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Summary

A feature previously described as an enclosure associated with Legistor Warren consists only of a ditch running west to east, which meets a prehistoric boundary wall (50631) at a right angle at the eastern end. The western boundary of the alleged enclosure is made up entirely of the top edge of a steep tinworking scarp and a short length of the Legis Lake stream. As such it would be ineffective as an enclosure. Drainage was incorporated into other Dartmoor warrens at Huntingdon and Beardown, so this would seem the most likely explanation for the ditch to prevent the buries being deluged during extreme downpours.

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1019876: Prehistoric settlement, three round cairns and a post-medieval rabbit warren at Legis Tor

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX56NE/239/13
• Old SAM Ref: 22289

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• (Former Type) ENCLOSURE (Constructed, Early Medieval to Post Medieval - 1066 AD (Between) to 1750 AD (Between))
• DITCH (Constructed, Post Medieval - 1540 AD (Between) to 1750 AD (Between))

Full description

Gerrard, S., 1990-2002, Monument Protection Programme. Archaeological Item Dataset., MPP 130893 (Report - Survey). SDV277946.

(22/02/1993) Enclosure containing a pillow mound and forming part of Legis Tor Warren. It measures 130m north-south by 144m east-west, contains one pillow mound and is defined on the north and east by a 1.4m wide and 0.6m high bank with an external ditch measuring 1.3m wide and 0.6m deep. The southern edge is formed by the northern side of enclosure 130887 and the west is formed by Legis Lake. The enclosure boundary probably did not prevent the rabbits moving into other areas of the warren, but would have provided protection against predators. See related record for pillow mound detail.

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

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.

Depicted on survey layer.

Newman, P., 2022, Ringmoor Down Premier Archaeological Landscape Dartmoor National Park, Devon. A new survey, Table 1 (Report - Survey). SDV365490.

Ditches and banks within Legistor Warren. SX 56779 65491. A feature previously described as an enclosure associated with Legistor Warren consists only of a ditch running west to east, which meets a prehistoric boundary wall (50631) at a right angle at the eastern end. The western boundary of the alleged enclosure is made up entirely of the top edge of a steep tinworking scarp and a short length of the Legis Lake stream. As such it would be ineffective as an enclosure. Drainage was incorporated into other Dartmoor warrens at Huntingdon and Beardown, so this would seem the most likely explanation for the ditch to prevent the buries being deluged during extreme downpours.

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
• EDV8227 - Ringmoor Training Area: Monument Baseline Condition Survey
• EDV8917 - Survey of the archaeological features on Ringmoor Down

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