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Summary

Abandoned medieval and post medieval fields on Corndon Tor and Corndon Down. Intakes of land extend up both sides of Corndon Tor from the Corndon Ford area on the east side and Sherill to the west leaving only a relatively small unenclosed area between the main outcrop of the tor and the two prehistoric cairns to the north (SX 67 SE 3).

Location

Protected Status

• SHINE: Dartmeet Parallel Reave System. Earthworks of an extensive area of prehistoric remains including complex field system, numerous hut circles, enclosures and cairns, overlain by medieval remains including Vaghill Warren, farmsteads and a large field syste

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX 67 NE 241
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX67NE/149
• Pastscape: 1470994

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• RIDGE AND FURROW (Early Medieval to Post Medieval - 1066 AD to 1750 AD (Between))

Full description

Royal Air Force, 1946, RAF/CPE/UK/1890, 2458-2459 (Aerial Photograph). SDV169268.

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

Two fields of ridge and furrow containing hut circles and incorporated into or possibly superimposed onto the Dartmeet parallel reave system (PRN 6030). Visible on Royal Air Force 1946 aerial photograph.

Gerrard, S., 2004, List of Sites Remaining to be Considered for Designation on Dartmoor (Un-published). SDV345444.

Part of Dartmeet coaxial field system (Northern Part) which was considered for designation as a Scheduled Ancient Monument in 2004. Other details: Site 43.

English Heritage, 2005-2008, Medieval Survey Information (Report - Survey). SDV345602.

Newman, P., 2008, Dartmeet Premier Archaeological Landscape (PAL) Field Investigation Project (Report - Survey). SDV347061.

(12/05/2008) Abandoned medieval and post medieval fields on Corndon Tor and Corndon Down. Intakes of land extend up both sides of Corndon Tor from the Corndon Ford area on the east side and Sherill to the west leaving only a relatively small unenclosed area between the main outcrop of the tor and the two prehistoric cairns to the north (SX 67 SE 3). To the north of the cairns the entire area of Corndon Down is covered by derelict enclosures. Many of the enclosure walls adopted and fossilised elements of the earlier prehistoric reave system (SX 67 SE 94), where the reaves have been refurbished. Many others were new intakes which ignored the prehistoric system with curving walls that demonstrate a more organic growth than the regularity of the prehistoric reaves. The medieval boundaries, including the refurbished reaves, were hedge banks or earthwork banks of variable dimensions but survive in places up to 0.8m high. They mostly have external ditches though in some cases these are absent probably due to silting and some have external faces reinforced with a stone revetment. Banks of lesser dimensions may have fallen into disuse earlier, the larger examples being maintained perhaps into the 17th or 18th centuries. Some examples comprising roughly cut ditches with low upcast banks appear to be incomplete and may simply represent the extent of an intended newtake. Many of the enclosures have been cleared of stone and on the east side of Corndon Down is a number of clearance heaps (SX 67 NE 242). Several of the enclosures on the north end of Corndon Down contain cultivation ridges, surviving as earthworks. These are of a generally straight appearance, rather than curving or 'S' shaped and are on average 2 to 3m between the furrows.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV8296 - Dartmeet Premier Archaeological Landscape (PAL) Field Investigation Project

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