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Summary

The pillow mound survives as a 16.5 metre long, 4.3 metre wide and 0.7 metre high, flat-topped, oblong shaped mound of soil and stone surrounded on four sides by the 1.6 metre wide and 0.3 metre deep ditch from which material was quarried during the construction of the mound. The long sides of the mound are crudely revetted with drystone walling and a clearly defined shallow gully leads south for 4m from the lower end of the mound.

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1008715: Pillow mound 40m east of Legis Tor forming part of Legistor Warren

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX56NE/239/4
• Old SAM Ref: 24129

Monument Type(s) and Dates

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

Full description

Linehan, C. D., 1966, Deserted Sites and Rabbit-Warrens on Dartmoor, Devon, 161 (Article in Serial). SDV307246.

Gerrard, S., 1990-2002, Monument Protection Programme. Archaeological Item Dataset., MPP 130896, 22/2/1993, 2/8/1993 (Report - Survey). SDV277946.

Pillow mound near the summit of Legis Tor. Survives as a 16.5 metre long, 4.3 metre wide and 0.7 metre high, flat-topped, oblong-shaped mound of soil and stone surrounded on four sides by the 1.6 metre wide and 0.3 metre deep ditch from which construction material was quarried.
The long sides of the mound are crudely revetted with drystone walling and a clearly defined shallow gully leads south for 4.0 metres from the lower end of the mound. These gullies have traditionally been interpreted as drainage ditches, but they may also have served as preferred access routes for rabbits and vermin.

Crossing, W., 1992, Crossing's Dartmoor Worker, 61 (Monograph). SDV351364.

Ordnance Survey, 2015, MasterMap (Cartographic). SDV357601.

Depicted on the modern mapping.

English Heritage, 2015, National Heritage List for England (National Heritage List for England). SDV357602.

The pillow mound 40m east of Legis Tor forms part of the nationally important Legistor Warren and contains information relating to the exploitation of rabbits in the Upper Plym valley.
This monument includes a pillow mound situated near the summit of Legis Tor overlooking the valley of the River Plym. The pillow mound survives as a 16.5m long, 4.3m wide and 0.7m high, flat-topped, oblong shaped mound of soil and stone surrounded on four sides by the 1.6m wide and 0.3m deep ditch from which material was quarried during the construction of the mound. The long sides of the mound are crudely revetted with drystone walling and a clearly defined shallow gully leads south for 4m from the lower end of the mound.
These gullies have traditionally been interpreted as drainage ditches, but they may also have served as preferred access routes for rabbits and vermin. Traps placed within these gullies could have been used to control both rabbit and vermin populations. This mound forms part of the rabbit warren at Legis Tor which is sometimes called New Warren and may have operated jointly with Trowlesworthy Warren until recent times when it became an adjunct of Ditsworthy Warren.
The name New Warren strongly suggests that there was an earlier warren on the site. Dating of the warren is difficult because there are no early documentary references, although it is generally accepted that the warren on the other side of the River Plym at Trowlesworthy had been established by 1292.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV7443 - Condition survey of archaeological sites in Ringmoor Training Area
• EDV7569 - Condition survey of Ringmoor Down training area

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