MMO41 - Possible Bronze Age barrow on Kentisbury Down (Monument)

A well preserved subcircular mound, which is most probably a barrow, is visible as an earthwork. A hollowed area on the eastern side may mark an excavation, or more likely is the result of animal rubbing and scraping.

SS 63324380. A grass-covered mound, diameter 19 paces, height 9 feet 6 inches, visited by C Whybrow and L V Grinsell, April, 1961. Probably a modern dump. [1] Mound clearly visible on National Monument Record aerial photograph dating to 1979. [2] It is almost too well preserved to be a burial mound but classed by local tradition with Holwell Barrow (MDE1057) and the Chapman Barrows (MDE1061). Apparently no attempt has been made to plough the land since 1890. [3] A tumulus on the northwestern slope of Kentisbury Down. In neighbouring field to north a large number of flint and chert artefacts were found, including flakes and cores, variety of arrowheads scrapers and patterns. Unusual discordal knife with finely polished cutting edge. Dated site occupation from middle/late Neolithic to at least Beaker people and possibly into Bronze Age. [4] Centred at SS 6331 4379. A well preserved subcircular mound, which is most probably a barrow, stands within a permanent pasture field. The mound is composed of earth and shale with some larger pieces of shale present. It is 16.5 metres in diameter and 2.8 metres in height. A hollowed area on the eastern side may mark an excavation, or more likely is the result of animal rubbing and scraping. At the foot of the mound on this side the ground is slightly hollowed as a result of cattle feeders being placed there. The relutance of earlier authorities to accept the mound as a prehistoric barrow is understandable. However, there is no evidence to support it being a modern dump: it seems to be composed of stone and earth. It is also unlikely to be a quarry spoil mound as there are no stone quarries close by. Local tradition recognises it as a burial mound. Resurveyed at 1:2500. [5,6] The barrow described above is visible on a number of aerial photographs dating from the 1940s to the present day. In size and form it strongly resembles the Chapman Barrows (MDE1061); however there are several small stone quarries in the area and there is a small possibility that this may be a spoil mound associated with them. The mound is depicted but not annotated on the 1st Edition Ordnance Survey map, along with the stone quarries. Further examination is required. [7-9] This record was enhanced as part of the National Record of the Historic Environment to Exmoor National Park Historic Environment Record data transfer project. [10]