See important guidance on the use of this record.

If you have any comments or new information about this record, please email us.

Summary

One of three pillow mounds and a military training pit 1000 metres east-north-east of Merrivale Bridge. The eastern mound measures 8.2 metres long, 4 metres wide and 0.7 metres high, and its ditch is 1.5 metres wide and 0.2 metres deep.

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1014609: Three pillow mounds and a military training pit 1000m ENE of Merrivale Bridge

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX57NE76
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 1046415
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX57NE/13/13
• Old SAM Ref: 24207(P)

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• PILLOW MOUND (Early Medieval to Post Medieval - 1066 AD to 1750 AD)

Full description

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV227039.

Lineham, c. D. /med. Arch. /10(1966)141-2/deserted sites and rabbit warrens on dartmoor, devon.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV227040.

Butler, j. /dartmoor atlas of antiquities/2(1991)82.

Gerrard, S., 1990-2002, Monument Protection Programme. Archaeological Item Dataset., Des=mpp/133461. (Report - Survey). SDV277946.

Vis=8/9/1994 (gerrard) survives as an 8.2m by 4m by 0.7m high, flat topped, oval shaped mound of soil and stone surrounded by the 1.5m wide and 0.2m deep ditch from which construction material was quarried. A 1m wide and 0.2m deep trench cutting across the width of the mound may be the result of an early partial excavation by an antiquarian who mistook the mound for a long cairn (mpp).

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

This monument includes three pillow mounds and a military training pit situated on the gentle north west facing slope of Over Tor overlooking the valley of the River Walkham. The pillow mounds form part of Merrivale Warren, which includes at least 27 pillow mounds scattered along the lower slopes of Great Mis Tor, Little Mis Tor and Over Tor. It has been suggested that many of the pillow mounds within the Merrivale Warren may be of medieval date because of their unusual oval shape and association with a nearby medieval settlement. Most of the pillow mounds lie within the Merrivale Newtake but some, including these three, lie on open moorland just outside the intake wall. All three pillow mounds survive as flat topped, oval shaped mounds of soil and stone surrounded by the ditches from which material was quarried during their construction.
The eastern mound measures 8.2m long, 4m wide and 0.7m high, and its ditch is 1.5m wide and 0.2m deep.
A 2.8m diameter ring of stones protruding through the turf is shown on the map extract as a cairn, though it is more likely to be the remains of a back filled military training pit excavated during World War II. The area surrounding this monument may contain further archaeological features and deposits, but they are not currently being proposed for scheduling because they cannot be accurately assessed or mapped.
(See related records for details of other mounds).

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

Search results generated by the HBSMR Gateway from exeGesIS SDM Ltd.