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Summary

Track leading north-westwards from a truncated section of the old Plymouth and Dartmoor Railway towards Foggintor Quarry. A short grassy track intersects with the south-west branch of the track (a potential part of an inclined plane system) at SX 56794 73457 and leads back to the main Foggintor Quarry face at SX 56758 73479 and has the form of a c.2m wide, c.0.15-0.3m high ridge.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses: none recorded

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• TRACKWAY (XVIII to Edwardian - 1800 AD (Between) to 1905 AD (Between))

Full description

Ordnance Survey, 1880-1899, First Edition Ordnance Survey 25 inch map (Cartographic). SDV336179.

Depicted on the late 19th century historic map.

Ordnance Survey, 1904 - 1906, Second Edition Ordnance Survey 25 inch Map (Cartographic). SDV325644.

Largely unchanged on the early 20th century historic map, except an additional branch at the southern end joins the route of the trackway to the route of the tramway/railway.

Wakeham, C., 2016, Report on an Audit of Archaeological Features and Structures Relating to Railways and Tramways on Dartmoor Phase 1, DR+T_FQ_037-038, 065 (Report - Assessment). SDV360397.

[DR+T_FQ_037] Track at SX 56865 73391. Track leading north-westwards from a truncated section of the old Plymouth and Dartmoor Railway (DR+T_PDR_043 at SX 57046 73260) towards Foggintor Quarry. The lower section is not always very distinct. For part of its course it consists of a c.0.2m high, c.2m wide ridge flanked by c.1m depressed ground. The short-grassed linear on its southwest side may be a footpath deviation off the original linear course. The other depressed linear, alongside to the northeast, is more intermittent and covered in the same yellowy moor grass as the ridge. A line of stones runs across its course closer to the top of the slope at SX 56817 73438. This interloping feature is a little reminiscent of the Second World War target base/platforms in the Plym Valley between Ditsworthy Warren and the Giant's Basin. It forks at SX 56815 73426 with the main route (marked on the first edition Ordnance Survey map, together with a small ruined building) heading into what appears to be a cutting through spoil heaps. This route appears to be aligned to link up with the possible inclined plane (DR+T_FQ_065) on the northwest slope over the brow of the hill. The other branch is intersected by another, shorter, track (DR+T_FQ_038) at SX 56794 73457. From the intersection it is just traceable for about another 120m north-west to SX 56746 73560. A short part of this course's surface appears to have been reinforced with stone. It is possible that this track route was intended as an inclined plane, but perhaps never completed.
The track, although currently in quite a stable condition, is not easy to define for much of its course. It may be that different phases of activity (such as a later, migrating footpath) are impinging on each other and distorting its course.
[DR+T_FQ_038] Track at SX 56776 73468. Short grassy track intersecting with the south-west branch of track DR+T_FQ_037 (a potential part of an inclined plane system) at SX 56794 73457. It leads back to the main Foggintor Quarry face at SX 56758 73479 and has the form of a c.2m wide, c.0.15-0.3m high ridge.
The track is in good condition.
[DR+T_FQ_065] Inclined plane (possible) at SX 56754 73662. A steep track ascends eastwards from the main track into Foggintor (DR+T_FQ_013) near the tramway crossroad with Big Tip. It passes to the north of the quarry and is marked on the first edition Ordnance Survey map and later editions. It continues up over the brow of the hill and then down across the moor to meet a truncated section of the Plymouth and Dartmoor Railway (DR+T_PDR_043) at SX 57046 73260 (see DR+T_FQ_037). The northern stretch may, however, overlie an incline leading from the higher side of the quarry to some spoil tips further down the slope (e.g. DR+T_FQ_066 and DR+T_FQ_067). The potential incline is traceable from SX 56725 73658 (in the east) down to SX 56683 73665. It is c.2m wide and an estimated 40m in length. The most westerly c.19m of its course is within an apparent c.1.5m deep "cutting" where it is flanked by spoil. It may have extended further up the hill to the east, but it appears to have been partly tipped upon with later spoil.
The route of the possible incline is largely covered in short grass. It appears to be in reasonably good condition, although there is some encroachment by reeds.

Ordnance Survey, 2023, Mastermap 2023 (Cartographic). SDV365227.

'Track' depicted on the modern mapping.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

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