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Summary

The vermin trap includes two `V'-shaped lengths of walling together forming an`X'-shaped trap with the narrow 0.7m wide funnel trapping area situated in the centre of the feature. The walls forming the funnel on either side of the trapping area are composed of drystone walling up to three courses high and include large orthostats together with smaller infill stones. Of particular interest is a large stone immediately north of the trapping area, which has been cut using the wedge and groove stone splitting technique. The south eastern wall is 10m long, the southern wall is 11m long, whilst the northern and western walls both measure 8m long.

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1014659: Vermin trap 130m west of Great Trowlesworthy Tor, forming part of Trowlesworthy Warren

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX56SE/198/33
• Old SAM Ref: 24243

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• VERMIN TRAP (Early Medieval to XVIII - 1066 AD to 1800 AD)

Full description

HAYNES, Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV137758.

Haynes' vermin trap no.1.(ngr sx7906425). A strong symmetrical trap of large stones in the clitter of the hillside. Two pieces of slate, one drilled for suspension, found in the wall of the trap (haynes).

Untitled Source (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV138435.

Nar=sx56ne66.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV138436.

Cook, r. M. L. /tda/96(1964)200/old vermin traps on south west dartmoor.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV138437.

Haynes, r. G. /post med arch/4(1970)157.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV138438.

Des=national trust/the upper plym valley: the management of an historic landscape/(1994)29/102.081.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV138439.

Crossing, w. /guide to dartmoor/(1990)431.

COOK, Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV138782.

Trowlesworthy warren. Site 16. Wall type 1. Good condition, walls only.55m. South west of great trowlesworthy tor. C.1700-1800 (cook).

National Trust, Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV5615.

Vis=estimated -/-/1987 (national trust) x-shaped funnel walls of vermin trap. Composed of coursed masonry of small stones, surviving up to 4 courses high in places (national trust).

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

Not recorded.

Gerrard, S., 1990-2002, Monument Protection Programme. Archaeological Item Dataset., MPP 133355 (Report - Survey). SDV277946.

(24/03/1994) SX 5785 6432. Vermin trap includes two V-shaped lengths of walling together forming an X-shaped trap with the narrow 0.7m wide funnel trapping area situated in the centre of the feature. The walls forming the funnel on either side of the trapping area are composed of drystone walling up to 3 courses high and include large orthostats together with smaller infill stones. Of particular interest is a large stone immediately north of the trapping area, which has been cut using the wedge and groove stone splitting technique. The south-east wall is 10m long, the southern wall is 11m long, whilst the north and west walls are both 8m long.

English Heritage, 2015, National Heritage List for England (National Heritage List for England). SDV357602.

This monument includes a vermin trap situated within dense clitter on the gentle west facing upper slope of Great Trowlesworthy Tor overlooking the valley of the Blacka Brook.
The vermin trap includes two `V'-shaped lengths of walling together forming an`X'-shaped trap with the narrow 0.7m wide funnel trapping area situated in the centre of the feature. The walls forming the funnel on either side of the trapping area are composed of drystone walling up to three courses high and include large orthostats together with smaller infill stones. Of particular interest is a large stone immediately north of the trapping area, which has been cut using the wedge and groove stone splitting technique. The south eastern wall is 10m long, the southern wall is 11m long, whilst the northern and western walls both measure 8m long.
Vermin approaching their quarry tend to seek a route that provides visual cover and the purpose of a trap was to funnel predators along ditches or beside walls to a central point where they could be trapped. This vermin trap forms part of Trowlesworthy Warren, which includes around 64 pillow mounds and 40 vermin traps scattered along the slopes of Little and Great Trowlesworthy Tors. The boundaries of the warren are denoted by the River Plym, Spanish Lake and Blacka Brook. Trowlesworthy Warren is generally accepted as the oldest surviving warren on the Moor. Sometime before 1292 Samson de Traylesworthie was granted land for rabbit farming by Baldwin de Redvers, Earl of Devon. Many years later in 1551, the warren was leased to William Woollcombe. The warren appears to have remained in constant use until the first half of the 20th century. This monument is in the care of the Secretary of State.

Bluesky International Ltd/Getmapping PLC, 2015-2017, 2015-2017 Aerial Photographs (Aerial Photograph). SDV361462.

Various, 2018-2020, PALs Condition Recording forms, UPTR-27 (Worksheet). SDV362781.

(14/09/2020) Condition assessed as moderate; vegetation growth (bracken) is obscuring this feature.

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

Photographed on September 2020 visit.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV7369 - Survey of Granite Loading Bays at Trowlesworthy, Devon
• EDV8148 - The Upper Plym Valley: The Management of an Historic Landscape

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