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 three pillow mounds 1000m ENE of Merrivale Bridge form part of the
nationally important Merrivale Warren and contain information relating to the
exploitation of rabbits in the Walkham valley.
Details
This monument includes three pillow mounds and a military training pit
situated on the gentle north west facing slope of Over Tor overlooking the
valley of the River Walkham. The pillow mounds form part of Merrivale Warren,
which includes at least 27 pillow mounds scattered along the lower slopes of
Great Mis Tor, Little Mis Tor and Over Tor. It has been suggested that many
of the pillow mounds within the Merrivale Warren may be of medieval date
because of their unusual oval shape and association with a nearby medieval
settlement. Most of the pillow mounds lie within the Merrivale Newtake but
some, including these three, lie on open moorland just outside the intake
wall.
All three pillow mounds survive as flat topped, oval shaped mounds of soil
and stone surrounded by the ditches from which material was quarried during
their construction. The northern mound measures 6.2m long, 3.7m wide and 0.6m
high and the surrounding ditch is 1.5m wide and up to 0.2m deep. A 1m wide
and 0.2m deep trench cutting across the width of the mound may be the result
of an early part excavation by an antiquarian who mistook the mound for a
long cairn. The western mound is 8.3m long, 4.1m wide and 0.9m high, whilst
its ditch is 2m wide and 0.5m deep. The eastern mound measures 8.2m long, 4m
wide and 0.7m high, and its ditch is 1.5m wide and 0.2m deep.
A 2.8m diameter ring of stones protruding through the turf is shown on the
map extract as a cairn, though it is more likely to be the remains of a back
filled military training pit excavated during World War II.
The area surrounding this monument may contain further archaeological features
and deposits, but they are not currently being proposed for scheduling because
they cannot be accurately assessed or mapped.
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.
