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Summary

Evidence of peat cutting of possible medieval to 19th century date is visible on aerial photographs of the 1940s and visualisations derived from lidar data captured in 2013 as shallow but extensive rectilinear earthwork pits on the south-west facing slopes of Trowlesworthy Warren, overlooking the Blacka Brook.

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1016147: A stone alignment, kerbed cairn, prehistoric settlement, four pillow mounds, a vermin trap and animal runs 720m south west of Great Trowlesworthy Tor
• Scheduled Monument 1014662: Pillow mound 790m NNE of Blackaton Cross, forming part of Trowlesworthy Warren
• Scheduled Monument 1014616: Pillow mound 860m SSE of Trowlesworthy Warren House, forming part of Trowlesworthy Warren
• Scheduled Monument 1020323: Prehistoric and historic archaeological landscape at Trowlesworthy Warren

Other References/Statuses: none recorded

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• PEAT CUTTING (Early Medieval to XIX - 1066 AD to 1900 AD)

Full description

Royal Air Force, 1946, RAF/3G/TUD/UK/223, RAF/3G/TUD/UK/223 Vp2 5143-5144 12-JUL-1946 (Aerial Photograph). SDV352279.

Shallow rectilinear hollows were visible as earthworks.

Royal Air Force, 1946, RAF/CPE/UK/1890, Devon County Council RAF/CPE/UK/1890 4289-4290 10-DEC-1946 (Aerial Photograph). SDV169268.

Shallow rectilinear hollows were visible as earthworks.

Bluesky International Ltd/Getmapping PLC, 1999-2017, Pan Government Agreement Aerial Photographs, Next Perspectives APGB Imagery SX5663-SX5664, SX5763 03-MAY-2007 (Aerial Photograph). SDV363087.

Shallow rectilinear hollows were visible as earthworks.

NERC, 2013, LiDAR DTM data (1m resolution) Tellus: South Devon to Dartmoor, LIDAR SX5663-SX5664, SX5763-SX5764 Tellus DTM 01-JUL-2013 to 31-AUG-2013 (Cartographic). SDV361514.

Shallow rectilinear hollows were identifiable as earthworks.

Hegarty, C., Knight, S. and Sims, R., 2019-2020, The South Devon Coast to Dartmoor Aerial Investigation and Mapping Survey. Area 2, Avon Valley to Plymouth (AI&M, formerly NMP) (Interpretation). SDV362982.

Shallow but extensive rectilinear pits are visible on aerial photographs of 1946 amongst areas of less well defined but no less extensive surface ground disturbance extending over at least 28ha of the south-west facing slopes of Trowlesworthy Warren, overlooking the Blacka Brook.
The regularity of the pit edges and their organisation across the contours of the slope precludes a natural origin for these features.
It is probable that the earthworks are the remains of an extractive activity, probably peat cutting of medieval to 19th century date. It is possible that the peat extraction was to provide fuel for tin processing in this area.
Due to the subtle nature of these earthworks it was not possible to accurately transcribe all the visible features and a boundary for the greatest concentration was defined using an ‘extent of area’ polygon. This area is an approximation based on interpretation of the currently available evidence and the activity was almost certainly more extensive. Further work is required to define the full extent of this activity.
The rectilinear pits are clearly identifiable on visualisations derived from lidar data captured in 2013.
Further areas of possible peat cutting are visible to the south.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV8098 - The South Devon Coast to Dartmoor Aerial Investigation and Mapping (formerly NMP) Survey, Area 2, Avon Valley to Plymouth (Ref: ACD2040)

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