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Summary

Riddon Ridge covers approximately 250 hectares of unenclosed moorland. Elements of the landscape can be identified as prehistoric, medieval and post-medieval. The prehistoric features are evident as a reave system, several enclosures and a hut circle. Medieval and later activity is dominated by field systems containing ridge and furrow. Tin streaming remains and extractive pits are located near Walls Brook. There is also a series of five inscribed stones.

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1018930: Two irregular aggregate field systems with associated settlements, part of a coaxial field system, boundary stones and historic fields on Riddon Ridge

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX67BE154
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 913466

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• CAIRN (Constructed, Bronze Age - 2200 BC (Between) to 701 BC (Between))
• FIELD SYSTEM (Constructed, Early Bronze Age to Late Medieval - 2200 BC (Between) to 1539 AD (Between))
• HUT CIRCLE (Constructed, Bronze Age - 2200 BC (Between) to 701 BC (Between))
• SETTLEMENT (Constructed, Bronze Age - 2200 BC (Between) to 701 BC (Between))
• RIDGE AND FURROW (Constructed, Medieval - 1066 AD (Between) to 1539 AD (Between))
• STREAMWORKS (Constructed, Early Medieval to XVI - 1066 AD (Between) to 1540 AD (Between))
• EXTRACTIVE PIT (Constructed, Post Medieval to Early 20th Century - 1540 AD (Between) to 1901 AD (Between))
• INSCRIBED STONE (Constructed, Post Medieval to Early 20th Century - 1540 AD (Between) to 1901 AD (Between))

Full description

Royal Commission for the Historical Monuments of England, 1987-1993, Duchy Farms Project Survey Visit, S. Probert (Report - Survey). SDV350839.

(27/11/1992) Centred SX 66657670. Riddon Ridge covers approximately 250ha of unenclosed moorland between the East Dart River and Walla Brook. The northern and southern extremities of the ridge are enclosed by Pizwell and Babeny farms respectively. The south-western flank is occupied by Whiteslades Newtake, now leased by the Forestry Commission. The surveyed area is limited to the unenclosed part of the ridge.
The area had not been investigated since the 1950's but has been the subject of a sketch transcription by Butler (1991, Map 18, 133-137). His description of the area based on his plan is basically correct and only varies on points of detail.
There are two main elements of the prehistoric landscape. The south-eastern part of the ridge is occupied by a well-developed section of the Dartmeet Parallel Reave System (locally SX 67 NE 137) while further north and west lie a series of irregular enclosures (SX 67 NE 14, 50, 134, 144 and 153) that would seem in many cases to post-date the reaves. Three long straight stoney banks following the same orientation of the main axial reaves have been incorporated into these less well-organised field patterns. A solitary hut circle (SX 67 NE 133) lies within the parallel reaves but, perhaps significantly, there is no trace of any earlier features in this area.
Four of Butler's Western Settlement huts (7, 9, 10 and 12) are not antiquities while a further four (SX 67 NE 12 Nos.4, 6 and 10 and SX 67 NE 23 No.23) do not appear on his plan.
Three prehistoric sepulchral monuments (SX 67 NE 22, 132 and 139) are visible on Riddon Ridge. Two further mounds are recorded by Butler (1991, fig 18.2, cairns 8 and 10). One (cairn 8, SX 67 NE 15) cannot be identified on the ground while the other (SX 67 NE 125) is the result of fairly recent clearance.
Two prehistoric field clearance cairns (SX 67 NE 150 and 151) are visible at SX 66297638 and SX 66217673.
Medieval and later activity on Riddon Ridge is dominated by the large areas of former fields (SX 67 NE 32, 76 and 126-130) many of which contain ridge-and-furrow. There are no traces of contemporary settlement within the surveyed area. Interestingly, the ridge lies just within the boundary of the former Dartmoor Royal Forest and as such would have been subject to constraints on land tenure and settlement. Some fields are obviously newtakes of the Ancient Tenements in the area (Pizwell and Babeny in particular), all of which had customary rights of enclosure, while others may be the result of assarting by communities from beyond the east bank of the Walla Brook which forms the forest boundary in this area.
Tin streaming remains are visible flanking the Walla Brook (SX 67 NE 147) and a small stream draining the south-eastern edge of the ridge (SX 67 NE 135). Later exploration is marked by tin pits (SX 67 NE 131, 145 and 152). Perhaps related to the tinning are five inscribed stones (SX 67 NE 22 and 140-143).

Butler, J., 1991, Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities: Volume One - The East (Monograph). SDV299725.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments: none recorded

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV8423 - Duchy Farms Project
• EDV8296 - Dartmeet Premier Archaeological Landscape (PAL) Field Investigation Project
• EDV8409 - Dartmoor Royal Forest Project

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