MSO8021 - Bronze Age burial cairn on Bossington Hill (Monument)

Summary

The remains of a Bronze Age burial cairn on the northeastern side of Bossington Hill measure 12 metres in diameter by 0.9 metres high. It is disturbed and partially overgrown, with a central depression. Summary from record MSO11420: The remains of a large bronze age cairn with a central depression.

Please read the Exmoor National Park Historic Environment Record .

Type and Period (1)

Protected Status

Full Description

At SS 9084 4860 is a disturbed and partially overgrown cairn 0.7 metre high. Hollow in centre. Large amount of gorse growing up around it and on its slopes. Stones exposed in the centre. Rim mainly covered with heather. Associated with field system. (See GPs AO/65/181/1 and 2 [8-9]). Surveyed at 1:2500. [1] (SS 9084 4861) Cairn (NR). [2] SS 9084 4859. Minehead Without 1a. Robbed cairn 12 paces in diameter and 2 feet high. [3] A large cairn lies within the medieval/post-medieval field system on the northeastern side of Bossington Hill at SS 90827 48620. It was recorded using differential GPS as part of the RCHME Exmoor project. The cairn comprises a circular stony mound, 12 metres in diameter and a maximum of 0.9 metres high. A central depression 4 metres by 1.5 metres exposes much stone. The cairn is sited on a gentle slope at the top of the steep coastal slope, overlooking the Bristol Channel. [4] The cairn is depicted on the Ordnance Survey 1st Edition 25 inch map of the area. [5] Scheduled on 03 September 2002. [6] The Scheduled Monument Condition Assessment of 2009 gave the site a survival score of 3. [10] The Bronze Age burial cairn above is visible as an earthwork on aerial photographs. The cairn is centred at SS 9083 4862 and is as described above [4]. [11-13] The site was surveyed in June 2015 as part of the 2015 Exmoor Scheduled Monument Condition Assessment. It was given a survival score of 3. [14] The cairn is depicted and labelled on 2020 MasterMap data. [15]

Sources/Archives (15)

  • <1> Unpublished document: PITCHER, GHP. Field Investigators Comments. Ordnance Survey visit, 21 July 1965.
  • <2> Map: Ordnance Survey. 1974. 1:10,000 scale map: 1974. 1:10000.
  • <3> Article in serial: Grinsell, L.V.. 1969. Somerset Barrows. Part I: West and South. Proceedings of the Somerset Archaeological and Natural History Society. 113. 9, 36.
  • <4> Unpublished document: Riley, H.. Field Investigators Comments. RCHME Field Investigation, 1998.
  • <5> Map: Ordnance Survey. 1868-1901. County Series; 1st Edition 25 Inch Map. 1:2500. 1889, Somerset 23(14).
  • <6> Unpublished document: English Heritage. 16/9/2002. English Heritage to Somerset County Council (16/9/2002) in HER files.
  • <7> Article in serial: Osborn, B.. 1983. Parish surveys in Somerset five: Minehead Without. Proceedings of the Somerset Archaeological and Natural History Society. 5. 20.
  • <8> Photograph: DISTURBED CAIRN AT SELWORTHY FROM NORTH EAST. OS65/F181/1. B/W. MICROFILM.
  • <9> Photograph: DISTURBED CAIRN AT SELWORTHY FROM NORTH EAST. OS65/F181/2. B/W. MICROFILM.
  • <10> Report: Bray, L.S.. 2010. Scheduled Monument Condition Assessment 2009, Exmoor National Park.
  • <11> Aerial photograph: Various. Various. Vertical Aerial Photograph. RAF/106G/UK/1655 4013-4014 (11 July 1946).
  • <12> Aerial photograph: Various. Various. Oblique Aerial Photograph. NMR SS 9048/1/222-223 (SF1459) (1 March 1979).
  • <13> Archive: Severn Estuary Rapid Coastal Zone Assessment: SS 94 NW. MD000133.
  • <14> Report: Gent, T. and Manning, P.. 2015. Exmoor National Park Scheduled Monument Condition Survey 2015.
  • <15>XY Map: Ordnance Survey. 2020. MasterMap data. 1:2,500. [Mapped feature: #38489 ]

External Links (2)

Other Statuses/References

  • Exmoor National Park HER Number (now deleted): MMO211
  • Exmoor National Park HER Number (now deleted): MSO11420
  • Local List Status (No)
  • National Monuments Record reference: SS 94 NW 23
  • National Park: Exmoor National Park
  • National Trust HER Record: MNA167485
  • Pastscape HOBID (was Monarch UID): 36834
  • Somerset SMR PRN (Somerset): 33794

Map

Location

Grid reference Centred SS 9083 4862 (17m by 17m) (Centred on)
Map sheet SS94NW
Civil Parish MINEHEAD WITHOUT, WEST SOMERSET, SOMERSET

Finds (0)

Related Monuments/Buildings (0)

Related Events/Activities (3)

Record last edited

Nov 11 2020 10:08AM

Feedback?

Your feedback is welcome. If you can provide any new information about this record, please contact us.