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Summary

A ruined vermin trap comprises a roofless tunnel 1.9m long and a maximum 1.0m wide with, on the northern side, a wing wall constructed of boulders and slabs up to 0.5m high. Two mechanism slots have been carved into the side stones of the trap.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX56NE266
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 1304871
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX56NE/88/5

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• VERMIN TRAP (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1750 AD (Between))

Full description

Cook, R. M. L., 1964, Old vermin traps on south-west Dartmoor (Article in Serial). SDV230549.

Ditsworthy Warren. Site 2. Type 3, a long straight wall is adapted by the addition of two wing walls on one side. These can guide the vermin to a trap running at right angles to the original wall. Good condition; base, two short sides and walls remain. North of Gutter Tor summit rocks. Probable date of use 1700-1800.

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

Not visible 1946 Royal Air Force vertical aerial photographs.

Fletcher, M. + Newman, P. + Probert, S., 1999, Drizzlecombe, Eylesbarrow, Ditsworthy and Hartor areas in the Plym Valley, West Devon (Report - Survey). SDV346268.

Whitbourn, A., 2001, An Archaeological Investigation into features comprising, and associated with, Ditsworthy Warren, 78 (Report - Assessment). SDV360381.

Vermin trap of Type 3 consisting of a long staight wall including two wing walls and two short sides.

Probert, S. A. J. + Fletcher, M. J., 2002, Plym Valley survey (Report - Survey). SDV350782.

(16/02/2000) A ruined vermin trap located in dense boulder clitter below the summit granite outcrop of Gutter Tor at SX57786691. It comprises a roofless tunnel 1.9m long and a maximum 1.0m wide with, on the north side, a wing wall constructed of boulders and slabs up to 0.5m high. Two mechanism slots have been carved into the side stones of the trap.
Against the upper south side of the vermin trap lies a semi-circular line of boulders and stones built into the lee of the summit rocky outcrop. The arc of a wall has coursed boulders up to 0.7m high. The origin and function of this feature is not clear; it may be a damaged hut circle or it could be a shelter perhaps associated with the vermin trap.

Newman, P. + Probert, S., 2005, Ringmoor Training Area: Monument Baseline Condition Survey (Report - Survey). SDV363484.

(11/03/2005) This feature remains in good condition and as described in 2000.

English Heritage, 2005, Survey Information (miscellaneous date) (Report - Survey). SDV345855.

Probert, S. A. J., 2010, A Condition Survey of the Archaeological Sites of Ringmoor, Dartmoor Training Area (Report - Survey). SDV360517.

Newman, P., 2018, Archaeological Sites within Ringmoor Training Area, Dartmoor National Park, Devon: A condition survey on behalf of Defence Infrastructure Organisation (Report - Survey). SDV361636.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV7443 - Condition survey of archaeological sites in Ringmoor Training Area
• EDV7551 - Ditsworthy Warren: An archaeological investigation
• EDV7569 - Condition survey of Ringmoor Down training area
• EDV8155 - Plym Valley Survey: EH Project (Feb 2001 - Dec 2002)
• EDV8227 - Ringmoor Training Area: Monument Baseline Condition Survey
• EDV4966 - Survey of Drizzlecombe, Eylesbarrow, Ditsworthy and Hartor. The Eylesbarrow archaeological landscape

Search results generated by the HBSMR Gateway from exeGesIS SDM Ltd.