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Summary

The remains of a building in woodland with six associated pillow mounds of which three are circular in shape the largest of which is 9 metres in diameter. The other conform to the usual elongated form and range from 19.5 metres to 10 metres long and between 5.5 metres and 4.8 metres wide and between 0.7 metres and 1.1 metres high, all are ditched.

Location

Protected Status

• SHINE: Dartmeet Parallel Reave System. Earthworks of an extensive area of prehistoric remains including complex field system, numerous hut circles, enclosures and cairns, overlain by medieval remains including Vaghill Warren, farmsteads and a large field syste

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX67SE88
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 443113

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• PILLOW MOUND (XV to XIX - 1401 AD? (Between) to 1900 AD (Between))

Full description

Royal Air Force, 1951, RAF 540/483, 4164-5 (Aerial Photograph). SDV262763.

Royal Air Force, 1961, RAF/58/4424, F44.183 (Aerial Photograph). SDV288116.

Linehan, C. D., 1966, Deserted Sites and Rabbit-Warrens on Dartmoor, Devon, 132-3 fig. Table 2 (Article in Serial). SDV307246.

A deserted medieval site is situated on the south side of Vaghill and above Combestone Island. It consists of one ruined building, ruined enclosure walls and five pillow mounds, including a circular one. Possibly the home of a warrener, along with Eastern Combe (sx67se/40).

National Monuments Record, 1977, NMR SX6772/2, 409-417 (Aerial Photograph). SDV315807.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1979, SX67SE87 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV282732.

The site is well shown on undated (c.1980?) Ordnance Survey drawing in Sites and Monuments Record. Further pillow mounds at SX67327253, SX67317251, SX67347247, SX67387241, SX67487231.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1980, SX67SE88 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV315354.

(19/05/1980) 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 100 metres to the south-west. One, at SX 67537242, is circular, 9.0 metres in diameter and 1.2 metres high. The others conform to the usual elongated form save that two abut to form a 'T' plan. They vary in length from 9.2 metres to 15.5 metres with widths averaging 5.5 metres and heights of 1.0 metres. All the mounds are ditched (see plan).
The building which seems to have collapsed inwards, (See GPs), measures 6.1 metres by 4.0 metres internally and has roughly dressed drystone walling 0.7 metres thick and up to 0.8 metres high. The entrance is on the south-east side and appears to be central (not as on Linehan's plan).
It is fairly certain that the building is associated with Vaghill Warren (MDV6523) of which these pillow mounds form an isolated part. The local farmer 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 as the Warrener's house.
Mounds and buildings surveyed at 1:2500 on MSD.

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

Small rectangular building visible on 1977 National Monuments Record aerial photograph among five pillow mounds.

Newman, P., 2008, Dartmeet Premier Archaeological Landscape (PAL) Field Investigation Project (Report - Survey). SDV347061.

(14/03/2008) 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 5.8 metres in length and 3.8 metres wide , with the walls standing to 1.5 metres 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 9 metres in diameter. The other conform to the usual elongated form and range from 19.5 metres to 10 metres long and between 5.5 metres and 4.8 metres wide and between 0.7 metres and 1.1 metres high, all are ditched.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV8296 - Dartmeet Premier Archaeological Landscape (PAL) Field Investigation Project

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