See important guidance on the use of this record.

If you have any comments or new information about this record, please email us.

Summary

Vermin trap built across an enclosure wall within a partially enclosed hut settlement. Includes two lengths of V-shaped rubble wall, together forming an X-shaped trap.

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1019084: Partially enclosed stone hut circle settlement and post-medieval warren structures on the western slope of Little and Great Trowlesworthy Tors

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX56SE/198/41
• Old SAM Ref: 24233(P)

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• VERMIN TRAP (Early Medieval to Post Medieval - 1066 AD to 1750 AD (Between))

Full description

Cook, R. M. L., 1964, Old vermin traps on south-west Dartmoor, 199, number 1 (Article in Serial). SDV230549.

Trowlesworthy Warren. Site 1. Wall type 11. Good condition, walls only. North entrance of pound 229 metres south-west of Little Trowlesworthy Tor.

Haynes, R. G., 1970, Vermin Traps and Rabbit Warrens on Dartmoor, Number 11 (Article in Serial). SDV166302.

Haynes number 11 (SX5750 6445). Located in the north wall of the north pound, this trap interupts a pound wall. A well-known trap, first described by Spence-Bate in 1871; then thought to be a defended entrance to the pound.

Gerrard, S., 1990-2002, Monument Protection Programme. Archaeological Item Dataset., MPP 140733, 11/4/1995 (Report - Survey). SDV277946.

SX57486445. Vermin trap built across an enclosure wall within a partially enclosed hut settlement. Includes two lengths of V-shaped rubble wall, together forming an X-shaped trap. The orthostatic walls with rubble infill average 0.75 metres wide by 0.7 metres high, whilst the north-west by south-east arm is 16.6 metres long and the north-east by south-west arm is 13.7 metres long. The trapping area lies within a break in the enclosure wall and survives as an area defined by upright stones. The position of the trap suggests that it was intended to catch vermin following the enclosure wall.

Butler, J., 1994, Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities: Volume Three - The South-West, 156-8; Map 51.1. (Monograph). SDV137656.

Butler depicts trap.

Thackray, C., 1994, The Upper Plym Valley: the management of an historic landscape, 78, 102.350 (Report - non-specific). SDV143510.

Well-defined X-shaped vermin trap with a gap at the intersection. The walls have been built over the northern sector of the enclosure wall. Walls of large irregular stones with some coursed masonry in the north-west arm and one orthostat in the south-east arm. North-east to south-west arms 13.7 metres long with walls 0.75 metres wide by 0.7 metres high. North-west to south-east arms 16.6 metres long.

GeoInformation Group Ltd, 2010, 1:625 2010 Colour (12.5cm resolution) (Aerial Photograph). SDV346026.

Trap is visible on the aerial photography.

Ridgers, H. + Ridgers, C., 2015, Of Varments and Vermin Traps, 6, No. 61 (Report - Assessment). SDV358632.

(Referenced under HER number MDV14364; a duplicate record now deleted from HER).
SX 57487 64475. Four long walls (4m in length); very prominent built across the pound walls.
NB: Authors reference for MDV2498 (pg. 3, No. 15 referenced as SX 57605 64210) is not valid as it is assumed to be a duplicate of MDV2463, although their grid reference recorded for MDV2463 is SX 57486 64476 which seems to be a straight mix-up with the grid reference for this (MDV2498) feature. Unclear whether they have identified the trap MDV2463 within enclosure MDV15290 (Richards, A. F., 10/03/2020).

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
• EDV8155 - Plym Valley Survey

Search results generated by the HBSMR Gateway from exeGesIS SDM Ltd.