MSO6863 - Bronze Age barrow on Great Tom's Hill (Monument)
Summary
Please read the Exmoor National Park Historic Environment Record caveat document.
Type and Period (1)
Protected Status
Full Description
At SS 8040 4315 is a barrow 15 paces across and 3 feet high. Listed by Grinsell as Exmoor 11. Visited by Peter Taylor in 1958 but previously found by AD Hallam. [1,2] This is a bowl barrow. It is at SS 8050 4311 and is 0.6 metres high. (See GPs AO0/65/175/3 and 4 Stereo pair). Surveyed at 1:2500 [3,4] SS 807432. Round barrow on Great Tom's Hill. Scheduled. [5] A prehistoric round barrow centred at SS 8040 4315. It consists of a turf covered stony mound 12.5 metres in diameter and 0.5 metres high. Around the foot of the barrow on its north and northeast side is a slight hollowing emphasised by reed growth, which might be interpreted as a ditch. A subrectangular pit 2.3 metres by 1.4 metres and 0.3 metres deep has been dug into the western half of the summit. It is probably associated with World War II activity in the area, as is a circular pit, 7 metres from the barrow on its northwest side. [6] A mound is visible as an earthwork on aerial photographs of the 1940s onwards, on the southwest facing slopes of Great Toms Hill, Exmoor parish, at approximately SS 80494311. The earthwork is likely to be the remains of a barrow of Bronze Age date, roughly 13 metres in diameter. It has been transcribed from aerial photographs as part of the Exmoor National Mapping Programme survey. [7-9] Irregular circular mound 17 paces diameter and 1 to 1.5 metres high. Flat topped with shell hole in north-west quadrant showing medium sized stones. Vegetation gives an indication of a surrounding ditch. Prismatic compass fix at SS 8048 4309 rather than the Ordnance Survey Archaeological Division national grid reference. [10] 0.75 metres high and 15 metres diameter, some rush grass and stones on the surface. [11] This could possibly be Longcombe Barrow which is referred to in the 19th Century perambulations. (see MSO6879). [13] The Scheduled Monument Condition Assessment of 2009 gave the site a survival score of 0. [14] The site was surveyed in May 2015 as part of the 2015 Exmoor Scheduled Monument Condition Assessment. It was given a survival score of 0. [15] This record was enhanced as part of the National Record of the Historic Environment to Exmoor National Park Historic Environment Record data transfer project. [16] The feature is depicted and labelled ""Tumulus"" on 2021 MasterMap data. [17]
Sources/Archives (17)
- <1> SMO5308 Verbal communication: Various. Various. Oral Information. AD Hallam, Somerset County Museum, Taunton.
- <2> SMO5467 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. 32.
- <3> SMO1472 Photograph: Pitcher, S.. 1965. BOWL BARROW AT EXMOOR FROM NORTH. OS65/F175/4. B/W. MICROFILM.
- <4> SMO7319 Unpublished document: PITCHER, GHP. Field Investigators Comments. Ordnance Survey visit, F1, 7 July 1965.
- <5> SEM7732 Index: Department of the Environment (IAM). 1978. List of Ancient Monuments of England and Wales 1978. P. 117.
- <6> SMO7329 Unpublished document: Wilson-North, R.. Field Investigators Comments. RCHME Field Investigation, 14 December 1995.
- <7> SMO4068 Aerial photograph: Various. Various. Vertical Aerial Photograph. NMR RAF 543/2821 (F65) 164-5 (27 April 1964).
- <8> SMO4068 Aerial photograph: Various. Various. Vertical Aerial Photograph. NMR OS/73109 864-5 (29 April 1973).
- <9> SMO7567 Archive: 2007-2009. Exmoor National Park NMP: SS 84 SW. MD002184.
- <10> SSO1 Unpublished document: Somerset County Council. Various. Somerset HER parish files - Exmoor records. PRN 33048.
- <11> SSO1247 Report: Historic Buildings and Monuments Commission. Field Monument Warden Report.
- <12> SEM7060 Report: McDonnell, R.. 1985. Recommendations for the Management of Archaeological Sites in the Exmoor National Park at Warren, Pinford, Tom's Hill and Hayes Allotment. P. 54 (site 52).
- <13> SEM8675 Verbal communication: Various. 1900-. Somerset County Council / South West Heritage Trust staff comments. E Dennison, Somerset County Council, 23 September 1986.
- <14> SEM7402 Report: Bray, L.S.. 2010. Scheduled Monument Condition Assessment 2009, Exmoor National Park.
- <15> SEM8278 Report: Gent, T. and Manning, P.. 2015. Exmoor National Park Scheduled Monument Condition Survey 2015. Archaedia.
- <16> SEM7987 Digital archive: Historic England. Various. National Record of the Historic Environment (NRHE) entry. 36255, Extant 12 July 2021.
- <17>XY SEM340794 Map: Ordnance Survey. 2021. MasterMap data. 1:2,500. [Mapped feature: #47357 ]
External Links (1)
- http://www.pastscape.org.uk/hob.aspx?hob_id=36255 (Pastscape entry: 36255)
Other Statuses/References
- Exmoor National Park HER Number (now deleted): MMO176
- Exmoor National Park HER Number (now deleted): MSO10909
- Local List Status (No)
- National Monuments Record reference: SS 84 SW19
- National Park: Exmoor National Park
- NRHE HOB UID (Pastscape): 36255
- Somerset SMR PRN (Somerset): 33048
Location
Grid reference | Centred SS 8049 4311 (19m by 19m) |
---|---|
Map sheet | SS84SW |
Civil Parish | EXMOOR, WEST SOMERSET, SOMERSET |
Finds (0)
Related Monuments/Buildings (0)
Related Events/Activities (4)
Record last edited
Jul 26 2021 10:58AM
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