Enclosure WSW of Dockwell Hole

Overview

Heritage Category: Scheduled Monument

List Entry Number: 1002666

Date first listed: 20-Mar-1978

Location

The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.

National Park: DARTMOOR

National Grid Reference: SX 69245 64191, SX 69464 64198

Summary

Two enclosures 650m north-west of Dockwell Farm.

Reasons for Designation

Dartmoor is the largest expanse of open moorland in southern Britain and, because of exceptional conditions of preservation, it is also one of the most complete examples of an upland relict landscape in the whole country. The great wealth and diversity of archaeological remains provide direct evidence for human exploitation of the Moor from the early prehistoric period onwards. The well-preserved and often visible relationship between settlement sites, major land boundaries, trackways, ceremonial and funerary monuments as well as later industrial remains, gives significant insights into successive changes in the pattern of land use through time. Within the landscape of Dartmoor there are many discrete plots of land enclosed by stone walls or banks of stone and earth, most of which date to the Bronze Age (c.2000-700 BC), though earlier and later examples also exist. They were constructed as stock pens or as protected areas for crop growing and were sometimes subdivided to accommodate stock and hut circle dwellings for farmers and herdsmen. The size and form of enclosures may therefore vary considerably depending on their particular function. Their variation in form, longevity and relationship to other monument classes provide important information on the diversity of social organisation and farming practices amongst prehistoric communities. They are particularly representative of their period. The two enclosures 650m north west of Dockwell Farm survive well and will contain archaeological and environmental evidence relating to their construction, use, longevity, relative chronologies, farming practices and overall landscape context.

Details

This record was the subject of a minor enhancement on 18 November 2015. This record has been generated from an "old county number" (OCN) scheduling record. These are monuments that were not reviewed under the Monuments Protection Programme and are some of our oldest designation records.

This monument which falls into two areas included two enclosures situated on the lower north eastern slopes of Dockwell Ridge. The western enclosure is oval in shape and measures up to 50m long by 47m wide and is defined by a strongly built earth and stone bank measuring up to 5.5m wide and 1.1m high. A simple gap entrance is visible on the eastern side. The eastern enclosure is also oval in shape and measures up to 36m long by 30m wide and is defined by earth and stone rubble walling of up to 2.5m wide and 0.5m high. Neither enclosure has discernible interior features.

Further archaeological remains in the vicinity are scheduled separately.

Legacy

The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.

Legacy System number: DV 1018

Legacy System: RSM - OCN

Sources

Books and journals
Butler, J, Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities, Volume Four – The South-East , (1993), 112
Other
PastScape Monument No:-441780 and 441785

Legal

This monument is scheduled under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979 as amended as it appears to the Secretary of State to be of national importance. This entry is a copy, the original is held by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport.