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Summary

Cator pound, widecombe. In his survey of widecombe made about 1750, dean milles describes 'a very considerable circle of stones on the n part of the western down on a farm called cator and on an eminence called whitehill'; he gives the diameter as 58 paces and says it consisted 'chiefly of large stones mowst of which rise about 4 feet above ye ground. This circle consists now of about 30 stones but there are spaces where several more stood, half the number are fallen; the rest are either erect or on their sides'. Vis=estimated -/-/1963 (french & linehan) examination of this site shows that the 'circle' is probably a ruined pound. There is an apparent entrance at its sw side from which a drift way leads towards the walla brook and the forest. A substantial reave runs at right angles from the drift way and forms the w side of the pound. The pound lies just n of the road from ponsworthy to bellever. Vis=4/4/1977 (greeves) remains of substantial prehistoric enclosure with probable remains of hut circle in centre. Evidence of double wall. Many of the surviving stones are very large. Smaller ones probably removed for wall building. W side of enclosure is incorporated into possible medieval boundary wall. Stones from enclosure probably incorporated in latter. The enclosure has definitely been 'cut' by the more recent wall (sketch on worksheet).

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1021427: Enclosure on Cator Common, 400m ESE of Riddon Brake
• SHINE: Earthwork remains of Medieval or later field system on central Cator Common, with Bronze Age reave

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX67NE38
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 442486
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX67NE/32

Monument Type(s) and Dates

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

Full description

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV288680.

Des=worksheet 4/4/1977.

Untitled Source (Aerial Photograph). SDV288681.

Aph=3042.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV288684.

Osa=sx67ne38.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV288686.

Dcra widecombe survey/(1979)vol v 964. Cator pound, widecombe. In his survey of widecombe made about 1750, dean milles describes 'a very considerable circle of stones on the n part of the western down on a farm called cator and on an eminence called whitehill'; he gives the diameter as 58 paces and says it consisted 'chiefly of large stones mowst of which rise about 4 feet above ye ground. This circle consists now of about 30 stones but there are spaces where several more stood, half the number are fallen; the rest are either erect or on their sides'.

French, H. + Linehan, C. D., 1963, Abandoned Medieval Sites in Widecombe in the Moor, 173-4 (Article in Serial). SDV345196.

Remains of a possibly prehistoric pound consisting of thirty stones. It was described by Dean Milles in 1750 as a circle of stones with a diameter of 58 paces.
(Estimated 1963) Examination of this site shows that the 'circle' is probably a ruined pound. There is an apparent entrance at its south-western side from which a drift way leads towards the Walla Brook and the forest. A substantial reave runs at right angles from the drift way and forms the west side of the pound. The pound lies just north of the road from Ponsworthy to Bellever.

Royal Air Force, 1964, RAF/F62/58/6399, 024-25 (Aerial Photograph). SDV272301.

National Monument Record, 1977, SX6777, 2/422-424 (Aerial Photograph). SDV285409.

Greeves, T. A. P., 1977, Untitled Source (Worksheet). SDV288679.

Vis=4/4/1977 (greeves) remains of substantial prehistoric enclosure with probable remains of hut circle in centre. Evidence of double wall. Many of the surviving stones are very large. Smaller ones probably removed for wall building. W side of enclosure is incorporated into possible medieval boundary wall. Stones from enclosure probably incorporated in latter. The enclosure has definitely been 'cut' by the more recent wall (sketch on worksheet).

Hemery, E., 1983, High Dartmoor, 521-2 (Monograph). SDV249702.

Dean Milles (2) described Caton Pound as: "A very considerable circle of stones ... on an eminence called Whitehill; chiefly of large stones, most of which rise about four feet above ye ground. This circle consists now of about 30 stones, but there are spaces where several more stood. Half the number are fallen, the rest are either erect or on their sides. There is evidently an entrance on ye north side".

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

Incorporated into field boundary and containing ridge and furrow. Visible on 1977 NMR aerial photograph.

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

Incorporated into field boundary and containing ridge and furrow. Visible on 1977 NMR aerial photo.

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

Ordnance Survey, 2013, MasterMap (Cartographic). SDV350786.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV8423 - Duchy Farms Project

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