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. Elaborate complexes of fields and
field boundaries are some of the major features of the Dartmoor landscape. The
reaves are part of an extensive system of prehistoric land division introduced
during the Bronze Age (c.2000-700 BC). They consist of simple linear stone
banks used to mark out discrete territories, some of which are tens of
kilometres in extent. The systems are defined by parallel, contour and
watershed reaves, dividing the lower land from the grazing zones of the higher
moor and defining the watersheds of adjacent river systems. Occupation sites
and funerary or ceremonial monuments are often incorporated in, or associated
with, reave complexes. Their longevity and their relationship with other
monument types provide important information on the diversity of social
organisation, land divisions and farming practices amongst prehistoric
communities. They show considerable longevity as a monument type, sometimes
surviving as fossilised examples in medieval field plans. They are an
important element in the existing landscape and, as such, a substantial
proportion of surviving examples are considered worthy of protection.
Details
This contour reave, which runs in an almost straight line across the slope of
Penn Moor, is some 500m in length and runs from a point east of Rook watershed
reave in the west to Ford Brook in the east. It is considered likely that it
continued eastwards for a further 1.3km to the River Yealm but its probable
course is overlain by a newtake wall, beneath which the remains of the reave
would lie. The reave is an important element of the south-west Dartmoor reave
system. This part of the reave runs for some 340m eastwards from a gap where
the reave has been demolished to Ford Brook. It incorporates an enclosed hut
settlement and two stone hut circles are attached to the reave. The reave
consists of a bank of smallish boulders with occasional large natural boulders
and is up to 3m in width and 0.75m in height. The enclosed hut settlement,
known as Penn Moor Settlement, consists of a sub-circular bank enclosing at
least eight stone hut circles. Two further hut circles lie to the east of the
enclosed settlement, attached to the south side of the reave.
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
Legacy System number:
10782
Legacy System:
RSM
Sources
Books and journals Other
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 Culture, Media and Sport.
End of official list entry
