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HER Number:MDV29966
Name:Pillow mound south-west of Great Trowlesworthy Tor

Summary

A rabbit bury or pillow mound of probable medieval to post-medieval date is visible as an earthwork mound on aerial photographs of 1946 onwards, on the south-west facing slopes of Trowlesworthy Warren, overlooking the Blacka Brook.

Location

Grid Reference:SX 574 638
Map Sheet:SX56SE
Admin AreaDartmoor National Park
Civil ParishShaugh Prior
DistrictSouth Hams
Ecclesiastical ParishSHAUGH PRIOR

Protected Status

Other References/Statuses

  • National Monuments Record: SX 56 SE 66
  • Old DCC SMR Ref: SX56SE/198/67
  • Old SAM Ref: 22429(P)
  • Pastscape: 439294

Monument Type(s) and Dates

  • PILLOW MOUND (Constructed, Early Medieval to Post Medieval - 1066 AD to 1750 AD (Between))

Full description

Haynes, R. G., Map of Trowlesworthy Warren (Cartographic). SDV165949.

Royal Air Force, 1946, RAF/3G/TUD/UK/223, RAF/3G/TUD/UK/223 Vp2 5143-5144 12-JUL-1946 (Aerial Photograph). SDV352279.

A ditched mound is visible as an earthwork.

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

'Pillow mound' is shown on the aerial photograph transcription - no photograph reference given.

Brewer, D., 1986, A field guide to the boundary markers on and around Dartmoor, 52-4 (Monograph). SDV309252.

Mercer, R. J., 1987, An Archaeological Field Survey of the Upper Plym Valley, Dartmoor 1982-1986, 39 (Report - Survey). SDV165948.

At SX 5746 6386. Sub-rectangular earthen mound, in which basal layer of stone foundation is visible. It is surrounded by ditch, 2.30m wide and 0.40m deep. Two ditches continue from sw end and drain into ditch see sx56se/370, cutting across drain see SX56SE/364. Dimensions: length 21m by breadth 6.50m by height 1.10m.

Gerrard, S., 1990-2002, Monument Protection Programme. Archaeological Item Dataset., MPP 140536 (Report - Survey). SDV277946.

(10/03/1994) SX 5746 6389. Mound 20.6m by 6.4m by 1m high, surrounded by 1.9m wide and 0.4m deep quarry ditch. The 2 gullies leading from its lower end measure 11m long, 0.5m wide, 0.2m deep, cut animal run sx56se/364 and lead into sx56se/376 (mpp).

Thackray, C., 1994, The Upper Plym Valley: the management of an historic landscape, 13, 102.039 (Report - non-specific). SDV143510.

Bluesky International Ltd/Getmapping PLC, 1999-2017, Pan Government Agreement Aerial Photographs, Next Perspectives APGB Imagery SX5763 01-06-2002 (Aerial Photograph). SDV363087.

A ditched mound is visible as an earthwork.

NERC, 2013, LiDAR DTM data (1m resolution) Tellus: South Devon to Dartmoor, LIDAR SX5763 Tellus DTM 01-JUL-2013 to 31-AUG-2013 (Cartographic). SDV361514.

A ditched mound is identifiable as an earthwork.

Hegarty, C., Knight, S. and Sims, R., 2019-2020, The South Devon Coast to Dartmoor Aerial Investigation and Mapping Survey. Area 2, Avon Valley to Plymouth (AI&M, formerly NMP) (Interpretation). SDV362982.

An oblong mound approximately 22m long and 9m wide is visible as an earthwork on aerial photographs of 1946 onwards, crossing the contours of the south-west facing slopes of Trowlesworthy Warren.
The bank is almost completely surrounded by a ditch up to 2m wide. Two ditches project from the south-west of the enclosing ditch and extend downslope for circa 10 to 12m.
The mound is probably the remains of a rabbit bury or pillow mound of probable medieval to post-medieval date. The gullies extending from the south end of the mound possibly provided access warreners to the mound or, perhaps more likely, were aids to drainage, feeding into a ditch connecting three adjacent pillow mounds with the Lee Moor China Clay Works leat to the south.
The mound remains clearly identifiable on visualisations derived from lidar data captured in 2013.

Sources / Further Reading

SDV143510Report - non-specific: Thackray, C.. 1994. The Upper Plym Valley: the management of an historic landscape. 13, 102.039.
SDV165948Report - Survey: Mercer, R. J.. 1987. An Archaeological Field Survey of the Upper Plym Valley, Dartmoor 1982-1986. Edinburgh Archaeological Services. A4 Comb Bound. 39.
SDV165949Cartographic: Haynes, R. G.. Map of Trowlesworthy Warren. Unknown.
SDV277946Report - Survey: Gerrard, S.. 1990-2002. Monument Protection Programme. Archaeological Item Dataset.. Monument Protection Programme. Archaeological Item Dataset.. Mixed Archive Material + Digital. MPP 140536.
SDV309252Monograph: Brewer, D.. 1986. A field guide to the boundary markers on and around Dartmoor. A field guide to the boundary markers on and around Dartmoor. Unknown. 52-4.
SDV319854Cartographic: Royal Commission on the Historical Monuments of England. 1985. Aerial Photograph Project (Dartmoor) - Dartmoor Pre-NMP. Royal Commission on the Historical Monuments of England Aerial Photograph P. Cartographic.
SDV352279Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1946. RAF/3G/TUD/UK/223. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). RAF/3G/TUD/UK/223 Vp2 5143-5144 12-JUL-1946.
SDV361514Cartographic: NERC. 2013. LiDAR DTM data (1m resolution) Tellus: South Devon to Dartmoor. Digital. LIDAR SX5763 Tellus DTM 01-JUL-2013 to 31-AUG-2013. [Mapped feature: #122982 ]
SDV362982Interpretation: Hegarty, C., Knight, S. and Sims, R.. 2019-2020. The South Devon Coast to Dartmoor Aerial Investigation and Mapping Survey. Area 2, Avon Valley to Plymouth (AI&M, formerly NMP). Historic England Research Report. Digital.
SDV363087Aerial Photograph: Bluesky International Ltd/Getmapping PLC. 1999-2017. Pan Government Agreement Aerial Photographs. Aerial Photography for Great Britain Aerial Photographs. Digital. Next Perspectives APGB Imagery SX5763 01-06-2002.

Associated Monuments

MDV14148Part of: Trowlesworthy Warren, Shaugh Prior (Monument)
MDV126965Related to: Drains on Trowlesworthy Warren, Shaugh Prior (Monument)

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
  • EDV8098 - The South Devon Coast to Dartmoor Aerial Investigation and Mapping (formerly NMP) Survey, Area 2, Avon Valley to Plymouth (Ref: ACD2040)

Date Last Edited:Sep 11 2020 12:58PM