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Summary

Deserted Medieval farmstead known as Legis Lake consisting of the fragmentary remains of three buildings to south of Legis Mire. This site is included in the local list of Nationally Important Dartmoor sites.

Location

Protected Status

• SHINE: Legis Lake deserted medieval settlement consisting of the fragmentary remains of three buildings to south of Legis Mire

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX56NE/233
• SHINE Candidate (Yes)

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• DESERTED SETTLEMENT (Constructed, Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD (Between))
• LONGHOUSE (Constructed, Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD (Between))

Full description

Royal Air Force, 1953, 58/1110 (Aerial Photograph). SDV157241.

Other details: 10 April 1953.

Linehan, C. D., 1966, Deserted Sites and Rabbit-Warrens on Dartmoor, Devon, 124-5 (Article in Serial). SDV307246.

A deserted medieval site possibly known as Legis Lake, comprising one building and enclosures.

Haynes, R. G., 1966-1969, Ruined Sites on Dartmoor, 121 (Un-published). SDV150434.

Site visited on 19th June 1966. A longhouse, apparently without cross passage, with upper room added. The drain in the lower part of the house is unusually well defined. To the west are two outbuildings with attached enclosures. An attached reave runs down to Legis Lake ford, while another runs north-west through Ringmoor stone row, bends north and eventually east towards Legis Lake Head, enclosing a large area.

Ordnance Survey, 1975, OS 75 369, 219-20 (Aerial Photograph). SDV254607.

National Monuments Record, 1978, NMR SX5666, 258-260 (Aerial Photograph). SDV254609.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1979, SX56NE118 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV231646.

A medieval farmstead of three buildings, and one building platform. One longhouse measures 16.8 meters by 3.8 meters with one internal division. The other two are smaller. The buildings are surrounded by small irregular plots and lie in a large field.

Price, D. G., 1980, The Moorland Plym, 86 (Article in Serial). SDV254604.

Dartmoor longhouse with enclosed yard containing outbuildings. No associated field system so it may be possible that pastoral farming was practiced here. Other details: Figure 2b.

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

Recorded.

Butler, J., 1994, Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities: Volume Three - The South-West, 144-5, Map 49, Figure 49.21 (Monograph). SDV137656.

The 'farmstead' shown to the west of Legis Lake is one of three to the south-east of Ringmoor Down with traces of ridge and furrow between the river and the reave.

Gerrard, S., 2004, List of Sites Remaining to be Considered for Designation on Dartmoor (Un-published). SDV345444.

This site was considered for designation as a Scheduled Ancient Monument during the Monument Protection Programme. The programme ended before the entire list of sites was successfully scheduled so this is included on a local list of Nationally Important Sites.

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

White, P., 2013, Previously Unsurveyed Dartmoor Historic Farmsteads, Legis Lake (Un-published). SDV352501.

Legis Lake a deserted Medieval farmstead.

Various, 2018-2020, PALs Condition Recording forms, UPRM-14 (Worksheet). SDV362781.

(20/05/2019) Condition assessed as good by volunteer recorders, although there is a considerable amount of bracken growth on the features; likely to cause future damage.

Various, 2018-2020, PALs Condition Recording photographs (Photograph). SDV363073.

Features photographed in May 2019.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV7443 - Condition survey of archaeological sites in Ringmoor Training Area
• EDV7569 - Condition survey of Ringmoor Down training area
• EDV8227 - Ringmoor Training Area: Monument Baseline Condition Survey

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