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Summary

A rabbit bury or pillow mound of probable medieval to post-medieval date has been recorded as an earthwork by field and aerial survey on the north-facing slopes overlooking the River Plym. The mound is identifiable as an earthwork on digital images derived from aerial photographs of 2007.

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1020323: Prehistoric and historic archaeological landscape at Trowlesworthy Warren

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX56SE/198/107
• Old SAM Ref: 24232

Monument Type(s) and Dates

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

Full description

Gerrard, S., 1990-2002, Monument Protection Programme. Archaeological Item Dataset., MPP 140631, 2/4/1995 (Report - Survey). SDV277946.

This pillow mound survives as a 10.5 metre by 4 metre by 0.5 metres high, flat topped, sub-rectangular mound of soil and stone surrounded by a 1.5 metre wide and 0.2 metre deep ditch. Large stones protrude through the mound material.

National Trust and English Heritage, 1994, The Upper Plym Valley: The Management of an Historic Landscape, Page 70, site 102.189 (Report - non-specific). SDV166309.

SX5691 6499. Sub-rectangular earthen mound flanked on west, south and east sides by a ditch 1.5 metres wide and 0.2 metres deep. Measures 10.5 metres by 4.0 metres by 0.5 metres high. Orientated north-east by south-west.

Bluesky International Ltd/Getmapping PLC, 1999-2017, Pan Government Agreement Aerial Photographs, Next Perspectives APGB Imagery SX5664 03-MAY-2007 (Aerial Photograph). SDV363087.

A mound is visible as an earthwork.

Bluesky International Ltd/Getmapping PLC, 1999-2017, Pan Government Agreement Aerial Photographs, Next Perspectives APGB Imagery SX5664 31-MAY-2016 (Aerial Photograph). SDV363087.

A mound is visible as an earthwork.

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

Depicted on the map.

Hegarty, C., Knight, S. and Sims, R., 2019-2020, The South Devon Coast to Dartmoor Aerial Investigation and Mapping Survey. Area 2, Avon Valley to Plymouth (AI&M, formerly NMP) (Interpretation). SDV362982.

An oblong mound approximately 11m long and 4.5m wide is visible as an earthwork on digital images derived from aerial photographs of 2007 on the north-facing slopes overlooking the River Plym.
The mound is probably the remains of a rabbit bury or pillow mound of medieval to post-medieval date.
No surrounding ditch or stonework within the mound are identifiable on the aerial photographs available to the survey.
The earthwork is significantly smaller than many of the pillow mounds visible to the north and south but is comparable in width if not length to a possible pillow mound circa 65m to the south-west. This might support the interpretation that the smaller mounds belong to a separate phase of rabbit farming.
The mound remains clearly identifiable on digital images derived from aerial photographs of 2016.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV7369 - Survey of Granite Loading Bays at Trowlesworthy, Devon
• EDV8148 - The Upper Plym Valley: The Management of an Historic Landscape
• EDV8155 - Plym Valley Survey
• EDV8098 - The South Devon Coast to Dartmoor Aerial Investigation and Mapping (formerly NMP) Survey, Area 2, Avon Valley to Plymouth (Ref: ACD2040)

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