MDE1460 - Twitchen Barrows (Monument)

Summary

A pair of Bronze Age round barrows at the east end of the summit of Twitchen Ridge. The western barrow contains an excavation hollow at its centre and the eastern barrow has been heavily robbed.

Please read the Exmoor National Park Historic Environment Record .

Type and Period (1)

Protected Status

Full Description

Twitchen Barrows (Tumuli) [O.E.] [1] Tumulus at 'A' approximately 35 feet in diameter and 5 feet 6 inches in height. Tumulus at 'B' approximately 60 feet in diameter and 5 feet 6 inches in height. [2] West barrow sited at SS 8031 3226, visited by Grinsell 26 October 1959. Hole at Centre. "Two stones lying outwards, perhaps from some internal structure" [3]. East barrow sited SS 8040 3226, visited by Grinsell 26.10.59. Both barrows are mutilated. The barrows are situated on heathland. [4] SS 8032 3225. A grass covered round barrow 14.0 metres in diameter and 1.7 metres high. Excavation hollow in centre, but Clarke's stones not visible in centre or perimeter. SS 8041 3225. A grass covered round barrow 20.0 metres in diameter and up to 1.7 metres high. The broad top has been excessively dug into by way of pits and trenches. Both barrows are in reclaimed pasture. Ordnance Survey 1:2500 surveys revised. [5] Scheduled 672. [6] Twitchen Barrows, a pair of prehistoric round barrows, are centred at SS 8038 3225, at the east end of the summit of Twitchen Ridge. The westerly barrow, centred at SS 8032 3225, consists of a circular mound 11.5 metres in diameter and 1.4 metres high. A possible excavation trench, 2.2 metres wide, 3.4 metres long and 0.3 metres deep has been driven into the summit from the south. It has been exploited by an animal scrape. There is no trace of an encircling ditch around the barrow. The easterly barrow, centred at SS 8041 3225, measures 19.4 metres north to south by 23.1 metres west to east and is 1.3 metres high. It has been extensively robbed, and is bisected by a zig zagging robbing trench 0.5 metres deep running roughly west to east. To the north of this the barrow appears largely intact, whilst to the south the surface is uneven and very disturbed. Both barrows are covered in close cropped grass and lie within improved pasture. Loose stone is scattered on the surface and may be associated with modern field clearance. [7] Both mounds are clearly visible on aerial photographs from the 1940s onwards. On photographs taken on recent aerial reconnaissance flights the damage to the monuments is clear. [8-10] The site was visited as part of the Scheduled Monument Condition Assessment of 2009. The surveyor gave the western barrow a survival score of 0 and the eastern one a score of 3. [13] The site was surveyed in March 2015 as part of the 2015 Exmoor Scheduled Monument Condition Assessment. The western barrow was given a survival score of 0 and the eastern one a score of 3. [14] This record was enhanced as part of the National Record of the Historic Environment to Exmoor National Park Historic Environment Record data transfer project. [15]

Sources/Archives (15)

  • <1> Map: Ordnance Survey. 1892-1906. County Series, 2nd Edition 6 Inch Map. 1:10560. 1906.
  • <2> Verbal communication: Various. Various. Oral Information. Ordnance Survey 6 inch Reviser, T Jones, 27 November 1957.
  • <3> Verbal communication: Various. Various. Oral Information. R Rainbird Clarke, 28 May 1938.
  • <4> Article in serial: Grinsell, L.V.. 1970. The Barrows of North Devon. Proceedings of the Devon Archaeological Society. 28. P. 128.
  • <5> Unpublished document: Quinnell, N.V.. Field Investigators Comments. Ordnance Survey visit, F1, 30 October 1972.
  • <6> Index: Department of the Environment (IAM). 1978. List of Ancient Monuments of England and Wales 1978. P. 56.
  • <7> Unpublished document: Wilson-North, R.. Various. Field Investigators Comments. RCHME Field Investigation, 3 February 1995.
  • <8> Aerial photograph: Various. Various. Oblique Aerial Photograph. NMR SS8032/5 (18278/20) (19 March 1998).
  • <9> Aerial photograph: Various. Various. Oblique Aerial Photograph. NMR SS8032/1-3 (15889/06-08) (10 February 1999).
  • <10> Archive: 2007-2009. Exmoor National Park NMP: SS 83 SW. MD002197.
  • <11> Unpublished document: McDonnell, R.. 1980. Gazetteer of Sites in the Exmoor National Park Identified through Aerial Photography. SS8032a.
  • <12> Aerial photograph: Meridian Air Maps. 1977-1978. Infrared False Colour Aerial Photography. 12/059 (May 1977).
  • <13> Report: Bray, L.S.. 2010. Scheduled Monument Condition Assessment 2009, Exmoor National Park.
  • <14> Report: Gent, T. and Manning, P.. 2015. Exmoor National Park Scheduled Monument Condition Survey 2015. Archaedia.
  • <15> Digital archive: Historic England. Various. National Record of the Historic Environment (NRHE) entry. 35817, Extant 2 February 2022.

External Links (1)

Other Statuses/References

  • Devon SMR (Devonshire): SS83SW/2
  • Devon SMR (Devonshire): SS83SW/3
  • Devon SMR Monument ID: 1199
  • Devon SMR Monument ID: 1200
  • Environmentally Sensitive Area
  • Exmoor National Park HER Number (now deleted): MDE20088
  • Exmoor National Park HER Number (now deleted): MMO133
  • Exmoor National Park HER Number (now deleted): MSO20089
  • Local List Status (No)
  • National Monuments Record reference: SS 83 SW6
  • National Park: Exmoor National Park
  • NRHE HOB UID (Pastscape): 35817
  • Scheduled Monument (County Number): Devon 672
  • Scheduled Monument (County Number): DV 672

Map

Location

Grid reference Centred SS 8037 3226 (117m by 29m) (2 map features)
Map sheet SS83SW
Civil Parish TWITCHEN, NORTH DEVON, DEVON

Finds (0)

Related Monuments/Buildings (0)

Related Events/Activities (5)

Record last edited

Feb 2 2022 11:16AM

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