Part of Eylesbarrow watershed reave

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 provides 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. Elaborate complexes of fields and field boundaries are some of the major features of the Dartmoor landscape. They have important implications for studying Prehistoric land divisions and communal systems of land-holding not just in this region but also nationally.

Details

The Dartmoor reaves are part of a highly elaborate and extensive system of Prehistoric land division, introduced some time around 1700 BC. The reaves consist of simple linear stone and earth banks used to mark out discrete territories, some of which are tens of kilometres in area. The systems are defined by parallel, contour and watershed reaves, dividing the lower land from the grazing zones of the higher Moor. Eylesbarrow watershed reave can be traced from Cadworthy Wood to Eylesbarrow, a distance of some 7.5km, separating the watershed of the River Plym from that of the River Meavy. This part of the reave runs for c.300m through the enclosed Brisworthy Plantation and appears as a low grassy bank up to 2.5m in width and 0.5m in height. The beeches of the plantation grow on and beside the reave and there are short lengths where it is harder to discern due to tree-damage. To the north-east the reave is cut by a hollow way immediately outside the plantation enclosure, it then continues across Ringmoor Down; to the south-west it emerges alongside a track proceeding towards Wigford Down.

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.

Legacy

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

Legacy System number:

10669

Legacy System:

RSM

Sources

Books and journals
Fleming, A, The Dartmoor Reaves, (1988)

Other
SX56NE-278, SX56NE-278, (1990)

End of official list entry

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