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Summary

Vermin trap built across the southern boundary of Prehistoric Enclosure (D) within Trowlesworthy Warren

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1019084: Partially enclosed stone hut circle settlement and post-medieval warren structures on the western slope of Little and Great Trowlesworthy Tors

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX56SE/198/42
• Old SAM Ref: 24233

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• VERMIN TRAP (Early Medieval to XIX - 1066 AD to 1900 AD (Between))

Full description

Griffiths, D. M., Comment on vermin trap at Trowlesworthy Warren (Personal Comment). SDV139284.

May be one of Haynes' sites, perhaps 9,10 or 11, but grid references confusing.

Cook, R. M. L., 1964, Old vermin traps on south-west Dartmoor, 199, Trowlesworthy 2 (Article in Serial). SDV230549.

Trowlesworthy Warren. Site 2. Confused condition. Walls only. South entrance of pound 229 metres south-west of Little Trowlesworthy Tor. Dated approximately 1700-1800.

Haynes, R. G., 1970, Vermin Traps and Rabbit Warrens on Dartmoor, 157, Trowlesworthy 10 (Article in Serial). SDV166302.

Trowlesworthy 10, SX576 644, in south wall of north pound, Trowlesworthy Tors. Interrupts a pound wall. Probably known to Worth and earlier. The inner funnel walls make use of a hut circle.

Gerrard, S., 1990-2002, Monument Protection Programme. Archaeological Item Dataset., MPP 140734, 13/4/1995 (Report - Survey). SDV277946.

Vermin trap at SX57516440 built across enclosure wall within a partially enclosed hut settlement. Includes two lengths of V-shaped rubble wall, together forming an X-shaped trap. The orthostatic walls with rubble infill average 0.75 metres wide by 0.7 metres high, whilst both arms are 14 metres long. The trapping area lies within a break in the enclosure wall and survives as an area defined by upright stones. The southern wall of a hut circle has been partly refurbished to provide the northern lengths of vermin trap walling. The position of the trap suggests that it was intended to catch vermin following the enclosure wall. The stone from which the structure was constructed was presumably robbed from the enclosure wall.

Butler, J., 1994, Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities: Volume Three - The South-West, 156-8, Map 51.1 (Monograph). SDV137656.

Butler depicts trap at the southern side of the enclosure.

Thackray, C., 1994, The Upper Plym Valley: the management of an historic landscape, 78, 102.351 (Report - non-specific). SDV143510.

Vermin trap with X-shaped funnel walls built over the southern sector of the enclosure. The north-west and north-east arms consist of the refurbished south and south-east sectors of a hut circle. The south-west and south-east arms consist of irregular stones. This trap was once thought to be a defensive entrance to the enclosure. North-west to south-east arms are 14 metres long and the north-east to south-west arms are 14 metres long with walls 0.75 metres wide by 0.7 metres high.

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

Vermin trap is visible on the aerial photography.

Ridgers, H. + Ridgers, C., 2015, Of Varments and Vermin Traps, 3, number 16 (Report - Assessment). SDV358632.

Vermin trap at SX57514 64401. Pound 217 metres from Little Trowlesworthy Tor which bears 130 degrees. Trap built into the south pound wall cunningly disguised as pound entrance.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV7369 - Survey of Granite Loading Bays at Trowlesworthy, Devon

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