An enclosed settlement, length of reave, two vermin traps and a pillow mound 770m east of Trowlesworthy Warren House

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. Stone hut circles and hut settlements were the dwelling places of prehistoric farmers on Dartmoor. They mostly date from the Bronze Age, with the earliest examples on the Moor in this building tradition dating to about 1700 BC. The stone-based round houses consist of low walls or banks enclosing a circular floor area; remains of the turf or thatch roof are not preserved. The huts may occur singly or in small or large groups and may lie in the open or be enclosed by a bank of earth and stone. Although they are common on the Moor, their longevity and their relationship with other monument types provide important information on the diversity of social organisation and farming practices amongst prehistoric communities. They are particularly representative of their period and a substantial proportion of surviving examples are considered worthy of protection.

The length of reave lying close to the settlement is broadly contemporary and was built to mark out a territorial division. The vermin traps and pillow mounds are by contrast of historic date and form part of the important Trowlesworthy Warren. 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. All well preserved warrens are considered worthy of protection. The enclosed settlement, length of reave, two vermin traps and pillow mound 770m east of Trowlesworthy Warren House, together form an important part of the archaeological evidence relating to the prehistoric and historic exploitation of the Upper Plym Valley.

Details

This monument, which falls into three areas of protection, includes an enclosed stone hut circle settlement, a length of reave together with a further hut circle, two vermin traps and a pillow mound situated on a gentle north facing slope of Little Trowlesworthy Tor overlooking the valley of the River Plym. The enclosed stone hut circle settlement survives as a 45m long by 40m wide sub-rectangular enclosure containing three stone hut circles. The reave lies to the east of the settlement and survives as a 204m long rubble bank measuring up to 5m wide and 1m high. A stone hut circle is attached to the eastern side of the reave, which is also cut by a number of historic trackways and two`X'-shaped vermin traps. The pillow mound lies south west of the reave and survives as a 21m long, 6m wide and 0.5m high, flat-topped, sub- rectangular mound of soil and stones. A ditch from which material was quarried during its construction surrounds the mound and survives as a 2m wide and 0.6m deep hollow. A gully leading westward from the eastern end of the pillow mound may represent an animal run in which vermin and rabbits were trapped. Other 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.

Legacy

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

Legacy System number:

28654

Legacy System:

RSM

Sources

Other
Thackray, C., The Upper Plym Valley: The management of an historic landscape, 1994, Archaeological Site Inventory
Thackray, C., The Upper Plym Valley: The management of an historic landscape, 1994, Archaeological Site Inventory
Thackray, C., The Upper Plym Valley: The management of an historic landscape, 1994, Archaeological Site Inventory
Thackray, C., The Upper Plym Valley: The management of an historic landscape, 1994, Archaeological Site Inventory
MPP fieldwork by S. Gerrard, (1995)

End of official list entry

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