See important guidance on the use of this record.

If you have any comments or new information about this record, please email us.

Summary

Abandoned medieval farmstead re-enclosed by 18th century newtake. The remains of what was probably the Ancient Tenement of Warner lie on the right bank of the Walla Brook 400m south-east of Statts Bridge. The tenement covered an area of which are approximately 20ha, and comprises a multitude of earth and stone banks, which are between 1.6 and 2.5m wide and up to 1.7m high. Only two enclosures of 1.0ha and 0.8ha and an embanked trackway (SX 68 SE 216) (probably a droveway) remain relatively intact. The other features have been severely disturbed and it is not possible to determine their original plan.

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1021340: Tinworks, field systems, settlements, warren, cairns and a stone alignment at Headland Warren

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX68SE211
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 919948
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX68SE/355
• Old SAM Ref: 34499

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• FARMSTEAD (Early Medieval to Early 20th Century - 1066 AD (Between) to 1901 AD (Between))
• FIELD BOUNDARY (Early Medieval to Early 20th Century - 1066 AD (Between) to 1901 AD (Between))
• RIDGE AND FURROW (Medieval - 1066 AD (Between) to 1539 AD (Between))

Full description

Simpson, W., 1786, Written survey of the Forest of Dartmoor (Report - Survey). SDV258095.

Duchy of Cornwall, 1818, Map of Ancient Tenements and Newtakes of the Dartmoor Estate (Cartographic). SDV229385.

Ordnance Survey, 1880-1899, First Edition Ordnance 25 inch map (Cartographic). SDV336179.

Not visible on historic mapping.

Crossing, W., 1912 (1965), Crossing's Guide to Dartmoor, 473 (Monograph). SDV320981.

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

(06/11/1992) Centred SX 67158030. The remains of what was probably the Ancient Tenement of Warner lie on the right bank of the Walla Brook 400m south-east of Statts Bridge. The tenement covered an area of which are approximately 20ha, and comprises a multitude of earth and stone banks, which are between 1.6 and 2.5m wide and up to 1.7m high (marked as pecked lines on the accompanying plan). Only two enclosures of 1.0ha and 0.8ha and an embanked trackway (SX 68 SE 216) (probably a droveway) remain relatively intact. The other features have been severely disturbed and it is not possible to determine their original plan.
The better preserved enclosures at the south-western end of the area posses 1.2ha of ridge and furrow. The ridges measure 2.8m wide and are a maximum 0.2m high.
There is no trace of any contemporary habitation. The structure known as 'Walna Buildings' (SX 68 SE 190) (Crossing 1912, 473) would appear to be of relatively late date.
Agricultural activities seem to have been abandoned in this area during the search for tin. Many of the field boundaries in the northern part of holding were destroyed and others adapted as water channels for the industry.
A second phase of enclosure, (shown as solid lines on the accompanying plan) occupying an area of about 36ha, overlies the earlier tenement and is marked on the ground by drystone walls and revetted banks up to 2.5m wide and 1.4m high. The boundary was formed by the Walla Brook on the east and walls roughly parallel to Statts Brook and the present B 3212 on the west and north. Its core was apparently 'Newhouse', a group of buildings at approximately SX 67458091, south-east of the Warren House Inn. All trace of these has now been effaced. A small field at the extreme southern end of this later enclosure contains lazy beds 2.0m wide and 0.15m high. This re-enclosure had occurred by 1786 (Duchy of Cornwall 1786) as Simpson's written survey states that William Tapper held three Newtakes and Newhouse' within the East Quarter of the Dartmoor Forest. undated and unsigned map of the Forest of Dartmoor, probably from the late 18th century, shows a similar triangular area marked 'Vitifer Newtake'. The depiction of 'Vitifer Mine' in the southern corner of this enclosure is inexplicable as there is no evidence of later mining activity in that area.
By 1818 (Duchy of Cornwall 1818) the area's status had reverted to that of customary freehold, a title exclusive to Ancient Tenements within the former Royal Forest. It was held by Richard Willis.
The accompanying plan is an annotated reproduction of part of the 1:2500 Statts Brook survey (RCHME 1992).

White, P., 2013, Previously Unsurveyed Dartmoor Historic Farmsteads, Statts Bridge Sousons (Un-published). SDV352501.

Statts Bridge Sousons deserted farmstead site.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV8409 - Dartmoor Royal Forest Project

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