MDE1190 - Two standing stones on Five Barrows Hill (Monument)

Two standing stones had been uprooted by 1973. Only one stone could be found during field investigation in 1989, but the presence of several loose slabs suggests there was formerly a larger assemblage of stones.

Two standing stones are visible on the 1905 Ordnance Survey 6 inch map. [1] Authority was probably R Hansford Worth. [7] Two standing stones were located and surveyed on a field document in 1957. Stone A was located at SS 7293 3693. Stone B was located at SS 7294 3694. Stone A is 2 ft in height and is 9 ins by 2 ins horizontal section. Stone B is also 2 ft high and 8 ins by 2 ins section. [2] At the west of, and associated with the "Five Barrow" group, are two standing stones. Dimensions of Stone A are 9 inches by 3 inches by 24 inches high. Dimensions of Stone B are 8 inches by 5 inches by 25 inches high. [3] Field investigation in 1973 found that both stones had been uprooted. Stone A lies near its surveyed position. Stone B has been moved and lies 25 metres to the east. Dimensions were still the same as were given by [2] (taken during a site visit in 1957). Both stones are portable. [4] During field investigation in 1989, only one stone (Stone B) could be identified. It lies in a hollow in the top of the westernmost barrow (MDE1191 and DEM4353), about 25 metres from the original site of the pair. This slate stone is 0.85 metres long, 0.35 metres wide and 0.13 metres thick. Several small slabs 0.2 metres to 0.4 metres across lie loose within 30 metres of the barrow and may support Chanter's view [3] that there was formerly a larger assemblage. There is no obvious graffiti on the stone (which was mentioned by [3]) which is presumed to be one of those surveyed in 1957 (by [2]). [5] Monument point moved to the hollow atop the westernmost barrow of the group MDE1191 (DEM4353). [6] This was once a site consisting of two upright stones close to the western side of the barrow group on Five Barrows Hill. They were reported as two slate slabs standing two foot high. The site was subsequently destroyed, with Stone A moved to the top of the nearest barrow where it remain. Stone B, however, may still be recumbent and buried within its original location as recent mowing revealed a noticeable hollow very close to the recorded grid reference with a stone just below the turf. A dubious hollow was close to the original recorded position of A, but this cannot be confirmed. Nothing significant appears to be threatening the site currently, as Stone A is atop a Scheduled barrow and Stone B is buried. [7] This record was enhanced as part of the National Record of the Historic Environment to Exmoor National Park Historic Environment Record data transfer project. [8]