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Summary

One of three pillow mounds and a military training pit 1000 metres east-north-east of Merrivale Bridge. The northern mound measures 6.2 metres long, 3.7 metres wide and 0.6 metres high and the surrounding ditch is 1.5 metres wide and up to 0.2 metres deep

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1014609: Three pillow mounds and a military training pit 1000m ENE of Merrivale Bridge

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX57NE76
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 1046415
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX57NE/13/12
• Old SAM Ref: 24207(P)

Monument Type(s) and Dates

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

Full description

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV227045.

Lineham, c. D. /med. Arch. /10(1966)141-2/deserted sites and rabbit warrens on dartmoor, devon.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV227046.

Butler, j. /dartmoor atlas of antiquities/2(1991)82.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV227047.

Crossing, w. /dartmoor worker/(1992)114.

Gerrard, S., 1990-2002, Monument Protection Programme. Archaeological Item Dataset., MPP 133460 (Report - Survey). SDV277946.

Vis=8/9/1994 (gerrard) survives as a 6.2m by 3.7m by 0.6m high, flat topped, oval shaped mound of soil and stone surrounded by the 1.5m wide and 0.2m deep ditch from which construction material was quarried. A 1m wide and 0.2m deep trench cutting across the width of the mound may be the result of an early partial excavation by an antiquarian who mistook the mound for a long cairn (mpp).

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

This monument includes three pillow mounds and a military training pit situated on the gentle north west facing slope of Over Tor overlooking the valley of the River Walkham. The pillow mounds form part of Merrivale Warren, which includes at least 27 pillow mounds scattered along the lower slopes of Great Mis Tor, Little Mis Tor and Over Tor. It has been suggested that many of the pillow mounds within the Merrivale Warren may be of medieval date because of their unusual oval shape and association with a nearby medieval settlement. Most of the pillow mounds lie within the Merrivale Newtake but some, including these three, lie on open moorland just outside the intake wall. All three pillow mounds survive as flat topped, oval shaped mounds of soil and stone surrounded by the ditches from which material was quarried during their construction.
The northern mound measures 6.2m long, 3.7m wide and 0.6m high and the surrounding ditch is 1.5m wide and up to 0.2m deep. A 1m wide and 0.2m deep trench cutting across the width of the mound may be the result of an early part excavation by an antiquarian who mistook the mound for a long cairn.
A 2.8m diameter ring of stones protruding through the turf is shown on the map extract as a cairn, though it is more likely to be the remains of a back filled military training pit excavated during World War II. The area surrounding this monument may contain further archaeological features and deposits, but they are not currently being proposed for scheduling because they cannot be accurately assessed or mapped.
(see related records for more details).

Historic England, 2021-2022, NRHE to HER website, Accessed 24/08/2021 (Website). SDV364039.

(05/01/1996) SX 55937547 Three Pillow Mounds.
The pillow mounds form part of Merrivale Warren, which includes at least 27 pillow mounds scattered along the lower slopes of Great Mis Tor, Little Mis Tor and Over Tor (see SX 57 NE 38, 29).
It seems probable that the pillow mounds are of Medieval date because of their unusual oval shape and association with a nearby Medieval settlements (SX 57 NE 26, 45) (English Heritage Record Form).

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

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