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Summary

The Dartmeet Parallel Reave system covers between 1500 and 2000 hectares stretching north from the River Dart over Yartor Down, Sherberton Common and Corndon Down. There is no consistency in construction, which may be due to terrain and the amount and type of stone available. The average width of field banks is 1.8m and height 0.5m though vegetation and peat obscure some walls to a large degree. The amount of clearance within fields is variable, some appearing virtually untouched. Occasionally small groups of fields have been utilized in Medieval or later periods, the walls strengthened by further clearance and the construction of side ditches. Where the moor drops to below the 300m contour to the east of the area large blocks of enclosed land in modern use as at the Stokes and Corndon have field patterns which suggest that they probably incorporate eastward extensions of the prehistoric system.
This system includes a very large number of associated settlement sites and is one of the best-preserved reave systems not currently scheduled.

Location

Protected Status

• SHINE: Dartmeet Parallel Reave System. Earthworks of an extensive area of prehistoric remains including complex field system, numerous hut circles, enclosures and cairns, overlain by medieval remains including Vaghill Warren, farmsteads and a large field syste

Other References/Statuses

• Dartmoor Non-designated Heritage Asset (Historical): NI Site
• National Monuments Record: SX67NE42
• National Monuments Record: SX67SE94
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 442490
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 443131
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX67NE/49
• Pastscape: 443131

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• FIELD SYSTEM (Constructed, Early Bronze Age to Late Iron Age - 2200 BC (Between) to 42 AD (Between))
• PARALLEL REAVE SYSTEM (Constructed, Early Bronze Age to Late Iron Age - 2200 BC (Between) to 42 AD (Between))

Full description

Royal Air Force, 02/07/1964, F61 58 6399, 024-45 (Aerial Photograph). SDV262020.

Royal Air Force, 1946, RAF/CPE/UK/1890, 4421-2, 2457-2459 (Aerial Photograph). SDV169268.

Other details: (11/6/1947).

Royal Air Force, 1947, RAF/CPE/UK/2149, 3420-3422, 4419-4421 (Aerial Photograph). SDV282746.

Gawne, E. + Somers Cockes, J. V., 1968, Parallel Reaves of Dartmoor, 284, 288-291 (Article in Serial). SDV345858.

Parallel reaves (centred at SX 682 734 on accompanying plan) are part of an extensive system of lines of small erect stones (see SX 67 SE 92 & 95) mainly aligned on a south west-north east axis. They "cannot be accepted as fields but rather are land divisions". Their chronology is not confirmed, but their distribution on Dartmoor accords with late Bronze Age / Early Iron Age huts (for huts in this area see SX 67 SE 9, 11-14, 16, 17, 24, 26 and 49), which in places are certainly overlaid by Medieval fields and must be pre - 10th century.

Gawne, E., 1970, Field Patterns in Widecombe Parish and the Forest of Dartmoor, 64 (Article in Serial). SDV238056.

Other details: Figure 6.

Ordnance Survey, 1972, OS/72/066, 47-48 (Aerial Photograph). SDV346967.

West Air Photography, 1975, BT1711, 11 (Aerial Photograph). SDV289766.

Other details: Oblique.

Ordnance Survey, 1975, OS/75/298, 089-90 (Aerial Photograph). SDV346964.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1976, SX67NE42 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV289767.

(April 1976) SX 6832 7559 Extensive irregular and rectilinear field systems on Corndon Down.
Rectangular marks over an extensive area, forming a palimpsest of enclosures of which some are similar to adjacent Iron Age fields mentioned by Aileen Fox. Scattered within these enclosures are extensive stretches of stones suggestive of Bronze Age field systems but no settlement sites are discernible except possibly at SX686754.

National Monuments Record, 1977, NMR SX6772, 1/80-84 (Aerial Photograph). SDV346972.

National Monuments Record, 1977, NMR SX6773/3, 390-394 (Aerial Photograph). SDV346971.

National Monuments Record, 1977, NMR SX6774 (Aerial Photograph). SDV346966.

National Monuments Record, 1977, NMR SX6775/1, 25-26 (Aerial Photograph). SDV289773.

National Monuments Record, 1977, NMR SX6875/1, 99-108 (Aerial Photograph). SDV289774.

National Monuments Record, 1977, NMR SX6875/3, 111-116 (Aerial Photograph). SDV346946.

National Monuments Record, 1977, NMR SX6875/4, 117-125 (Aerial Photograph). SDV289775.

Fleming, A., 1978, The Prehistoric Landscape of Dartmoor. Part 1: South Dartmoor, 97-123 (Article in Serial). SDV235265.

Beeson, M. M. R. + Masterman, M. C. H., 1979, An Archaeological Survey of Enclosed Land in Widecombe-In-The-Moor Parish, 966-992 (Report - Survey). SDV337078.

Other details: Volume 5.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1979, SX67SE94 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV346968.

(28/04/1979) Dartmeet parallel system is 6.0 km. by 5.0 to 5.0 kms. and covers between 1500 and 2000 hectares, the north and south-east partly Medievalized. The most north-westerly reave crosses Riddon Ridge (SX 6676) and its southerly continuation passes to east of Outer Huccaby Ring (SX 656745). It is not known to what extent the Brimpts - Huccaby - Hexworthy area was included in the system. In the extreme south-west, numerous short parallels runs northwards from Venford reave, the terminal, but stop well short of the West Dart. To the east it extended as far as Mel Tor (SX 69357257) and Bel Tor (SX 69387298) being visible near Lock's Gate Cross (SX 69637396) (SX 696739) and Bel Tor Corner (SX 697733). At SX 7074 the system may have crossed the West Webburn (note farm-name 'Old Walls' SX 701747) To the north the terminal is known definitely at Windwhistle Reave, and thus by a hedge line to the East Webburn at SX 713746. Parallels centred at SX 701761 suggest that the terminal may have run into the wall corner at SC 701762, and from there to the Broadeford Brook, to west Swallowford (SX 693755) and then up a small stream to the quarry at SX 681763; the evidence being the Medieval bank along the south side of the road showing that this was a dominant line in Medieval times (Fleming, 1978).
The Dartmoor parallel and linear reave systems are detailed in various articles, particularly by Fleming (articles in P.P.S., Devon Arch. Soc. B.A.R. etc.) and whose work upon them is continuing.
The largest surviving area of parallel reaves occupies some 10 square kms. mostly on SX 67 SE but extending into SX 67 NE. Part of this system is illustrated in the sketch plan, compiled from various unrectified A.P.'s. This has not been perambulated and it is probable that further subdivisions and extensions would become apparent with detailed field work. It is also clear that the system extended west of the East Dart River into the Huccaby / Hexworthy areas where modern field boundaries can be seen to follow the lines of reaves.
In the areas of Yartor Down, Corndon Down etc., on SX 67 SE the reaves are roughly parallel about 10m. to 120m. apart and at Huccaby over 200m. though here peaty soil may conceal subdivisions. Longitudinal sub-divisions occur irregularly and can reduce widths to about 16.0m. though these are usually contained within distances of about 50 to 150m. by cross banks forming what are, in effect, narrow strip fields.
There is no consistency in construction, which may be due to terrain and the amount and type of stone available, and a reave can have lengths of simply piled rubble with intermittent stretches of more elaborate work incorporating orthostatic 'markers' at intervals and some vertical side slabs. The average width is 1.8m. and height 0.5m. though vegetation and peat obscure some walls to a large degree.
The amount of clearance within fields is variable, some appearing virtually untouched. Occasionally small groups of fields have been utilized in Medieval or later periods, the walls strengthened by further clearance and the construction of side ditches. Where the moor drops to below the 300m. contour to the east of the area large blocks of enclosed land in modern use as at the Stokes (SX 6970 and 6971) and Corndon (SX 6974) have field patterns which suggest that they probably incorporate eastward extensions of the prehistoric system. The areas in which the parallel reave system is still visible is delineated on the O.S. 6".

National Monuments Record, 1980, SF1748, 359-386, 397-410 (Aerial Photograph). SDV279663.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1980, SX67SE96 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV346963.

Venford Reave is the southern terminal for the extensive parallel reave system which extends northwards for several miles.
The south-western end now emerges at SX689698 in moorland at the boundary of modern fields and appears as a turf-covered bank 1.5 metres to 2 metres wide and from 0.2 metres to 0.4 metres high. A gap of 55 metres occurs in marshy ground at SX87701 and another of 500 metres from SX684704 at Venford reservoir fence to SX679707 where the reave reappears from beneath a medieval field wall.
Across Holne Moor the reave is well preserved 2.5 metres wide and up to 0.6 metres high and larger on the descent to O’ Brook at SX665714. Thereafter it is beneath in a modern field wall. From SX650722 there is a cropmark on the aerial photographs, bridging the gap between modern fields. This may represent the course of the reave but there is no ground evidence until SX638720 where a strong bank 2 metres to 3 metres wide and 0.7 metres high extends for 250 metres in a north-west direction down to the River Swincombe.
In this length the bank incorporates clearance stone and separates a few unenclosed huts in relatively open pasture on the north-east side from huts in clitter on the south-west side.
From Swincombe River at SX635723 a cropmark on the aerial photographs extends to the newtake wall at SX 628 728 but this cannot be identified on the ground as representing the reave. There is 100 metres of footpath then the eastern side of a field whose north and south sides are clearly visible from the hillside 400 metres to the north-east. Thereafter for the 300 metres to newtake wall there is simply a footpath and cattle walk. Other details: Map.

Fleming, A., 1983, The Prehistoric Landscape of Dartmoor. Part 2: North and East Dartmoor, 202 (Article in Serial). SDV227880.

Fleming, A., 1984, The Prehistoric Landscape of Dartmoor; Wider Implications, 9 (Article in Serial). SDV320417.

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

Parallel reaves extending from the SX67SE, SX67SE/237 and SX67SE/236. They are parallel to and extend from the fossilised reaves SX67NE/230 in the west and into the fossilised reaves SX67NE/229 in the east. Superimposed on the reaves are a number of medieval fields and/or areas of ridge and furrow, SX67NE/149, SX67NE/143, SX67NE/144, SX67NE/142 and SX67NE/173. Fine example of parallel reaves on Corndon Down visible on RAF 1947 and NMR 1977 aerial photographs.

Griffith, F. M., 1985, DAP/EN, 4-6 (Aerial Photograph). SDV346962.

Devon County Council Photographic Unit, 1988, DAP/JW, 11, 12 (Aerial Photograph). SDV214895.

Griffith, F. M., 1988, DAP/JZ, 3a, 4 (Aerial Photograph). SDV241570.

Fleming, A., 1988, The Dartmoor Reaves: Investigating Prehistoric Land Divisions, 27, 57, 59, 61, 67, 127 (Monograph). SDV229071.

The northern part of the Dartmeet parallel reave system is one of the finest prehistoric field systems in Britain; 6 kilometres long; 4-5 kilometres broad; covers 1500-2000 hectares. Extensive irregular and rectilinear field systems on Corndon Down. Other details: Figures 28,36.

Butler, J., 1991, Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities: Volume One - The East (Monograph). SDV299725.

Other details: Map 14, 15, 16, 17.

Gerrard, S., 2004, List of Sites Remaining to be Considered for Designation on Dartmoor (Un-published). SDV345444.

This site was considered for designation as a Scheduled Ancient Monument during the Monument Protection Programme. The programme ended before the entire list of sites was successfully scheduled so this is included on a local list of Nationally Important Sites.

English Heritage, 2005-2008, Prehistoric Survey Information (Cartographic). SDV345521.

Map object based on this Source.

Newman, P., 2008, Dartmeet Premier Archaeological Landscape (PAL) Field Investigation Project (Report - Survey). SDV347061.

(14/03/2008) [443131 / SX67SE94]
[442490 / SX67SE42]: Rectangular marks over an extensive area, centred at SX 684754, forming a palimpsest of enclosures of which some are similar to adjacent Iron Age fields mentioned by Aileen Fox. (SX 67 NE 41 & SX 67 SE 6). Scattered within these enclosures are extensive stretches of stones suggestive of Bronze Age field systems but no settlement sites are discernible except, possibly, at SX 686754.
This record duplicates material previously reported in SX 67 SE 94.

Ordnance Survey, 2011, MasterMap (Cartographic). SDV346129.

Map object based on this Source.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV8296 - Dartmeet Premier Archaeological Landscape (PAL) Field Investigation Project
• EDV8501 - Excavation of cairn, Corndon Down

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