See important guidance on the use of this record.

If you have any comments or new information about this record, please email us.

Summary

Late 19th century military artillery range earthworks including the earthworks of a roughly semi-circular infantry redoubt, one of the largest known examples of its type. Scheduled in October 2015.

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1424465: Okehampton Artillery Range: Experimental Parapets and Redoubt

Other References/Statuses

• National Record of the Historic Environment: 1063526
• National Record of the Historic Environment: SX58NE28

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• LINEAR EARTHWORK (XIX - 1801 AD (Between) to 1900 AD (Between))
• REDOUBT (XIX - 1801 AD (Between) to 1900 AD (Between))

Full description

Royal Commission for the Historical Monuments of England, 1993-1998, Dartmoor Royal Forest Project (Report - Survey). SDV346608.

(05/09/1993) Centred SX 5976 8974. The damaged remains of a curvilinear military earthwork on the west-facing slope of East Mill Tor. It comprises a roughly semi-circular turf and stone bank 7.5m wide and up to 2m high with a ditch 3m wide and 0.7m deep immediately to the north. On the S face of the bank is a levelled step 1.7m wide and 0.8m below the crest. A further shallow ditch 0.6m wide and 0.6m deep lies at the foot of the south side of the bank.
It is described as an 'Infantry Redoubt' in 1907 (War Department 1907 map of Okehampton R A Camp and Practice Grounds Defence Estates Agency archives) though it has been severely damaged by shell fire and appears to have functioned as a target but in its later life. Similar features lie on the north and east flanks of East Mill Tor (SX 59 SE 31 and SX 69 SW 60). A series of linear features of apparently similar function lie 450m to the south (SX 58 NE 27).

Probert, S., 2001, Willsworthy Training Area, Peter Tavy, Devon. Integrated Land Management Plan Implementation: Archaeological Condition Baseline Survey Appendices 2-5 (Report - Survey). SDV357727.

Probert, S. A. J. + Newman, P., 2003-2004, Measured survey North Dartmoor Military Range Okehampton Range: Monument Baseline Condition Survey (Report - Survey). SDV350801.

(26/01/2004) This feature remains as described in 1993.

GetMapping, 2010, GetMapping 2010 aerial photographs (Aerial Photograph). SDV351585.

Banks visible on aerial photograph. Map object based on this source.

Historic England, 2015, Case Name: Okehampton Artillery Range: Experimental Parapets and Infantry Redoubt (Schedule Document). SDV359235.

Case assessment regarding whether to schedule features.

English Heritage, 2015, Experimental Parapets, 611m to the South and Infantry Redoubt, 223m to the South-West of the Summit of East Mill Tor, Dartmoor Forest Devon (Correspondence). SDV358484.

Notification of completion of initial assessment of the above site for possible scheduling as part of the assessment of the military remains on Okehampton Artillery Range which is being carried out in association with the assessment of Okehampton Training Camp. The earthwork features are first shown on a military OS map of 1898. The late-C19 military artillery range earthworks include an infantry redoubt 223m south west of the summit of East Mill Tor.
The infantry redoubt is centred on SX 5976 8974 and comprises a roughly semi-circular turf-and-stone bank 7.5m wide and up to 2m high with a ditch 3m wide and 0.7m deep immediately to the north. On the south face of the bank is a levelled step 1.7m wide and 0.8m below the crest. A further shallow ditch circa 0.5m wide and 0.5m deep lies at the foot of the south side of the bank. The feature has also been damaged by shell fire. It is one of the largest known examples.
Map object based on this source.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV7620 - Okehampton Artillary Range
• EDV8409 - Dartmoor Royal Forest Project
• EDV8679 - Okehampton Range: Management Survey
• EDV8291 - Okehampton Range: Monument Baseline Condition Survey
• EDV8695 - Survey of Okehampton North Dartmoor Military Range

Search results generated by the HBSMR Gateway from exeGesIS SDM Ltd.