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Summary

Impressive coursed dry stone wall running east-west across the Belstone/Higher Tor ridge, thought to date to before 1811. Name indicates it may have been constructed by Irish labourers, possibly as a job-creation scheme.

Location

Protected Status

• SHINE: Earthwork remains of an extensive area of medieval or later tin working on both sides of the River Taw at Taw Marsh as well as Taw Marsh Bronze Age reave on South Tawton Common

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX69SW14
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 444165
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX69SW/34

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• FIELD BOUNDARY (Constructed, XIX - 1811 AD (Pre) to 1900 AD (Pre))
• WALL (Constructed, XIX - 1811 AD (Pre) to 1900 AD (Pre))

Full description

Prowse, A. B., 1892, The Bounds of the Forest of Dartmoor, 430 (Article in Serial). SDV273464.

Irishman's wall on Belstone Tor. Common belief that it is the remains of a Newtake boundary put up by encroaching Irishmen, whose wishes were frustrated by the aggrieved inhabitants of Belstone. May be the remains of a stone fence marking the forest boundary.19th century.

Crossing, W., 1912 (1965), Crossing's Guide to Dartmoor, 205-6 (Monograph). SDV320981.

Crossing deduces that, since the wall is documented in Risdon's Survey of 1811, it therefore predates the 1811 publication date of Risdon.

Crossing, W., 1912 (1965), Crossing's Guide to Dartmoor, 205-6 (Monograph). SDV320981.

Crossing deduces that, since the wall is documented in Risdon's Survey of 1811, it therefore predates the 1811 publication date of Risdon.

Royal Air Force, 1946, RAF/3G/TUD/UK/138, 5438 (Aerial Photograph). SDV238391.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1950, SX69SW14 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV271180.

(SX 61009201 - SX 62029185. Irishman's Wall (NAT) Early 19th century Newtake wall (citing Worth, R. H., 07/12/1948).
(31/05/1950) This feature is a comparatively modern newtake wall.

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

Visible and recorded.

Probert, S. A. J. + Newman, P., 2003-2004, Measured survey North Dartmoor Military Range Okehampton Range: Monument Baseline Condition Survey (Report - Survey). SDV350801.

(06/02/2004) Irishman's Wall. An impressive coursed drystone wall which extends for 1.25 kilometres in an almost straight line from the West Okement River to the Taw River. It crosses the steep Belstone/Higher Tor ridge which rises 123 metres above the level of the two rivers. Constructed of moorland boulders and stone it now stands to a maximum 1.8 metres high - although it has collapsed in many places and the western end has been destroyed. It may, as it name suggests, have been built by Irish labourers perhaps as a job creation scheme.

Ordnance Survey, 2013, MasterMap (Cartographic). SDV350786.

Depicted on the modern mapping.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV8679 - Okehampton Range: Management Survey
• EDV8291 - Okehampton Range: Monument Baseline Condition Survey
• EDV8695 - Survey of Okehampton North Dartmoor Military Range

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