MSO12281 - Bronze Age bowl barrows on Periton Hill (Monument)

SS 94844423. Minehead 1. SS 94874422. Minehead 2. Two bowl barrows on Periton Hill, both 11 paces diameter and 2 feet high. Minehead 2 has had the south side impinged upon and destroyed by a trackway. These two barrows seem to be shown on the 2 inch Ordnance Survey MS Map of c.1809. [1] What Grinsell refers to is the 2 inch drawing of 1802-3, where an ambiguous feature is shown at this location but appears to be on the south side of a trackway. Nothing is shown here on Ordnance Survey 1 inch 1st Edition 1809. [2] Grinsell's Minehead 1 is clearly visible at SS 9484 4423, 15 metres north of the Ordnance Survey triangulation pillar. It comprises a turf covered mound 0.5 metres high and 12 metres in diameter. A modern path runs over its south side, and here beside the path a bench has been placed on the barrow. The northern part is currently in dense scrub, comprising silver birch, brambles, gorse and heather. Grinsell's Minehead 2 could not be located. Minehead 1 surveyed at 1:2500 scale, July 1997. [3] This record was enhanced as part of the National Record of the Historic Environment to Exmoor National Park Historic Environment Record data transfer project. [4] A visit to the site was undertaken in March 2026. While the trig point was easily located behind its bank, the two barrows are now covered in scrub: gorse, bramble and young birch trees are growing in the area where the barrows are present. The barrows are almost invisible given the density of the scrub, despite the 0.5m height described during the early 21st century site visit. It is possible that erosion has taken place but more likely the bramble scrub is so thick it obscures the possible height of the mounds. During the site visit a path leading northwards through the gorse was explored to try and obtain a clearer view but without success. The bench has been removed. [5]