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Summary

Probable medieval enclosure of 1.2 hectares on the eastern slope of Pudsham Down. The trapezoidal enclosure is bounded by earth banks which are clear on the west and south sides but fade away along the eastern side. The northern bank is partly visible but disturbed by erosion from a trackway.

Location

Protected Status

• SHINE: Earthworks and walling remains of a Bronze Age coaxial field system around Pil Tor with remains of reaves, enclosures, hut circle settlements including Foales Arrishes, continuing south onto Blackslade Down
• SHINE: Remains of a Bronze Age reave system fossilised in the fields west of Ruddycleave; part of a wider system that preserves potential links to nearby prehistoric reave systems

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX77SW/262
• SHINE Candidate (Yes)

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• ENCLOSURE (Early Medieval to Post Medieval - 1066 AD to 1750 AD)

Full description

Gawne, E. + Somers Cockes, J. V., 1968, Parallel Reaves of Dartmoor (Article in Serial). SDV345858.

National Monuments Record, 1977, SX7274, 1/299 (Aerial Photograph). SDV288627.

National Monuments Record, 1977, SX7374, 2/296 (Aerial Photograph). SDV314947.

Belsey, P. M., 1983 - 1987, Buckland In The Moor Parish Checklist (Un-published). SDV345904.

Air photography suggests small square enclosure by wall of Blackslade newtake (manuscript map of E. Gawne, cited by Belsey).
17/3/1985 A low bank and ditch 135 paces long, leads from the summit of Pudsham Down towards a gateway into Blackslade newtake. Nine paces from the wall, it joins, at right angles, a low earth bank which runs east parallel to the wall, (but not to the reaves) until, at the brow of the hill, it is cut by a gully, approximately 5 metres deep at the top end, which descends to and continues on the other side of Ruddycleave Water. The area just within the right angle appears to have been cleared. The bank continues west parallel to the wall and divided from it by a cleared area 9 paces wide (? track) until it joins a larger bank and ditch (up to 1 metre wide and deep) which divides the down from north to south from wall to road, slighting three south-east by north-west parallel reaves and below which there is a marked change of vegetation from gorse and heather to bracken. Thirty paces ne of the summit, the first bank is joined at right angles by another descending towards the spinney so making three sides of a rough square.

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

Not recorded.

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

Visible on the aerial photography.

Newman, P., 2015, Rippon Tor Premier Archaeological Landscape, Dartmoor National Park, Devon, 56, fig 17 (Report - Survey). SDV359145.

A probable medieval enclosure of 1.2 hectares on the eastern slope of Pudsham Down. The trapezoidal enclosure is bounded by earth banks which are clear on the west and south sides but fade away along the eastern side. The northern bank is partly visible but disturbed by erosion from a trackway.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV6836 - Rippon Tor Premier Archaeological Landscape survey

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