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Summary

Rabbit warren containing 12 pillow mounds at wistman's wood (linehan).

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1020876: Prehistoric settlement, field system and rabbit warren south of Longaford Tor

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX67NW/117
• Old SAM County Ref: 922 (PART)

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• RABBIT WARREN (Early Medieval to XIX - 1066 AD to 1900 AD (Between))

Full description

Linehan, C. D., Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV137243.

Rabbit warren containing 12 pillow mounds at wistman's wood (linehan).

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, Untitled Source (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV24.

Vis=5/9/1978 (os) over an area of 450.0m by 150.0m,centred at x613773, are 17 pillow-mounds of normal shape with shallow side ditches but with their long axes parallel to the slope. Their average length is 11.0m. Average width 3.5m. And average height 0.7m, centred at sx61557705 are 2 banks, parallel to the slope and ditched, 108.5m and 57.5m in length respectively, which are probably extremely long pillow-mounds, though their width (3m and 2.5m respectively)is less than that of the pillow-mounds lower down the slope.

RCHM APP 1985, Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV254243.

Assuming that all the pillow mounds at wistman's wood are part of this warren there are 15 mounds interspersed with hut circles and enclosures of sx67nw/63 and sx67nw/91. Some of the more southern pillow mounds fall within the scheduled area 922. Visible on 1969 and 1979 nmr ap (rchm app 1985).

NMR CITING OS, Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV254245.

In addition to these 16, there are 8 other probable pillowmounds in the area:centred at sx61377710, 4 small, irregular to circular-shape mounds of average diameter 8m. At sx61247787 is a mound measuring 5.5m x 4.5m, revetted on the w side. All these are about 1m high and are probably built upon hut circles. Centred at sx61527790 are 3 mounds on the w side of long tor, with average dimensions 10m by 5.5m, and 0.7m high with side ditches (nmr citing os).

NOT PARALLEL TO THE SLOPE AS STATED BY ?OS, Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV254247.

All the mounds are rectangular in ground plan with straightish or slightly rounded ends. All have a long axis cutting the contours (not parallel to the slope as stated by ?os) giving an ene-wsw for the majority: mound 1 runs ne-sw, following the different alignment of the slope in that locality. All are flat-topped with short sharp sides and generally have shallow flanking ditches. They fall into 3 distinct types with clear spatial groupings:.

ALTHOUGH IT IS NOT KNOWN WHAT LIES UNDER THE MOUNDS, Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV254248.

Type 1. Scattered between lonaford tor, a warreners house and the west dart are 6 mounds in a group of 3 beneath the tor 4,5 and 6 two c 100m ne of the warren house and one isolated c 350m to the nw of the house. They average 14.3m long by 5.4m wide by 0.8m high and are built of earth and stone; 2 with clear remnants of stone edging or revetment 4 and 6. Their ditches are broad and shallow, probably reflecting scraping-up of surface material to make the mound; several have very large stones which obviously were too large to move or utilise. The downhill ends are not ditched. Type 2.14 from a linear group running n to s at centre sx613773, immediately e of wistmans wood and s of the warreners house. They are smaller than type 1, averaging 11.35m long by 3.25m wide by 0.6m high and are apparently built largely of earth with only occasional stones incorporated (although it is not known what lies under the mounds). The flanking ditches are slighter and do not envelop the uphill end; generally they turn in to terminate flush with the uphill mound end. Several have traces of a narrow gully running centrally down the long axis of the mound top, this is often only just visible, c0.3m wide by 0.1m deep.

NMR CITING PATTISON, Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV254249.

Type 3. Two extremely long mounds 54 and 107m respectively, situated on the w side of littaford tors. These are narrowest of all at 2.5-3m and average 0.7m high. Construction is of earth and stone, often with large stones placed deliberately along the basal edges. Large, natural boulders are occasionally incorporated into the mound or interrupt the slight flanking ditches where the effort needed to remove them was both too great and pointless. Mound 21 terminates on the w against a large, natural outcrop. Contrary to rchm app these mounds are not military targets. Only mound 1 was missed by ?os. Mounds 1-6 are not shown by rchm app; the remainder are. The majority of the mounds are visible on additional ap's (see hemery). These pillow mounds are associated generally with a sporting warren set up in 1895 on behalf of james saltroun of powder mills and ceasing operations prior to the first world war (nmr citing pattison).

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV254250.

Linehan, c. D. /med arch/10(1966)table 2.

Untitled Source (Aerial Photograph). SDV254251.

Aph=raf 58/4424. F41.127/25 may 1961.

Untitled Source (Aerial Photograph). SDV254252.

Aph=sx6177/nmr.

Untitled Source (Aerial Photograph). SDV254253.

Aph=cuc/rc8-eq 152-4(27/7/1982)/at ncc taunton.

Untitled Source (Aerial Photograph). SDV254254.

Aph=nmr sx6176/1/37-41(12/4/1969).

Untitled Source (Aerial Photograph). SDV254255.

Aph=nmr sf1509/278-284(24/4/1979).

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV254256.

Nmr=sx67nw72.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV254257.

Hemery, e. /high dartmoor/(1983)455-6.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV254258.

Des=pattison, p. /(5/5/1989)/rchme field investigation.

RCHM, Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV7666.

5/5/1989 (rchm) 22 pillow mounds situated on a moderate wsw slope in the vicinity of wistmans wood , above the west dart river at centre sx613773.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments: none recorded

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

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