More information : A deserted Medieval site is situated on the south
side of Vaghill and above an island in the River Dart (Plotted
from location map and air photographs at SX 675723). It consists
of one ruined building measuring 20 ft x 15 ft, ruined enclosure
walls and five pillow mounds (Plan). (1-2)
At SX 67547241, on a natural shelf on the steep southern side
of Vaghill, there is a small building and five pillow mounds
with a sixth 100m. to the south-west. One, at SX 67537242, is
circular, 9.0m. in diameter and 1.2m. high. The others conform
to the usual elongated form save that two abut to form a 'T'
plan. They vary in length from 9.2m. to 15.5m. with widths
averaging 5.5m. and heights of 1.0m. All the mounds are
ditched (see plan).
The building which seems to have collapsed inwards, (See GPs),
measures 6.1m. by 4.0m. internally and has roughly dressed
drystone walling 0.7m. thick and up to 0.8m. high. The entrance
is on the south-east side and appears to be central (See GPs),
measures 6.1m. by 4.0m internally and has roughly dressed
drystone walling 0.7m. thick and up to 0.8m. high. The entrance is
on the south-east side and appears to be central (not as on
Linehan plan).
It is fairly certain that the building is associated with
Vaghill Warren (SX 67 SE 87) of which these pillow mounds form
an isolated part. (See also SX 67 SE 74, 87, 89 and 90). The
local farmer (a) quotes a tradition that the hut was used for
skinning rabbits, but it would seem reasonable to consider it
the Vaghill warrener's house at Eastern Combe (SX 67 SE 87) as
the Warrener's house.
The pillow mounds are clearly visible on the NMR APs (b) and
the enclosures mentioned in (1) are probably part of the
extensive prehistoric field system. (SX 67 SE 94).
Mounds and buildings surveyed at 1:2500 on MSD. (3)
The remains of a building possibly a warrener¿s house and six associated pillow mounds centred at SX 6756 7237. The building which seems to have collapsed both inwards and out wards measures 5.8m in length and 3.8m wide , with the walls standing to 1.5m high. The north-west wall, which has roughly dressed drystone walls, is generally in good condition but the remainder has tumbled both internally and externally. There are six associated pillow mounds of which three are circular in shape the largest of which is 9m diameter. The other conform to the usual elongated form and range from 19.5m to 10m long and between 5.5m and 4.8m wide and between 0.7m and 1.1m high, all are ditched.(4) |