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Summary

Warren in the parish of Sowton. Centred around field called Conynger.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX99SE/208

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• RABBIT WARREN (Early Medieval to Post Medieval - 1066 AD to 1750 AD)

Full description

NMR, CITING OS, Untitled Source (Report - Survey). SDV127228.

Vis=9/11/1982 (os) the area is now pasture and arable fields with no visible evidence of the medieval warren (nmr, citing os).

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV127229.

Nmr=sx99se30.

Alcock, N. W., 1973, An East Devon Manor in the Later Middle Ages Part II, 142, 143, 171 (Article in Serial). SDV126509.

The warren appears as a source of rent in 1493. In 1423 the only warren (conynger) mentioned is the one containing the glebe of the person of Sowton. In 1470 three closes north of the shepfold are identified as Conynger - the later Warren Field. At the end of the 16th century the warren was very large covering the whole of Bromefeld, Berypark, Chilpark and Conynger.

In 1470 three closes are identifiable at a "conynger" which is almost certainly the 7 acre field later called warren or little warren.

Alcock, N. W., 1975, Fields and Farms in an East Devon Parish, 119, 122, 124 (Article in Serial). SDV130126.

Detailed field maps 1500 (also in 1973 TDA), 1620.
A particularly striking change was the establishment by 1493 of a Warren probably covering some 170 acres. This continued until the 17th century (though not to the exclusion of farming on the land), but by the time the warren was divided into quarters and sold in 1651 the rabbits had probably been displaced.
The warren was not solely devoted to rabbits since in 1596 permission was granted to plough the area, excluding the lanes, gallyhill field, and the rabbit buries. Half the corn or grain so produced was paid as rent. The rabbits had been displaced by 1651, when the warren was divided into quarters and sold.
The area evidently increased during the 16c. Sales of rabbits at 4d. Or 5d. A couple were substantial and in 1525 500 couples were sold. The warren covered conynger, chilpark, berypark, bromefeld and stolefeld by 1620 when a survey gives the area as 170 acres.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments: none recorded

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

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