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Summary

Field system extending out from present enclosed land around the deserted medieval settlement (MDV6415). Not all the banks in the area may be part of the field system. Visible on aerial photographs. The rectangular fields on the west are likely to have been part of this system.

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1021049: Brimpts Mine, three prehistoric settlements and associated reaves 550m north west of Outer Huccaby Ring
• Scheduled Monument 1021050: Prehistoric enclosed settlement known as Outer Huccaby Ring and associated irregular aggregate field system
• SHINE: Remains of prehistoric field systems and hut circle settlements, as well as funerary monuments above the Cherry Brook Valley, medieval field systems around Huccaby Rings and deserted Coxlake farmstead as well as the Brimpts Tin Mine leat

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX67SE97
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 443140
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX67SE/271
• Old SAM Ref: 34461

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• FIELD SYSTEM (Constructed, Early Medieval to Post Medieval - 1066 AD (Between) to 1750 AD (Between))

Full description

Duchy of Cornwall, 1805-1818, Map showing freeholds & early enclosures on Dartmoor (Cartographic). SDV222734.

Royal Air Force, 1947, RAF/CPE/UK/2149, 4424-4425 (Aerial Photograph). SDV282746.

Royal Air Force, 1964, RAF 58/6399, RAF F61 58 RAF 6399 029-030 (Aerial Photograph). SDV225229.

A cropmark of a sub-rectangular enclosure lies at SX 65437461.

Ordnance Survey, 1972, OS/72/066, 049 (Aerial Photograph). SDV346967.

National Monument Record, 1977, SX6575, 1/365-385 (Aerial Photograph). SDV247974.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1980, SX67SE97 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV177330.

(10/03/1980) On a south-west slope centred at SX 654746 are the fragmentary remains of a sub-rectangular field system covering 8.0ha., visible on APs.
The fields have turf-covered rubble walling averaging 0.3m. high and 0.9m. wide. The field visible on the 1964 AP, is clearly visible on 1972/1976 Aps, measures some 70m. by 45m. and appears typical of the system. Two huts (SX 67 SE 19) within the field system are joined to the field walls.
Area demarcated on OS 6" field sheet.

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

Field system extending out from present enclosed land around the deserted medieval settlement (MDV6415). Not all the banks in the area may be part of the field system. Extends from SX65687411 to SX65497500. One bank extends beyond the map into map sheet SX67NE at SX65497500. One bank extends through the field system from SX65457473 into another field system, (MDV26240), at SX66057407. A wall extends from the edge of the field system at SX65407430 to the corner of the Snider Park Plantation at SX66057405. Visible on 1977 and 1947 aerial photographs.

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

(15/09/1988) A system of redundant medieval/post medieval field boundaries together with rig-and-furrow, centred at SX 6546 7450, on a moderate, W-facing slope within Brimpts and Huccaby Newtakes. The fields occupy c.21.5 ha (53.13 acres) but only 15.5 ha (38.3 acres) were surveyed during investigation of Brimpts Farm. The area is predominantly rough grass with heather, bracken and gorse patches.
The field system has two major blocks with cornditch type boundaries.
1. A northern block of approximately 9.5 hectares (23.47 acres) centred at SX 6543 7461.
It consists of a single, large boundary 2 - 3.5 metres wide by 0.3 - 0.6 metres high, represented by a denuded earthen bank with some stone showing where the surface is disturbed. The extreme north-western stretch at SX 6534 7483 is a deep, natural drainage gulley. The boundary originates at Outer Huccaby Ring (MDV6397) at SX 6577 7448, runs uphill for 80 metres to the north-east, then follows the contour north-west to SX 6537 7487. From here it runs south-west and is lost in tinworks (MDV35591).
This large field overlies a prehistoric settlement and field group (MDV66348) and is cut through by the Brimpts Mine Leat (MDV25984). Aerial photographs show extensive ridge-and-furrow in the southern half of the field, aligned east-north-east to west-south-west.
2. A southern block of approximately 12 hectares (29.65 acres) centred at SX 6550 7430.
A large, sub-rectangular block in the eastern side of the stone-walled enclosures of Coxlake, incorporating Outer Huccaby Ring on its eastern side and internally divided into at least six fields (including the Ring). Most of the internal boundaries follow an east-north-east to west-south-west alignment and a gentle, southward aratral curve. This curve is followed by ridge-and-furrow, visible on Aerial photographs to the west and south-west of Outer Huccaby Ring. The exception is an irregular field centred at SX 6560 7432, a shape perhaps conditioned by a pre-existing feature. The boundaries are eroded, and are 2-4 metres wide by 0.4-0.7 metres high, with occasional traces of a ditch on one side.
Block 1 is probably later than block 2, by the principles of horizontal stratigraphy.
These fields are probably the result of medieval/post medieval moorland reclamation, possibly two separate episodes. They clearly relate to the DMS and enclosures at Coxlake (MDV6415); block 2 assumed its present extent by the end of the 18th century and so this is a terminus ante quern for the redundant fields of this system.
The interpretation of the field system from the 1985 Aerial Photograph Project needs a little correction: the system does not quite extend north to SX 6549 7500; this is the centre of a prehistoric enclosure, the present system ends at SX 6537 7487.
The "bank" extending from SX 6545 7473 to SX 6605 7407 is in fact a section of the Brimpts Mine Leat (MDV25984). The wall from SX 6540 7430 to Snider Park Plantation SX 6605 7405 is a maintained, drystone field wall (MDV26242).

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

Depicted on the survey layer.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV3462 - Survey at Huccaby Farm, Lydford
• EDV8632 - Sherberton Farm, Duchy Farms Survey
• EDV8634 - Brimpts Farm, Duchy Farms Survey
• EDV8409 - Dartmoor Royal Forest Project
• EDV8423 - Duchy Farms Project

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