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Summary

A Probable prehistoric field system at Dainton hill, Prator Common and Miltor Mator Common. The field system and associated features was investigated in 1939 and 1949 and again in 1975 and 1986 in advance of quarrying which has destroyed much of the field system. Radiocarbon dating of charcoal sample from the entrance posthole of the roundhouse produced a date of 5th century BC to 1st century AD.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX 86 NE 17
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 446155
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX86NE/50
• Pastscape: 446155

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• FIELD SYSTEM (Early Bronze Age to Late Iron Age - 2200 BC to 42 AD) + Sci.Date

Full description

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV305314.

Dcra/development file/no.22 and dcra files in smr.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV305312.

Osa=sx86ne/17.

Ordnance Survey, 1904 - 1906, Second Edition Ordnance Survey 1904-1906 25 inch Map (Cartographic). SDV63521.

"Miltor Mator Common" shown.

Royal Air Force, 1946, RAF/3G/TUD/UK/223, RAF/3G/TUD/UK/223 Vp3 5265-66 12-JUL-1946 (Aerial Photograph). SDV352279.

Linear and curvilinear banks and sub-oval mounds are visible.

Royal Air Force, 1946, RAF/CPE/UK/1890, Devon County Council RAF/CPE/UK/1890 RS 4242-44 10-DEC-1946 (Aerial Photograph). SDV169268.

Linear and curvilinear banks and sub-oval mounds are visible.

Willis, L. + Rogers, E. H., 1948-1952, Unknown title, 79-101 (Article in Serial). SDV305308.

Probable prehistoric field system at Dainton Hill, Prator Common and Miltor Mator Common. The south-west end of Miltor Mator Common was examined, and a chain surveyed. Outside the two enclosures (SX86NE37), a number of mounds were located, and banks appeared to extend all over the common. None of the field banks were excavated by Rogers or Willis, although the enclosure walls were trenched, and interpreted as being part of the field system. The banks were revetted on both faces. Site badly eroded, and assessment of lynchet formation difficult, though possible build up of soil on upper side of banks. Fields generally enclosing 0.75 to 1.5 acres.

Willis, L. + Rogers, E. H., 1951, Dainton Earthworks (Article in Serial). SDV346297.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1952/1960, SX86NE17 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV305309.

(21/11/1952) "Rectangular field" is contained within the bounds of the field system. The north and west banks are straighter than usual and rather more modern looking. South and east banks no longer visible. May indicate a comparatively recent attempt to enclose the common, but prehistoric date not ruled out. Bracken covered. No grid referencec supplied (F. Griffith).
(01/06/1960) Field system of Dainton Hill, Prator common and Miltor Mator Common centred at SX 8605 6695, field banks and lynchets best preserved in west half of the area, and are up to 0.7m high. East half reduced to widely scattered lynchets and banks by recent ploughing. This part is being rapidly destroyed by quarrying. A number of small rectangular fields delimited by banks of rubble, and low stone mounds (see plan based on Gallant in the Parish File). Beyond these are more intermittent boundaries, possibly the result of later farming. The area of the field system was in excess of 6 hectares, and was probably originally nearer 20 hectares. Prior to recent quarrying, 10 plots were recognised, individual plots being on average 0.4 hectares. A trench was cut by Silvester across one of the field banks (s6), but there was little to suggest a deliberately constructed bank. Five 'mounds' were also excavated, and a quarry pit. These excavations were centred at SX 8590 6680, the mounds were interpreted as probable clearance heaps; a pit was found near one of the mounds containing bronze age metalworking debris. Evidence from this and pottery suggests activity in the 10th century BC. Further details on sub-sheets. The pottery scatters suggest occupation, but nature of this unknown (citing Silvester).

Silvester, R. J., 1975, Excavations at Dinton: Interim Report (Report - Interim). SDV305313.

Needham, S., 1980, An Assemblage of Late Bronze Age Metalworking Debris from Dainton, Devon, 177-215 (Article in Serial). SDV305311.

Silvester, R. J., 1980, The Prehistoric Open Settlement at Dainton, South Devon (Article in Serial). SDV346300.

Timms, S., 1982, Field system at Dainton, Slides in SMR (Personal Comment). SDV305315.

(12/11/1982) All of this field system to the north-east of the bridleway which runs from SX 8577 6687 to SX 8607 6670 has been destroyed by quarrying by 1976. Field system survives to south west of bridleway in light woodland, but is to be largely destroyed by further quarry extension for which permission was granted in 1982. Silvester's excavation archive and finds have been deposited in Rougemont House Museum, Exeter. The only available plan of this field system is that prepared by l. Gallant and reproduced by Silvester. This shows extent of field system up to quarry edge of 1966. Gallant's list of other possible prehistoric field systems in south devon is in Parish File.

Pearce, S. M., 1983, The Bronze Age Metalwork of South Western Britain, 445-446 (Monograph). SDV341822.

Gallant, L. + Luxton, N. + Collman, M., 1985, Ancient Fields on the South Devon Limestone Plateau, 28, fig 5 (Article in Serial). SDV306174.

A plateau quarried away on the east and falling away on the west and north where a valley, now with the railway, separates it from Dainton Brake. The features planned are all that remain of a much larger complex, now quarried away.

Smith, G., 1987, Dainton Excavations, 1986, (Jan 1987) (Un-published). SDV346298.

Survey and excavation in 1986 revealed light scatters probably indicative of middening of fields. Concentration of pot and bronze mould fragments found close to where similar material was found in 1975 excavation. Earthwork survey recorded previously unknown details of field system. Small anomalies recorded by geophysical survey. Soil survey showed variations between the fields - possibly the result of varying activities.

Pye, A. R. + Noble, S. + Turton, S. D., 1992, Archaeological Survey and Assessment at Greenawell Park Farm, West Ogwell, 19-21 (Report - Survey). SDV344412.

Other details: Figure 1, site 12.

Gibbons, P. + Weddell, P., 1994, Preliminary Archaeological appraisal of the Prehistoric Settlement Site at Miltor Mator Common, Dainton, 1 (Report - Assessment). SDV355144.

Exeter Archaeology, 1997, Miltor Mator Common, Dainton Assessment of Archaeological Potential: Summary Results of Recent Archaeological Survey, 1 (Report - Assessment). SDV358085.

Quinnell, H., 1998, Later Prehistoric Pottery Survey, dbid:1434/in smr (Report - Survey). SDV336212.

400 sherds of late Bronze Age pot recovered during rescue excavation. Also other ceramics recovered - crucible and mould and also other non-ceramics - copper alloy deposit. Now in Royal Albert Memorial Museum, Exeter.

Environment Agency, 1998-2017, LiDAR DTM data (1m resolution) EA: South Devon Coast to Dartmoor, LIDAR SX8566 Environment Agency DTM 01-JAN-1998 to 31-MAY-2017 (Cartographic). SDV361470.

Linear and curvilinear banks and sub-oval mounds are visible.

Ordnance Survey, 2011, MasterMap (Cartographic). SDV346129.

Only a small area of the field system on Dainton Common survives. The greater portion to the north-east, as shown in Figure 2 in Silvester's article in the Devon Archaeological Society Proceedings, 38, has been totally obliterated by quarrying.

English Heritage, 2012, Radiocarbon Dates from Samples Funded by English Heritage Between 1981 and 1988, 73 (Report - Scientific). SDV351471.

A once extensive prehistoric field system of circa 20ha, gradually destroyed by limestone quarrying. The 1986 excavation was carried out in advance of a new area of quarrying adjacent to the previous late Bronze Age finds. The area included several small, possibly prehistoic, fields within which were a number of cairns including a previously partly excavated crescentic cairn. The excavation showed that the crescentic cairn was the remains of a post-built and stone-walled roundhouse and that a small round cairn had been built over its entrance after the abandonment and perhaps dismantling of the house.
Radiocarbon dating of charcoal sample from the entrance posthole of the roundhouse produced a date of 5th century BC to 1st century AD.

Hegarty, C., Knight, S. and Sims, R., 2018-2019, The South Devon Coast to Dartmoor Aerial Investigation and Mapping Survey. Area 1, Haldon Ridge to Dart Valley (AI&M) (Interpretation). SDV361305.

A series of linear and curvilinear banks, between 2m -10m wide, and sub-oval mounds, up to 8m long, are visible across Milton Mator Common on aerial photographs taken in 1946 and digital images derived from lidar data captured between 1998 and 2017. The visible earthworks recorded during this survey are centred at three locations across the common, at circa, SX85616697; SX85826672 and at SX86256672. They form part of a much more extensive field system which includes two enclosures to the south (MDV8698) and a number of clearance cairns recorded across the area. Most of the transcribed earthworks are therefore those that have been un-affected by quarrying. Earthworks of this field system are, however, largely obscured by vegetation cover on aerial photographs taken in 1946 and are only partly visible. Some of the transcribed earthworks partly correspond with other monument records associated with this field system, including MDV8686, MDV8698, MDV19189 and MDV19190 and as such it has not been possible, with exception of cairns MDV19190, to clearly disaggregate these earthworks from those of the field system. The monument polygon for this field system is based on a rectified image of an earthwork survey by L. Gallant and reproduced by R.J. Silvester in Devon Archaeological Society Proceedings No. 38, 1980, p19.

Smith, G. + David, A. + Jones, R. + Quinnell, H., 2021, A Late Bronze Age Field System and Settlement at Dainton, South Devon, 55, 100-103. Fig 1b (Article in Serial). SDV365337.

Investigation and recording was carried out by English Heritage’s Central Excavation Unit from April to August 1986 as a condition of planning consent for quarrying.
The field system lies on a low plateau of limestone at about 90m AOD and about 2km east of Ipplepen village. The topsoil is shallow, accounting for the lack of modern cultivation, which allowed the field system to survive. It was once the most extensive of such field systems known in South Devon, but only a small part now survives.
The study area covered circa 1.8 hectares, containing upstanding remains of parts of six early fields delineated by stone banks. Work was carried out in two stages. Firstly a four week preliminary evaluation by earthwork survey, geophysical survey, soil survey of magnetic susceptibility and phosphates and gridded trial excavation was followed by analysis of the results. Secondly, a 12 week excavation of areas identified by the evaluation as well as sampling of the variety of earthwork features: cairns, field banks, field entrances and possible house platforms.
The work provided information about the field system, the cairns within it, and recorded a single, well-reserved roundhouse that appears contemporary with the Late Bronze Age use of the fields, along with several areas with evidence of activity within the fields, in terms of foci of artefacts, but only Field 58, containing the roundhouse, proved to have had actual occupation. Phosphates showed a clear concentration over the area of the roundhouse and over the adjoining field to the west, extending over the eroded boundary banks. This may suggest that the roundhouse occupation was later than the creation of the field system, and that the area was used only for pasture. However, the presence of a scatter of Roman pottery within the fields implies later cultivation.
Although what remained in 1986 was only a fraction of the original field system the work has provided new evidence that extends the understanding of the Later Bronze Age activity. It provides a detailed record of the remains and an artefact assemblage that is capable of further analysis. Significant evidence was also found of Neolithic activity on the hill in the form of flint scrapers, arrowheads and stone axeheads, but lacking domestic artefacts, so permanent settlement or cultivation in that period seems unlikely.

Sources / Further Reading

SDV169268	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1946. RAF/CPE/UK/1890. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). Devon County Council RAF/CPE/UK/1890 RS 4242-44 10-DEC-1946.
SDV305308	Article in Serial: Willis, L. + Rogers, E. H.. 1948-1952. Unknown title. Devon Archaeological Exploration Society Newsletter. 4. Photocopy. 79-101.
SDV305309	Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card: Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division. 1952/1960. SX86NE17. Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card. Card Index.
SDV305311	Article in Serial: Needham, S.. 1980. An Assemblage of Late Bronze Age Metalworking Debris from Dainton, Devon. Proceedings of the Prehistoric Society. 46. Photocopy. 177-215.
SDV305312	Migrated Record:
SDV305313	Report - Interim: Silvester, R. J.. 1975. Excavations at Dinton: Interim Report.
SDV305314	Migrated Record:
SDV305315	Personal Comment: Timms, S.. 1982. Field system at Dainton. Not Applicable. Slides in SMR.
SDV306174	Article in Serial: Gallant, L. + Luxton, N. + Collman, M.. 1985. Ancient Fields on the South Devon Limestone Plateau. Proceedings of the Devon Archaeological Society. 43. Paperback Volume. 28, fig 5.
SDV336212	Report - Survey: Quinnell, H.. 1998. Later Prehistoric Pottery Survey. Later Prehistoric Pottery Survey. A4 Spiral Bound. dbid:1434/in smr.
SDV341822	Monograph: Pearce, S. M.. 1983. The Bronze Age Metalwork of South Western Britain. British Archaeological Reports. 120. Photocopy. 445-446.
SDV344412	Report - Survey: Pye, A. R. + Noble, S. + Turton, S. D.. 1992. Archaeological Survey and Assessment at Greenawell Park Farm, West Ogwell. Exeter Museums Archaeological Field Unit Report. 92.26. A4 Stapled + Digital. 19-21.
SDV346129	Cartographic: Ordnance Survey. 2011. MasterMap. Ordnance Survey. Map (Digital).
SDV346297	Article in Serial: Willis, L. + Rogers, E. H.. 1951. Dainton Earthworks. Proceedings of the Devon Archaeological Exploration Society. 4.4. Paperback Volume.
SDV346298	Un-published: Smith, G.. 1987. Dainton Excavations, 1986. A4 Stapled. (Jan 1987).
SDV346300	Article in Serial: Silvester, R. J.. 1980. The Prehistoric Open Settlement at Dainton, South Devon. Proceedings of the Devon Archaeological Society. 38. Paperback Volume.
SDV351471	Report - Scientific: English Heritage. 2012. Radiocarbon Dates from Samples Funded by English Heritage Between 1981 and 1988. English Heritage Report. A4 Bound. 73.
SDV352279	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1946. RAF/3G/TUD/UK/223. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). RAF/3G/TUD/UK/223 Vp3 5265-66 12-JUL-1946.
SDV355144	Report - Assessment: Gibbons, P. + Weddell, P.. 1994. Preliminary Archaeological appraisal of the Prehistoric Settlement Site at Miltor Mator Common, Dainton. Exeter Museums Archaeological Field Unit Report. 94.85. A4 Stapled + Digital. 1.
SDV358085	Report - Assessment: Exeter Archaeology. 1997. Miltor Mator Common, Dainton Assessment of Archaeological Potential: Summary Results of Recent Archaeological Survey. Exeter Archaeology. A4 Stapled + Digital. 1.
SDV361305	Interpretation: Hegarty, C., Knight, S. and Sims, R.. 2018-2019. The South Devon Coast to Dartmoor Aerial Investigation and Mapping Survey. Area 1, Haldon Ridge to Dart Valley (AI&M). Historic England Research Report. Digital.
	Linked documents:1
SDV361470	Cartographic: Environment Agency. 1998-2017. LiDAR DTM data (1m resolution) EA: South Devon Coast to Dartmoor. Environment Agency LiDAR data. Digital. LIDAR SX8566 Environment Agency DTM 01-JAN-1998 to 31-MAY-2017.
SDV365337	Article in Serial: Smith, G. + David, A. + Jones, R. + Quinnell, H.. 2021. A Late Bronze Age Field System and Settlement at Dainton, South Devon. Proceedings of the Devon Archaeological Society. 79. Paperback Volume. 55, 100-103. Fig 1b.
SDV63521	Cartographic: Ordnance Survey. 1904 - 1906. Second Edition Ordnance Survey 1904-1906 25 inch Map. Second Edition Ordnance Survey 25 inch map. Map (Digital).

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds

• FDV8150 - BEAD (Middle Iron Age to I - 300 BC to 100 AD)

Associated Events

• EDV7515 - The South Devon Coast to Dartmoor Aerial Investigation and Mapping (formerly NMP) Survey: Haldon Ridge to Dart Valley (Ref: ACD1748)
• EDV8214 - Excavation of Mounds at Milton Mator Common, Dainton, South Devon

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