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| HER Number: | MDV3302 |
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| Name: | Walkham Head peat pass, Dartmoor Forest |
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Summary
Peat pass of 190 metres to the north-west of Walkham Head providing a drier path through the blanket bog. This was one of a number of passes constructed between 1895-1905 under the direction of William Francis Phillpotts, to provide better access for cattlemen and fox hunters
Location
| Grid Reference: | SX 578 814 |
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| Map Sheet: | SX58SE |
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| Admin Area | Dartmoor National Park |
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| Civil Parish | Dartmoor Forest |
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| District | West Devon |
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| Ecclesiastical Parish | LYDFORD |
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Protected Status: none recorded
Other References/Statuses
- Old DCC SMR Ref: SX58SE/8
Monument Type(s) and Dates
- PEAT PASS (Constructed, XIX to Edwardian - 1895 AD (Between) to 1905 AD (Between))
Full description
Le Messurier, B., 1965, The Phillpotts Peat Passes of Northern Dartmoor, 168-169 (Article in Serial). SDV242771.
Walkham Head. Eastern end is on left bank of a small stream that flows into the River Tavy towards the upper end of the Tavy Hole. Choked with peat.
Butler, J., 1991, Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities: Volume Two - The North, 111, Map 33 (Monograph). SDV219155.
One of the Phillpotts (1837-1909) peat passes cut to facilitate huntsmen on the moor. Nine of these passes were dug around the centre of the moor ranging from over a kilometre to a mere 60 metres. They are now marked by small cairns along their length adnd by short granite posts at each end. A bronze plaque commemorating Phillpotts is attached to each of the posts. This pass lies between the Rivers Walkham and Tavy to the north-west of Walkham Head.
Sandles, T., 2014-2019, Legendary Dartmoor, Accessed 2015 (Website). SDV356498.
Walkham Head peat pass (SX579815 – 578814)
From east to west this cut is approximately 137 metres long and as proof of its use by the moormen a 'ring rock' (a boulder with an iron ring affixed, used for tethering horses) can be seen about 274 metres north-east of the eastern entrance to the pass.
Constructed to provide a drier path through the blanket bog at the end of the 19th / beginning of the 20th century, under direction of William Francis Phillpotts. (Citing Le Messurier).
Ordnance Survey, 2015, Ordnance Survey 1:25000 Digital Colour Raster Map (Cartographic). SDV319717.
Peat pass is marked on the large scale Ordnance Survey map.
Sources / Further Reading
| SDV219155 | Monograph: Butler, J.. 1991. Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities: Volume Two - The North. Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities: Volume Two - The North. Two. Paperback Volume. 111, Map 33. |
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| SDV242771 | Article in Serial: Le Messurier, B.. 1965. The Phillpotts Peat Passes of Northern Dartmoor. Transactions of the Devonshire Association. 97. Unknown. 168-169. |
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| SDV319717 | Cartographic: Ordnance Survey. 2015. Ordnance Survey 1:25000 Digital Colour Raster Map. 1:25,000. Digital. [Mapped feature: #87636 ] |
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| SDV356498 | Website: Sandles, T.. 2014-2019. Legendary Dartmoor. http://www.legendarydartmoor.co.uk. Website. Accessed 2015. |
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Associated Monuments
| MDV6761 | Related to: North West Passage Peat Pass on Cut Hill, Dartmoor Forest (Monument) |
| MDV3303 | Related to: Peat Pass from Black Ridge Brook to Cut Combe Water, Dartmoor Forest (Monument) |
| MDV3175 | Related to: Peat Pass from West Okement head to the Black Ridge Brook, Dartmoor Forest (Monument) |
Associated Finds: none recorded
Associated Events
- EDV7441 - Condition survey of the archaeological sites of Merrivale Training Area
- EDV7570 - Condition survey of Merrivale Range training area
- EDV8409 - Dartmoor Royal Forest Project
- EDV8713 - Merrivale Range: Monument Baseline Condition Survey
- EDV8813 - Archaeological and historical investigation of Peat Cutting on North-Western Dartmoor
| Date Last Edited: | Feb 16 2023 1:44PM |
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