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Summary

Vermin trap includes two lengths of drystone wall forming a V-shaped trap pointing towards the leat. The position of the trap suggests that it was designed to capture vermin using the leat for access into the warren. The trapping area no longer survives above the ground surface but would have originally been sited at the point where the two lengths of walling meet. The drystone walls average 0.8 metres wide and 0.5 metres high, whilst the west arm is 12 metres long and the east arm is 4.5 metres long.

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1014613: Vermin trap 730m ENE of Trowlesworthy Warren House, forming part of Trowlesworthy Warren

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX56NE288
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 1341081
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX56NE/240/3
• Old SAM Ref: 24237

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• VERMIN TRAP (Constructed, Early Medieval to Post Medieval - 1066 AD to 1750 AD (Between))

Full description

Cook, R. M. L., 1964, Old vermin traps on south-west Dartmoor, 200 (Article in Serial). SDV230549.

Trowlesworthy Warren. Site 24. Wall type 3a. Fair condition, walls only. Right bank of leat 238 metres south-west of Spanish Lake Foot.

Haynes, R. G., 1970, Vermin Traps and Rabbit Warrens on Dartmoor, 158 (Article in Serial). SDV166302.

Probably Haynes' vermin trap number 20. Massively built walls in extensive clitter.

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

Not visible 1946 Royal Air Force vertical aerial photographs.

Gerrard, S., 1990-2002, Monument Protection Programme. Archaeological Item Dataset., MPP 140331, 16/3/1995 (Report - Survey). SDV277946.

Vermin trap at SX57456505, vermin trap includes two lengths of drystone wall forming a V-shaped trap pointing towards the leat. The position of the trap suggests that it was designed to capture vermin using the leat for access into the warren. The trapping area no longer survives above the ground surface but would have originally been sited at the point where the two lengths of walling meet. The drystone walls average 0.8 metres wide and 0.5 metres high, whilst the west arm is 12 metres long and the east arm is 4.5 metres long.

Pye, A., 1992, Archaeological Watching Brief on the ECC Lee Moor works leat corridor in the Upper Plym Valley, 8 (Report - Watching Brief). SDV165953.

Butler, J., 1994, Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities: Volume Three - The South-West, 114-5, Map 49, Figure 49.3 (Monograph). SDV137656.

Vermin trap shown as 'V.T.' at 'Trowlesworthy Tors North' on the north side of the 'Lee Moor leat'.

National Trust and English Heritage, 1994, The Upper Plym Valley: The Management of an Historic Landscape, Page 101, number 102.414 + 415 (Report - non-specific). SDV166309.

V-shaped funnel walls of a vermin trap set against and pointing towards the north side of Lee Moor China Clay Works Leat (MDV24933). The narrow drystone walls are carefully constructed with stones of various sizes lining the outside edges of both arms. The trapping area no longer survives above the ground surface but would originally have been sited where the two walls meet. The width of both walls increases towards north ends. Dimensions: Length of eastern arm 7.50 metres; length of western arm 14.5 metres by 0.5 metres wide and 0.5 metres high.
Short fragment of wall runs past north-east end of vermin trap from leat to south-east. Composed of large boulders.

Probert, S. A. J. + Fletcher, M. J., 2002, Plym Valley survey (Report - Survey). SDV350782.

Depicted on map.

English Heritage, 2015, National Heritage List for England (National Heritage List for England). SDV357602.

This monument includes a vermin trap adjacent to the Lee Moor China Clay Works leat and lying on a gentle north west facing slope overlooking the River Plym.
The vermin trap includes two lengths of drystone wall forming a `V'-shaped trap pointing towards the leat. The position of the trap suggests that it was designed to capture vermin using the leat for access into the warren. The trapping area no longer survives above the ground surface but would have originally been sited at the point where the two lengths of walling meet. The drystone walls average 0.8m wide by 0.5m high, whilst the western arm is 12m long and the eastern arm is 4.5m long.

Ridgers, H. + Ridgers, C., 2015, Of Varments and Vermin Traps, page 4, site 34 (Report - Assessment). SDV358632.

SX57455 65061. V-shaped walls large stones in clitter one wall 5 metres long, other 4 metres. No visible trap.

Historic England, 2021, National Heritage List for England, Accessed 03/08/2021 (National Heritage List for England). SDV364016.

This vermin trap forms part of the Trowlesworthy Warren , which includes around 64 pillow mounds and 40 vermin traps. The warren appears to have been in constant use until the first half of the 20th century.
The vermin trap may be associated with the enclosures described in SX 56 NE 156 (SAM notification, 08/02/2001).

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV7369 - Survey of Granite Loading Bays at Trowlesworthy, Devon
• EDV8148 - The Upper Plym Valley: The Management of an Historic Landscape
• EDV8155 - Plym Valley Survey: EH Project (Feb 2001 - Dec 2002)

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