Scheduled Monument: Brightworthy Barrows on Withypool Common (1021264)

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. Selected Sources Book Reference - Title: Naional Monument Record - Type: DESC TEXT - Description: SS 83 SW 3 Book Reference - Title: National Monument Record - Type: DESC TEXT - Description: SS 83 SW 3 Article Reference - Author: Grinsell, L V - Title: Somerset Barrows - Date: 1969 - Journal Title: Proceedings Somerset Archaeological & Natural History Society - Volume: 113 - Page References: 42 - Type: DESC TEXT - Description: Withypool No 2 Article Reference - Author: Grinsell, L V - Title: Somerset Barrows - Date: 1969 - Journal Title: Proceedings Somerset Archaeological & Natural History Society - Volume: 113 - Page References: 42 - Type: DESC TEXT - Description: Withypool No 3