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Summary

Vermin trap built across a boundary wall within a partially enclosed hut settlement. Includes two lengths of V-shaped rubble wall, together forming an X-shaped trap. The walls are of partly faced rubble construction and average 0.5 metres wide by 0.4 metres high. The north to south arm is 16 metres long and the east to west arm is 13 metres long.

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1020323: Prehistoric and historic archaeological landscape at Trowlesworthy Warren

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX56NE/240/13

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• VERMIN TRAP (XVII to XVIII - 1700 AD to 1800 AD (Between))

Full description

Cook, R. M. L., 1964, Old vermin traps on south-west Dartmoor, 199 (Article in Serial). SDV230549.

Trowlesworthy Warren. Site 8. Wall type 2. Good condition, walls only. 100 metres south-west of Shadyback Tor. 1700-1800.

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

Not visible on aerial photograph.

Gerrard, S., 1990-2002, Monument Protection Programme. Archaeological Item Dataset., MPP 140634 (Report - Survey). SDV277946.

Site visited on 3rd April 1995. Vermin trap built across a boundary wall within a partially enclosed hut settlement. Includes two lengths of V-shaped rubble wall, together forming an X-shaped trap. The walls are of partly faced rubble construction and average 0.5 metres wide by 0.4 metres high. The north to south arm is 16 metres long and the east to west arm is 13 metres long. The position of the trap suggests that it was intended to catch vermin following the enclosure wall. Vermin approaching their quarry tend to seek a route that provides visual cover and the purpose of a trap was to funnel predators along ditches or side walls to a central point where they could be trapped. The stone from which the structure was constructed was presumably robbed from the enclosure wall.

Butler, J., 1994, Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities: Volume Three - The South-West, 159, Map 51, Figure 51.3 (Monograph). SDV137656.

Vermin trap shown as 'V.T.' on west side of Shadyback Tor Enclosure 'D'

Thackray, C., 1994, The Upper Plym Valley: the management of an historic landscape, 66, 102 176 (Report - non-specific). SDV143510.

Vermin trap with denuded X-shaped funnel walls set into the west side of enclosure. Turf covered walls with some visible facing stones. Arms of 16 metres and 13 metres with walls 0.5 metres wide by 0.4 metres high.

Environment Agency WMS, 1998-2016, LiDAR DSM data JPEG image (1m resolution) (Cartographic). SDV360209.

Feature visible on Lidar data.

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

Feature visible on survey.

Ridgers, H. + Ridgers, C., 2015, Of Varments and Vermin Traps, 4, No. 43 (Report - Assessment). SDV358632.

SX 56450 65024. No trace of trap remains but walls very storng and visible.

Bluesky International Ltd/Getmapping PLC, 2015-2017, 2015-2017 Aerial Photographs (Aerial Photograph). SDV361462.

X-shaped feature visible on aerial photograph.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

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: EH Project (Feb 2001 - Dec 2002)

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