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Summary

An E-W reave, Fleming's "Hameldown South", crosses the broad ridge of Hamel Down. On the E slope of Hamel Down it is visible as a heather-covered stony bank, averaging 3m wide and 0.5m high, from a point 3.5m E of the S barrow at Two Barrows (SX 77 NW 23).

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1003296: Five barrows on Hamel Down
• Scheduled Monument 1021394: Medieval strip fields, tinworks, prehistoric settlements, and a cairn on the lower western slopes of Hamel Down

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX77NW74
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 619807
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX77NW/115

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• REAVE (Constructed, Bronze Age - 2200 BC (Between) to 701 BC (Between))

Full description

Royal Air Force, 1950, RAF RP541/540, 3143 (Aerial Photograph). SDV290988.

Fleming, A., 1978, The Prehistoric Landscape of Dartmoor. Part 1: South Dartmoor, 97-123 (Article in Serial). SDV235265.

South Hameldon reave.

Fleming, A., 1983, The Prehistoric Landscape of Dartmoor. Part 2: North and East Dartmoor, 204 (Article in Serial). SDV227880.

The eastern end is distinct from the north-west corner of Rippon tor parallel reave system (sx77nw/116), although the gap between them is only c100m. It is possible that this reave, and Hameldown North reave are earlier than the main Dartmoor phase.

Fleming, A., 1984, The Prehistoric Landscape of Dartmoor; Wider Implications, 9 (Article in Serial). SDV320417.

Royal Commission on the Historical Monuments of England, 1985, Aerial Photograph Project (Dartmoor) - Dartmoor Pre-NMP (Cartographic). SDV319854.

Visible from SX 71467940 to SX 70007899 where it leaves the map. The reave is covered by a wall from SX 70657919 to SX 70007899.

Royal Commission for the Historical Monuments of England, 1987-1993, Duchy Farms Project Survey Visit, P. Pattison (Report - Survey). SDV350839.

(30/07/1990) SX 7070 7917: An E-W reave, Fleming's "Hameldown South", crosses the broad ridge of Hamel Down.
On the E slope of Hamel Down it is visible as a heather-covered stony bank, averaging 3m wide and 0.5m high, from a point 3.5m E of the S barrow at Two Barrows (SX 77 NW 23). The reave's precise relationship to the barrow is unclear but it is certainly aligned onto the mound (see plan with SX 77 NW 23). It is cut by the N-S track crossing Hamel Down but then descends the slope on an ENE course (with a slight curve to the N) to SX 7108 7927 where it is interrupted by spring activity. It resumes its line from SX 7113 7928, continuing downhill on the S side of a steep valley to SX 7143 7937 where it was lost in thick vegetation (but it almost certainly continued downslope to the east Webburn River).
This last stretch assumed larger proportions up to 5m in width and 1m high, possible due to re-use in more recent times.
W from Two Barrows the reave line is adopted by the Manaton and Widecombe parish boundary descending the W side of Hamel Down, a continuous straight feature to SX 6892 7878 almost on the West Webburn river (on SX 67 NE). Along this stretch the reave may be represented from SX 7052 7916 where a heather-covered bank up to 3.5m wide and 0.6m high leaves the modern boundary then runs alongside it on the N to SX 7030 7909 and beyond intermittently, broken up by spring flow and later field arrangements, to SX 6994 7898.
Surveyed at 1:2500.

Fleming, A., 1988, The Dartmoor Reaves: Investigating Prehistoric Land Divisions, 13, 17; figs 10, 22, 28, 29. (Monograph). SDV229071.

Butler, J., 1991, Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities: Volume One - The East, Map 20, 17 (Monograph). SDV299725.

Butler depicts the reave running east-west across Hamel Down.

GeoInformation Group Ltd, 2010, 1:625 2010 Colour (12.5cm resolution) (Aerial Photograph). SDV346026.

Reave is visible on the aerial photography.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV8658 - Challacombe, Duchy Farms Survey

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