See important guidance on the use of this record.

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

Summary

Eight rectangular boulder-filled shallow pits lie in the vicinity of the Drizzlecombe stone rows. Possible military features; may be target bases.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX56NE173
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 438989
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX56NE/95

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• (Alternate Type) PILLOW MOUND? (Early Medieval to Post Medieval - 1066 AD to 1750 AD (Between))
• TARGET? (Constructed, Post Medieval to Early 20th Century - 1540 AD to 1901 AD (Between))

Full description

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1979, SX56NE173 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV231979.

(08/05/1979) At SX 59156675, SX 59176680 and SX 59186683 are three probable pillow mound bases, each consisting of a rectangular stone heap 0.2m. to 0.3m. in height. Two of them measure 11.5m. by 2.5m. and the third 10.5m. by 3.0m. There are no surrounding ditches and it is likely that the mounds were never completed. Positioned at 1:10 000 for AO Records. Discovered during field investigation.

Robertson, J. G., 1994, The Archaeology of the Upper Plym Valley, 865 (Post-Graduate Thesis). SDV139549.

Four of the sites are depicted and described by Robertson.

Fletcher, M. + Newman, P. + Probert, S., 1999, Drizzlecombe, Eylesbarrow, Ditsworthy and Hartor areas in the Plym Valley, West Devon (Report - Survey). SDV346268.

(07/07/1999) Eight rectangular boulder-filled shallow pits lie in the vicinity of the Drizzlecombe stone rows. They are centred at SX59126670. Four are spaced at SX59126670; SX59146674; SX59166679 and SX59186684 on the same north-west by south-east orientation down a gentle moorland hillslope and four lie on a roughly similar orientation within a large tin streamworks at SX59106665; SX59056663, SX59026660 and SX58986658. They are spaced more or less equidistantly and all share similar dimensions. They measure on average 11m long, from 2m to 3m wide and about 0.3m deep. The maximum height of the small, loose boulder infill is 0.5m above ground surface level and each pit or depression has been crudely lined with moorstones and boulders. There are no traces of internal constructional features such as large slabs or tunnels and no evidence of upcast spoil or side ditches. Heather and bracken vegetation is slowly encroaching on some of the sites.
The origin and function of these stony areas are not clear. They appear as fresh features on the 1946 APS and are indistinct in the 1950's. They are very doubtfully the stony bases for earthen pillow mounds but they probably have a military function possibly as target bases.

Probert, S. A. J. + Fletcher, M. J., 2002, Plym Valley survey (Report - Survey). SDV350782.

English Heritage, 2005, Military survey information (Report - Survey). SDV347107.

Depicted on GIS survey layers.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV4966 - Survey of Drizzlecombe, Eylesbarrow, Ditsworthy and Hartor. The Eylesbarrow archaeological landscape
• EDV8155 - Plym Valley Survey: EH Project (Feb 2001 - Dec 2002)

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