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Summary

Gerrard (1995) records a possible trap here 'at the foot of a small rock outcrop. Include two lengths of orthostatic walling, together forming a V-shaped trap'. Ridgers (2015) record two possible traps in the vicinity. None of these traps were confirmed by the 2002 Plym Valley survey carried out by English Heritage.

Location

Protected Status

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

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX56NE/240/17
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX56NE/240/37
• Old SAM Ref: 24232

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• VERMIN TRAP? (XVIII to XIX - 1751 AD to 1900 AD (Between))

Full description

Haynes, R. G., 1970, Vermin Traps and Rabbit Warrens on Dartmoor, 157 (Article in Serial). SDV166302.

Trowlesworthy Warren. Haynes' vermin trap No. 14. SX 5660 6515; under steep bank below Shadyback Tor. Funnel walls between steep bank and tinner's wall. A confused and indistinct trap.

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

Not visible on the 1946 Royal Air Force vertical aerial photographs.

Gerrard, S., 1990-2002, Monument Protection Programme. Archaeological Item Dataset., MPP 140635 (Report - Survey). SDV277946.

(03/04/1995) SX 5665 6508 Vermin trap at the foot of a small rock outcrop. Include two lengths of orthostatic walling, together forming a V-shaped trap. The walls are composed of large edge set rocks and average 0.8m wide by 0.8m high. The north-north-west to south-south-east arm is 5.5m long and the north-north-east to south-south-west arm is 4m long. The position of the trap suggests that it was intended to catch vermin following the rock outcrop.

Ridgers, H. + Ridgers, C., 2015, Of Varments and Vermin Traps, 4, 15, Nos. 32, 140 (Report - Assessment). SDV358632.

(No. 32) SX 56656 65092. One positive wall in clitter two probable walls.
NB: Authors identify this as Cook's 32 (MDV3402) '37 metres north of Shadyback Tor' which originally had a suspect grid reference on the HER record (SX 5766 6512); they grid reference they supply is based on Cook's grid reference. They also record the following information in relation to MDV56837:
(No. 140) SX 56641 65087. North wall 5m long - others are very indistinct situated at the base of very large rock.

Richards, A. F., 2020, Notes regarding historic locations of vermin traps in the HER (Personal Comment). SDV163447.

Grid reference supplied by Ridgers for their No. 32 (previously recorded under MDV3402), appears to match this site more closely; including descriptions. They also record a possible trap for MDV56837, located at SX 56641 65087, which seems unlikely to be an additional trap (authors may have been unaware of the issue of duplicate records in the HER when they were examining the raw, uncleaned data).
Additionally, Haynes' reference for trap No. 14 appears (by description, if not grid reference) to relate to this feature. The former record (MDV14622) was merged with this.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments: none recorded

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

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