Wambarrows Round Barrow(s) View all content for Wambarrows

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

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