MSO6256 - Two Bronze Age burial cairns on Dunkery Hill (Monument)

Summary

Two well preserved Bronze Age burial cairns are visible as heather covered mounds. The cairn to the west measures 7.5 metres in diameter and 0.5 metres high, the other 11 metres in diameter and 0.4 metres high.

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Type and Period (1)

Protected Status

Full Description

At SS 9086 4234 is a robbed, overgrown cairn, 0.4 metres high. Approximately 80 metres to the southwest, at SS 9079 4231, is a heather covered mound of earth and stones, 0.4 metres high. This appears to be a small bowl barrow. [6,7] Surveyed at 1:2500. [1] Cairn 14 paces diameter and 1ft high (Wootton Courtenay 7). Bowl barrow 7 paces diameter and 1ft high (Wootton Courtenay 6). [2] Two well preserved cairns lie on the southeast slope of Dunkery Hill below Robin How and close to a bridleway. The cairn to the west (SS 90784 42307) comprises a circular, heather covered stony mound 7.5 metres in diameter and 0.5 metres high. The cairn to the east comprises a heather covered mound of earth and stone 11 metres in diameter and 0.4 metres high. A small stone heap lies on the north side and a small hollow lies towards the centre of the cairn. The site was surveyed using differential GPS as part of the RCHME Exmoor Project. [3,4] Scheduled on 23 April 2003. [5] The Scheduled Monument Condition Assessment of 2009 gave both cairns a survival score of 0. [8] The site was surveyed in April 2015 as part of the 2015 Exmoor Scheduled Monument Condition Assessment. The western cairn was given a survival score of 0 and the eastern one a score of 9. [9]

Sources/Archives (9)

  • <1> Unpublished document: PITCHER, GHP. Field Investigators Comments. Ordnance Survey visit, 24 June 1965.
  • <2> Article in serial: Grinsell, L.V.. 1969. Somerset Barrows. Part I: West and South. Proceedings of the Somerset Archaeological and Natural History Society. 113. P. 25 & 43.
  • <3> Unpublished document: Riley, H.. Field Investigators Comments. RCHME Field Investigation, 10 March 1997.
  • <4> Survey: RCHME. 1997. Exmoor survey. NMR Site SS 94 SW 15.
  • <5> Unpublished document: English Heritage. 13/5/2003. English Heritage to Somerset County Council.
  • <6> Photograph: PROBABLE BOWL BARROW OR OVERGROWN CAIRN AT WOOTTON COURTENAY FROM NORTH EAST. OS65/F140/8. B/W. MICROFILM.
  • <7> Photograph: CAIRN AT WOOTTON COURTENAY FROM EAST (FORMS STEREO PAIR WITH AO/65/140/8). OS65/F141/1. B/W. MICROFILM.
  • <8> Report: Bray, L.S.. 2010. Scheduled Monument Condition Assessment 2009, Exmoor National Park.
  • <9> Report: Gent, T. and Manning, P.. 2015. Exmoor National Park Scheduled Monument Condition Survey 2015.

External Links (1)

Other Statuses/References

  • Exmoor National Park HER Number (now deleted): MSO11776
  • Exmoor National Park HER Number (now deleted): MSO11777
  • Local List Status (No)
  • National Monuments Record reference: SS 94 SW15
  • National Park: Exmoor National Park
  • National Trust HER Record
  • Pastscape HOBID (was Monarch UID): 36999
  • Site of Special Scientific Interest
  • Somerset SMR PRN (Somerset): 34346
  • Somerset SMR PRN (Somerset): 34347

Map

Location

Grid reference Centred SS 9081 4232 (85m by 55m) (Centred on)
Map sheet SS94SW
Civil Parish WOOTTON COURTENAY, WEST SOMERSET, SOMERSET

Finds (0)

Related Monuments/Buildings (0)

Related Events/Activities (2)

Record last edited

Jan 27 2016 12:42PM

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