MSO11336 - Possible Bronze Age cairn or modern enclosure southeast of Alderman's Barrow Allotment (Monument)

A large mound (or a subdivided rectangular enclosure) may be a disturbed Bronze Age cairn or have a more recent origin. This is thought to be what Grinsell described as two barrows, Luccombe 1a and 1b, further to the southeast.

Two confluent barrows at SS 8500 4233 and SS 8501 4233, both 6 paces diameter and 2 feet high (Luccombe 1a and 1b) with hollows in the centre, were seen by Grinsell in heath on 25 April 1962. He says they have the appearance of confluent round barrows placed west to east. Mound described by [2] not mentioned. [1] At SS 8495 4241 is an oval mound 12 metres by 7 metres high and 0.7 metres. It has no ditch or "waisted" effect to substantiated the confluent classification. A small excavation pit has been dug into each end showing that the construction is of earth and small stones. A doubtful barrow but not a field clearance heap. Surveyed at 1/2500. [2] Two hollows have been dug into either end of this roughly rectangular mound which is covered in heather and bracken. It may just be a field clearance mound but seems more likely to be a barrow - or even a pillow mound [3] SS 8497 4240. Mound (NR). [4] [SS 8497 4239] The remains of a rectangular turf "platform" measuring overall 8.5 metres westnorthwest to eastsoutheast by 4.5 metres transversely and about 0.6 metres maximum height. The southeast quadrant is lower and less well preserved. There are two circular depressions apparently dividing the"platform" into two roughly equal areas. There is too much peat and heather cover for further details. This is obviously the feature referred to by Grinsell [1] as "two confluent round barrows" (although his grid reference is incorrect as there is nothing at SS 8500 4233) but as stated by [2] there is nothing to substantiate this feature being barrows or a stone clearance heap. The feature has more the appearance of a subdivided rectangular building or enclosure, possibly with rounded ends, and probably of relatively modern dating, i.e. not prehistoric, not sepulchral and not associated with the field system and settlement (MSO7348) to the southeast [5] A large mound lies on Great Hill overlooking Chetsford Water at SS 84815 42408. At the time of the field visit much of the mound was obscured with bracken. It comprises a stony mound, 8 metres north to south by 6 metres east to west and 0.8 metres high. The disturbance at its north end may be the result of robbing. The mound may be a disturbed Bronze Age cairn, or it may, as suggested, have a more recent origin. The mound was surveyed using GPS as part of the RCHME East Exmoor Project. [6] The GPS grid reference is 150 metres away from the location shown on the Ordnance Survey map. [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. [8,9] The mound is shown on 2021 MasterMap data at SS 8496 4239. [10]