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Summary

Late 19th century military artillery range earthworks including a set of experimental parapets comprising a series of banks and ditches. Known locally as 'the Riddow Pits'. Scheduled in October 2015.

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1424465: Okehampton Artillery Range: Experimental Parapets and Redoubt

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX58NE27
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 1063519
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX58NE/46

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• (Former Type) TARGET RAILWAY (XIX to Mid 20th Century - 1850 AD to 1950 AD)
• LINEAR EARTHWORK (XIX - 1850 AD (Between) to 1900 AD (Between))
• REDOUBT (XIX - 1850 AD to 1900 AD)

Full description

Royal Air Force, 1946 - 1949, Royal Air Force Aerial Photographs, 2082, 4372-6 (Aerial Photograph). SDV342938.

Photograph taken on 19th May 1947.

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

Two possible target tramways visible on aerial photograph.

Royal Commission for the Historical Monuments of England, 1993-1998, Dartmoor Royal Forest Project (Report - Survey). SDV346608.

(05/09/1993) A series of linear earthworks of military origin are centred on the crest of the ridge running north from Okement Hill some 400m south of East Mill Tor at SX 5989 8927. The site comprises a line of four shell damaged banks about 9m apart, positioned end to end in a north-west to south-east line between SX 5985 8932 and SX 5994 8922. Four corresponding ditches lie immediately to the south-west. A further, similarly oriented, disturbed bank and accompanying ditch lies between SX 5984 8926 and SX 5987 8922, some 50m to the south-west. Between SX 5984 8931 and SX 5986 8929 are another bank and ditch on a slightly different alignment to the other features.
The banks are, on average, 28m long and measure between 3.8 and 5.2m wide and around 1.5m high; the ditches are 2.8 to 3.5m wide and 1.1m deep. The southernmost bank also possesses a ditch 2.6m wide and 0.6m deep on its north-east side. All the features have sharply defined edges except where damaged by shell fire. The two inner banks of the north-west to south-east line have slight berms between the base on the south-west sides and the top of the associated ditch. The function of these features is unclear. They may have acted as static artillery target butts with fire being directed from the north-east. The bank and ditch of differing alignment probably constitute an earlier phase of similar activity. A curvilinear earthwork of similar function lies 450m to the north (SX 58 NE 28).

Probert, S., 2001, Willsworthy Training Area, Peter Tavy, Devon. Integrated Land Management Plan Implementation: Archaeological Condition Baseline Survey Appendices 2-5 (Report - Survey). SDV357727.

Francis, P., 2002, Okehampton Artillery Range, 11, (Report - Survey). SDV359222.

Experimental Parapets and Infantry Redoubt south of East Mill Tor at NGR SX5988389290, close to the 'F' datum point. Site consisting of four trenches and banks placed in a straight line. Further north (about 480 metres) there is a single infantry redoubt. The locals pronounce this site as 'the Riddow Pits' .

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

(26/01/2004) These earthworks are not part of a target railway as suggested by the Aerial Photograph Project recorder (1985).
These features are as described in 1993 though some livestock erosion hollows are developing on the north-east (outer) faces.
Known locally as 'Redoubt Pits' these earthworks are depicted on a military map dated 1907 (War Department 1907 Map of Okehampton R A Camp and Practice Grounds Copy in Defence Estates Agency archives). The four in-line banks are described as 'Experimental Parapets' while the accompanying bank is marked 'Redoubt'.

Historic England, 2015, Case Name: Okehampton Artillery Range: Experimental Parapets and Infantry Redoubt (Schedule Document). SDV359235.

Case assessment regarding whether to schedule features.

English Heritage, 2015, Experimental Parapets, 611m to the South and Infantry Redoubt, 223m to the South-West of the Summit of East Mill Tor, Dartmoor Forest Devon (Correspondence). SDV358484.

Notification of completion of initial assessment of the above site for possible scheduling as part of the assessment of the military remains on Okehampton Artillery Range which is being carried out in association with the assessment of Okehampton Training Camp. The earthwork features are first shown on a military OS map of 1898. The late-C19 military artillery range earthworks include a set of experimental parapets centred on the crest of a ridge 611m to the south of the summit of East Mill Tor.
The front line of the experimental parapets consists of four banks, positioned end to end in a north-west to south-east line between SX 5985 8932 and SX 5996 8920. Four corresponding ditches lie immediately behind (south-west). The banks are, on average, just under 30m long and measure between 3.5 to 5.5m wide and around 1.5m high; the ditches are 2.5 to 3.5m wide and just over 1m deep. The most south-easterly bank also has a ditch in front (north), 2.6m wide and 0.6m deep. Behind this line, to the south, is a similarly-oriented, disturbed bank and accompanying ditch. Further south still, is another, longer (circa 60 m), bank and ditch. All the features have sharply defined edges except where damaged by shell fire.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV7620 - Okehampton Artillary Range
• EDV8409 - Dartmoor Royal Forest Project
• EDV8679 - Okehampton Range: Management Survey
• EDV8291 - Okehampton Range: Monument Baseline Condition Survey
• EDV8695 - Survey of Okehampton North Dartmoor Military Range

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