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Summary

Hollow way, or drift lane, an important route, presumably of Medieval origin, leads from Postbridge at SX 64627878 to the open moor at Rowtor Gate SX 62908028.

Location

Protected Status

• SHINE: Earthwork remains of part of the 19th century leat supplying Powder Mills gunpowder factory, as well as a leat and reave on Chittaford Down
• SHINE: Earthwork remains of tin working north-west of Postbridge, consisting of streamworking and a leat, probably post-medieval in date

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX67NW215
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 884331
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX67NW/147
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX68SW/7/1

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• TRACKWAY (Prehistoric - 698000 BC? (Between) to 42 AD (Between))
• DROVE ROAD (Early Medieval to Post Medieval - 1066 AD (Between) to 1750 AD (Between))
• HOLLOW WAY (Early Medieval to Post Medieval - 1066 AD (Between) to 1750 AD (Between))

Full description

Duchy of Cornwall, 1818, Map of Freehold and Early Enclosures of Dartmoor (Cartographic). SDV237263.

Burnard, R., 1894, Exploration of the Hut Circles in Broadun Ring and Broadun, 196 (Article in Serial). SDV246116.

Ancient trackway leading to Broadun must have been well used in Prehistoric times, for it yielded a large number of flint objects, including two small broken arrowheads.

Greeves, T. A. P., 1983, Middle Merripit Survey Drawing (Plan - measured). SDV321106.

(Feb 1983) Drift lane, an important route, presumably of Medieval origin, leads from Postbridge at SX 64627878 to the open moor at Rowtor Gate SX 62908028.

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

Not recorded.

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

(25/09/1989) This access from the Postbridge area to the high moor through enclosed ground appears on the Middle Merripit Farm at SX 64317933 from a walled section leading NNW from Postbridge. From here its course, 2m wide, is terraced into the steep NE facing slope above the East Dart River, opposite Hartyland. It becomes a hollow-way 2m wide, 1m deep as it cuts through a prehistoric enclosure (SX 68 NW 216), heading NNW, its course partly obscured by gorse. It cuts the northern edge of another Prehistoric enclosure (SX 68 NW 75) before crossing the Chittaford and Broad Down Brooks. It is now taken over the Powder Mills Leat by a clam bridge and its hollowed course, about 2m wide and 0.8m deep, is then funnelled between a boundary bank (SX 68 NW 217) and the wall of Broadun settlement (SX 68 NW 11), ascending the hill to about 420m OD before becoming lost in the peat. It can be seen again as a hollow way approaching the farm boundary at Rowtor Gate at SX 62908026. As suggested by Greeves (1983) it may be Medieval in origin.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds

• FDV5907 - LITHIC IMPLEMENT (Prehistoric - 698000 BC to 42 AD)
• FDV5908 - ARROWHEAD (Early Neolithic to Late Bronze Age - 4000 BC to 701 BC)

Associated Events

• EDV8648 - Middle Merripit Farm, Duchy Farms Survey
• EDV8409 - Dartmoor Royal Forest Project
• EDV8423 - Duchy Farms Project

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