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Summary

At least three mounds recorded in 1997 survey; the Ordnance Survey and Gerrard (1995) record six, but he concedes at least two of them may simply be a thickening of the field boundaies in the area.

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1019082: Multi-period remains at Hentor Warren

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: sx56ne133
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX56NE/236/6
• Old SAM Ref: 24230(P)

Monument Type(s) and Dates

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

Full description

Brewer, D., 1986, A field guide to the boundary markers on and around Dartmoor, 52-4 (Monograph). SDV309252.

Gerrard, S., 1990-2002, Monument Protection Programme. Archaeological Item Dataset., MPP 140409, 01/05/1995 (Report - Survey). SDV277946.

Six pillow mounds and two associated gullies at SX 5824 6565, SX 5827 6558 and SX 5839 6556, forming part of Hentor Warren. All six pillow mounds survive as flat topped, sub rectangular mounds of soil and stone and four of them are surrounded by the ditches from which construction material was quarried. These mounds may be described individually as follows:-
A [SX 5824 6565] measures 51m by 9m and stands up to 0.75m high. The surrounding ditch is 2.3m wide and 0.5m deep.
B [SX 5828 6560] measures 12m by 6m by 0.8m high. The surrounding ditch is 2m wide and 0.2m deep. A 54m long, 1m wide and 0.3m deep steep sided gully leads from the n side of the ditch surrounding this mound and can be traced to another gully which leads from mound d. This gully cuts through a post-Medieval boundary bank.
C [SX 5827 6558] measures 14m by 6m by 0.8m high. The surrounding ditch is 1.5m wide and 0.3m deep.
D [SX 5824 6560] measures 16m by 8m by 0.8m high. The surrounding ditch is 0.75m wide and 0.3m deep. A 10m long, 1m wide and 0.3m deep steep sided gully leads from the north side of the ditch surrounding this mound, before joining the gully leading from mound B.
E [SX 5839 6556] lies on top of an earlier boundary bank, measures 30m by 3.5m by 0.8m high. The National Trust does not record this mound in their inventory and it is possible that it may merely represent a thickening of the field boundary, though its proximity to nearby pillow mounds is very suggestive. On balance this feature is probably a pillow mound.
F [SX 5834 6557]. Lies on top of an earlier boundary bank, measures 16m by 3.4m by 0.8m high. The National Trust does not record this mound in their inventory and it is possible that it may only represent a thickening of field boundary. On balance however it is felt that this is a probably a pillow mound which was adapted from an earlier boundary.
Lying to the north-east of pillow mounds are a series of interconnecting gullies. These measure 0.8m wide and up to 0.3m deep and are associated with a low bank which represents material upcast during their construction. Gullies such as this and the ones leading from mounds B and D are generally considered to be drains, though their location on steep well drained slopes suggests that some at least may have served as animal runs leading to vermin traps or snares.

Thackray, C., 1994, The Upper Plym Valley: the management of an historic landscape, 206-8/102 811, 812, 813, 814 (Report - non-specific). SDV143510.

Probert, S. A. J. + Fletcher, M. J., 2002, Plym Valley survey (Report - Survey). SDV350782.

Three of these features are recorded in the survey and are mapped as pillow mounds.

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

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV8155 - Plym Valley Survey

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