantly denuded by post-medieval agricultural improvements, visible immediately to the east as narrow ridge and furrow. (4) |
Posted by Chance 18th December 2014ce |
Ricksy Ball Stone (Standing Stone / Menhir) |
|
Details of Stone on Pastscape SS 73843870. An isolated single stone on Ricksy Ball. It is of slate or shale, now leaning and is 0.32m wide and 0.17m high. Found 31-4-90 (Ground photograph supplied) (1). Not investigated: although isolated, other similar stones occur on Ricksy Ball, all of which appear to be natural surface stones or `outcrop' (2). |
Posted by Chance 18th December 2014ce |
Sherdon Barrows (Round Barrow(s)) |
|
Details of barrows on Pastscape Four bowl barrows not published by OS:- Exmoor No.20, SS 79193550, is 19 paces diameter and 2 ft high, and has a hollow in the centre. Exmoor Nos. 21a and b, adjoining mounds at SS 79243549. 21a, the NE mound, is 7 paces diameter by 1.5ft. high and is ditched. 21b, the SW mound, is 7 paces diameter by 2.5 ft.high and is also ditched. Exmoor No 22, SS 79413548, is mutilated and was first discovered from A.Ps. It is 11 paces in diameter and 2ft high. (1) Grinsell's No. 20, at SS 79213554 is a truncated bowl barrow 0.6m high. 22, at SS 79433548, has been almost completely destroyed. A small oval mound 0.6 m high is all that remains though the original extent of the barrow can be traced as a crop mark. Surveyed at 1/2500. 21a and b, at SS 79253552 are both small square mounds enclosed by a slight ditch. They do not seem to be of any great age and may be drying platforms associated with peat digging (2) Exmoor 20 and 22. Bowl barrows listed, details as Authy 1. Visited by Grinsell 27th Sept 1961 and 23rd April 1962. Known as Sherdon Barrows(together with SS 73 NE 4), and so called in Chase records of 1794 and1819(a).Exmoor 21a and 21b. Listed as 'doubtful or rejected'. (3) (SS 79213554) Tumulus (NR)(SS 79433548) Tumulus (NR) (4) Grinsell No 20, centred at SS 7921 3554 on open moorland, consists of a truncated, turf & reed-covered stony mound 16.5m in diameter (summit diameter of 13m) and 0.4m high.A narrow slot has been driven through the south edge and opens out into a rectangular pit, measuring 3.5m by 6.5m and 0.4m deep, to the south of the centre of the mound. This, and the truncated form of the mound are the result of stone robbing activity. Grinsell No 22, centred at SS 7943 3548 in improved pasture, consists of a turf-covered oval mound measuring 7.3m north-south by 9.5m and 0.3m high. Around the mound is a swathe of disturbed ground which probably corresponds with the "cropmark" mentioned by source 2. This presumably represents the former extent of the barrow, and would have given a diameter of 13.2m. The possible peat drying platforms, mentioned by source 2, are centred at SS 7925 3552. They consist of a pair of adjacent turf covered mounds enclosed within a shallow ditch. The eastern, flat-topped mound is rectangular, measuring 6.2m by 7.3m and 0.4m high. The western mound is sub-circular and measured 6.3m in diameter and is 0.5m high. The two mounds are separated by a shallow ditch. Both lie within a rectangular area measuring 15.5m by 8.5m and defined by a sharp-sided ditch 1m wide and 0.3m deep. The purpose of the mounds is unclear. The sharpness of the enclosing ditch suggests a Post-Medieval date. Source 2's classification as peat drying mounds is unfounded. Local information (source 7) states that peat was never dried on mounds or platforms within memory. Source 8 suggests that on Bodmin Moor where similar features have been identified and so classified, the mounds represent peat charcoal production sites. However, there is no known documentary evidence for peat charcoal production on Exmoor. (6-8) The mounds described above are clearly visible on aerial photographs, although only one small sub-rectangular square (identified as a peat stand) can be seen. It is clearly very different in size and form to the larger barrows at SS 7921 3554 and SS 7943 3548. The mounds lie in an area of extensive peat cutting, and it is possible that the sub-rectangular mound is related to this activity (9). |
Posted by Chance 18th December 2014ce |
Previous 10 | Showing 31-40 of 74 miscellaneous posts. Most recent first | Next 10 
Top of page