Details

The monument, which lies in two separate areas of protection, includes a
round barrow cemetery of prehistoric date which is situated on open
moorland in a prominent location on the summit of Winsford Hill. The
cemetery comprises at least five round barrows which extend broadly in a
line from north west to south east adjacent to the north side of the B3223
road, between Spire Cross and Comer's Gate. The three westernmost of the
round barrows have attracted the collective name Wambarrows and appear to
have formed the focus of the cemetery. The name Wambarrows is derived from
`Wamburg' and `Wimureghe', which are mentioned in the Exmoor Forest
perambulations of 1219 and 1279 respectively as recognisable boundary
markers.

The barrows are formed by circular earth and stone mounds and the
westernmost three, those known as Wambarrows, range in diameter from
between 17.6m to 28.8m. The westernmost barrow measures 27.7m north-south
and 28.8m east-west. It has an uneven summit, 1.8m high, which slopes to
the north. The mound of the central barrow of these three, which is 17.6m
in diameter, has been disturbed leaving the eastern part surviving to a
height of 1.8m, whilst the remaining part, having been robbed in
antiquity, survives to a height of 0.9m. In addition, a pit, 5.3m by 3.4m,
and up to 0.6m deep has been dug into the south west quadrant of the
mound. The mound of the barrow located 60m east of the former is 21.6m in
diameter and 1.9m high and has a large central pit 9m wide dug into its
summit.

Two further barrows, which form part of the round barrow cemetery, are
located some 200m to the east of the Wambarrows. These are formed by low
earthen mounds, one of which is 8.5m in diameter and 0.5m high with a
rectangular pit 2.9m by 2.6m and 0.3m deep dug into its surface, and the
other, located 12m to the north west, is 4m in diameter and 0.4m high with
its mound intact. The barrow cemetery is overlain by an extensive field
system which is formed by a series of low banks and ridge and furrow,
which is believed to date from the late medieval to the early
post-medieval period. The field system has encroached upon at least two of
the barrow mounds: the central barrow of the five lies in the corner of a
former field and two of its banks have impinged on its eastern and
southern sides. The westernmost barrow of the group has been impinged on
its southern side by a low field bank. An earthwork enclosure which lies
to the north west of the easternmost barrow is the subject of a separate
scheduling.

All fence posts and fencing are excluded from the scheduling, although the
ground beneath these features is included.

MAP EXTRACT
The site of the monument is shown on the attached map extract.
It includes a 2 metre boundary around the archaeological features,
considered to be essential for the monument's support and preservation.

Source: Historic England

Reasons for Scheduling

Round barrow cemeteries date to the Bronze Age (c.2000-700 BC). They comprise
closely-spaced groups of up to 30 round barrows - rubble or earthen mounds
covering single or multiple burials. Most cemeteries developed over a
considerable period of time, often many centuries, and in some cases acted as
a focus for burials as late as the early medieval period. They exhibit
considerable diversity of burial rite, plan and form, frequently including
several different types of round barrow, occasionally associated with earlier
long barrows. Where large scale investigation has been undertaken around them,
contemporary or later "flat" burials between the barrow mounds have often been
revealed. Round barrow cemeteries occur across most of lowland Britain, with a
marked concentration in Wessex. In some cases, they are clustered around other
important contemporary monuments such as henges. Often occupying prominent
locations, they are a major historic element in the modern landscape, whilst
their diversity and their longevity as a monument type provide important
information on the variety of beliefs and social organisation amongst early
prehistoric communities. They are particularly representative of their period
and a substantial proportion of surviving or partly-surviving examples are
considered worthy of protection.

Despite disturbance to three of the mounds, the five round barrows which form
the prehistoric round barrow cemetery on Winsford Hill survive well as a group
and will contain archaeological deposits and environmental evidence relating
to the monument and the wider landscape in which it was constructed. The
cemetery includes the Wambarrows which have been described as among the best
known groups on Exmoor. It occupies a prominent position on the summit of
Winsford Hill close to a well-used route through the moor and would have
formed a striking visual element in the prehistoric landscape.

Source: Historic England

Sources

Books and journals
Grinsell, L V, 'Proceedings of Somerset Archaelogical & Natural History Society' in Somerset Barrows, , Vol. 113, (1969), 42
Grinsell, L V, 'Proceedings of Somerset Archaelogical & Natural History Society' in Somerset Barrows, , Vol. 113, (1969), 42
Grinsell, L V, 'Proceedings of Somerset Archaelogical & Natural History Society' in Somerset Barrows, , Vol. 113, (1969), 42
Grinsell, L V, 'Proceedings of Somerset Archaelogical & Natural History Society' in Somerset Barrows, , Vol. 113, (1969), 42
Grinsell, L V, 'Proceedings Somerset Archaeology & Natural History Society' in Somerset barrows: revisions, , Vol. 131, (1987), 24
Other
SS 83 SE 3, National Monuments Record,
SS 83 SE 5, National Monuments Record,

Source: Historic England