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 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.
Warrens are areas of land set aside for the breeding and management of rabbits
or hares. They usually include a series of purpose-built breeding places,
known as pillow mounds and buries, vermin traps and enclosures designed to
contain and protect the animals, and living quarters for the warrener who kept
charge of the warren.
Pillow mounds are low oblong-shaped mounds of soil and/or stones in which the
animals lived. They are usually between 15m and 40m long and between 5m and
10m wide. Most have a ditch around at least three sides to facilitate
drainage. Inside are a series of narrow interconnecting trenches. These were
excavated and covered with stone or turf before the mound was constructed.
Vermin traps of various kinds are found within most warrens. These include a
small stone-lined passage into which the predator was funnelled by a series of
ditches or walls. Over 100 vermin traps have been recorded on the Moor, with
the majority lying in the Plym Valley.
Warren boundaries were often defined by a combination of natural features such
as rivers. Within the warrens themselves smaller enclosed areas defined by a
ditch and bank are sometimes found, and some of these may have been
specialised breeding areas. Many of the warrens on the Moor contain a house in
which the warrener lived.
Most of the surviving warren earthworks probably date to between the 17th
century and the later 19th century, with some continuing in use into the early
20th century. At least 22 warrens are known to exist on the Moor and together
they contribute to our understanding of the medieval and post-medieval
exploitation of the area. All well-preserved warrens are considered worthy of
protection.
The pillow mound 450m west of Hen Tor forms part of the nationally important
Hentor Warren and contains information relating to the exploitation of rabbits
in the Upper Plym valley. This valley contains the densest concentration of
pillow mounds and other structures associated with rabbit farming on the Moor.
Details
This monument includes a pillow mound situated on a terrace immediately north
of the Hentor Brook. This mound forms part of Hentor Warren, which includes
around 50 pillow mounds and 10 vermin traps scattered along the hillside
between Spanish Lake and Shavercombe Brook. Hentor Warren, which covers an
area of approximately 180ha, was established by at least 1807, when a lease
was granted by Lord Boringdon to Peter Nicholls, a warrener from Sheepstor.
The warren is denoted by the River Plym along its north western side and by a
series of five boundary stones (of which only three survive), leading from
Spanish Lake Head via Shavercombe Head to Colesmills. Hentor Farm is
considered to have been used as the warren house. Sometime shortly after 1815
the warren was taken over by and worked from nearby Ditsworthy and continued
in use until the 1930s.
This pillow mound survives as a 15m long, 5m wide and 2m high, flat-topped,
oblong shaped mound of soil and stone surrounded by the 2m wide and 0.1m deep
ditch from which material was quarried during its construction.
Further archaeological features surviving within the vicinity of this monument
are the subject of separate schedulings.
This monument is in the care of the Secretary of State.
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.
