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Summary

An enclosed area of ridge-and-furrow of what was probably an abortive newtake of Dunnabridge Farm visible on the aerial photography. The area is mutilated by the main Ashburton to Tavistock road and the quarries exploited during its construction.

Location

Protected Status

• SHINE: Field system surrounding Dunnabridge Pound Farm, likely to be medieval in origin, with area of ridge and furrow and two quarries related to the building of the Ashburton to Tavistock road, as well as sections of leat to the north

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX67SW88
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 909896
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX67SW/402

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• RIDGE AND FURROW (Constructed, Early Medieval to Early 20th Century - 1066 AD (Between) to 1901 AD (Between))

Full description

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

SX 64137459, area of ridge-and-furrow.

Royal Commission for the Historical Monuments of England, 1987-1993, Duchy Farms Project Survey Visit, S. Probert (Report - Survey). SDV350839.

(10/5/1988) An enclosed area of ridge-and-furrow, depicted on RCHM APU transcription. Approximately 3.2 hectares of ridge-and-furrow, at roughly 2.0m intervals and 0.1m high, is situated in heathland on a gentle south east slope. The ridges are not readily visible on the ground because of their shallow nature and the vegetation cover. The best preserved area is south of the carpark at SX 64177462 where the heath gives way to short-cropped grass.
The western, northern and eastern boundaries of this area are formed by an earthen bank 3.5m wide, 0.5m high with a much silted outer ditch, 2.5m wide and 0.4m deep. The bank and ditch run from
SX 63907457 to SX 64357465 and form three sides of what was probably an abortive newtake of Dunnabridge farm. The southern boundary is defined by the present wall of Dunnabridge Farm.
The eastern limit of the transcribed ridge-and-furrow is a modern field wall running from SX 64187472 to SX 64257461 that divorces 1.2ha from the Newtake. No ridge-and-furrow is visible in this area because the ground has been improved and forms part of Dunnabridge farm.
The western margin of ridge-and-furrow is difficult to detect and no traces of the boundary (SX 64007463 to SX 64077454) depicted on the APU transcription are visible on the ground. The westernmost hectare of this newtake is now disturbed pasture with no visible ridge-and-furrow.
At SX 64157469 a leat (SX 67 SW 83) cuts the enclosure bank and follows a sinuous course across the ridge-and-furrow to SX 64177484. This area is further mutilated by the main Ashburton to Tavistock road and the quarries exploited during its construction.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV8633 - Dunnabridge Farm, Duchy Farms Survey-Not finished
• EDV8638 - Dunnabridge Common, Duchy Farms Survey
• EDV8409 - Dartmoor Royal Forest Project
• EDV8423 - Duchy Farms Project

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