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Summary

Prehistoric parallel reave system on Rowden Ball including several enclosures and hut circles. Nationally important site.

Location

Protected Status

• SHINE: Earthworks of Bronze Age structures and features on Rowden Down comprising a parallel reave system incorporating Bronze Age enclosures, hut circles and a ring cairn

Other References/Statuses

• Dartmoor Non-designated Heritage Asset (Evidential): NI Site
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX67NE/49/2

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• PARALLEL REAVE SYSTEM (Bronze Age - 2200 BC to 701 BC)

Full description

Royal Air Force, 1947, RAF/CPE/UK/2149, 4418-9 (Aerial Photograph). SDV282746.

Gawne, E. + Somers Cockes, J. V., 1968, Parallel Reaves of Dartmoor, 285 (Article in Serial). SDV345858.

Between the Shallowford farms and Jordan and on Rowden Down, the parallel reave system banks are following exactly the same direction as those to the west of Corndon Down.

Fleming, A., 1978, The Prehistoric Landscape of Dartmoor. Part 1: South Dartmoor, 97-123 (Article in Serial). SDV235265.

Field system east of the West Webburn river between Dartmeet and Windwhistle parallel reave systems.

National Monuments Record, 1979, SF 1459, 38-30 (Aerial Photograph). SDV64329.

Royal Commission on the Historical Monuments of England, 1985, SX67NE (Cartographic). SDV337077.

The parallel reaves on Rowdon Down appear to be part of the Dartmeet Parallel Reave System. They are surrounded by enclosed land containing fossilised reaves. The alignment of these reaves is north-east to south-west. An enclosure at SX69947595 is incorporated into the reaves at SX69947595. The system is visible on 1948 and 1979 aerial photographs.

Butler, J., 1991, Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities: Volume One - The East, 140 (Monograph). SDV299725.

Rowden Ball rises to an island hilltop of moorland grazing surrounded by fields except for an open corridor down to the road on the east. Reaves in the same series cross the slopes orientated to the north-east and appear originally to have ended in the damp ground a short distance to the north, close to the Rowden road. The upper slopes of Rowden Ball were recolonised in Medieval times but some of the higher enclosures have since had to be abandoned and their ditched banks have reverted to moorland amidst the Prehistoric ones. The summit itself was never cleared of surface stone. Near the little summit tor a single hut of 7 metres diameter was built within a small field , with an outer enclosure on the opposite side of the reave. A hut of 8 metres diameter and built of massive stones lies just above the present fields to the south, surrounded by an outer concentric bank which has been partly destroyed by the track to Broadaford. Other details: Map 19 Site 2.

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

Coaxial fields on Rowden Ball were considered for designation as a Scheduled Ancient Monument in 2004. Other details: Site 58.

Ordnance Survey, 2013, MasterMap (Cartographic). SDV350786.

Modern map boundaries used to digitise this polygon as the remains extend to the cover this area.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

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