There are estimated to be 350 Round
Barrows and burial mounds.
Woodbarrow (Grid Ref: SS716425)
This was excavated before to 1630 by a dowser who divined
the existence of treasure in a brass bowl. Fortunately the diggers were
overcome by faintness and a massive thunderstorm further dampened their
enthusiasm This large Barrow neat the Chains has an irregular stone array
nearby.
Wood Barrow (716425) which can be reached in a circular walk which takes in Wood Barrow from Breakneck Hole car park and Pinkery Pond via Pinkery Farm.
Chapman Barrows (Grid Ref: SS695435)
Chapman
Barrows (696436), eleven in all, eight of them on the boundary between the parishes of Challacombe and Parracombe, suggest quite a population lived hereabouts in the Bronze Age. Reached along the lane to Withecombe Farm and the track beyond, Chapman
Barrows is superbly sited with the whole of Exmoor lying eastwards, and Dartmoor showing to the south.
This is an impressive line of eleven bowl-shaped barrows
that form a line over several miles One was excavated in 1885 and contained
an inverted urn and burnt bone. In 1905 a poorly planned excavation effectively
destroyed another but it did reveal a covered interment pit containing
charcoal and bone.
Folklore has it that there is a dragon living among the Chapman
Barrows.
Near the Chapman
Barrows you will see the Negus Stone which
was erected in memory of 18 year old Robin Negus by his father who knew
how much he loved the place.
Wambarrows (Grid Ref: SS876344)
Reputedly haunted by a black dog these consist of a line
of three concave Bronze Age burial mounds on Winsford Hill near the Caratacus Stone. ( standing stones)
Brightworthy Barrows (Grid Ref: SS817351)
Another good area to take in is Withypool Common, where the moorland scenery capped by Brightworthy Barrows (817351) is splendid. The adjoining Withypool Hill is the site of an archaeologically superb stone circle (838343), as well as a barrow. |
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