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Summary

Deserted medieval site on Cordon Down consisting of one longhouse with associated fragments of enclosure.

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

• National Monuments Record: SX67SE85
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 443106
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX67SE/41

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• DESERTED SETTLEMENT (Constructed, Medieval - 1066 AD (Between) to 1539 AD (Between))
• HOUSE (Constructed, Medieval - 1066 AD (Between) to 1539 AD (Between))

Full description

South West Heritage Trust, 1838-1848, Digitised Tithe Maps and Transcribed Apportionments, (1843), Plot 1644 (Cartographic). SDV359954.

Part of Warren's Close, field no 1644, arable land.

Royal Air Force, 1947, RAF/CPE/UK/2149, 4418-4419 (Aerial Photograph). SDV282746.

Royal Air Force, 1961, 58/4424, F43. 0184 (Aerial Photograph). SDV280247.

French, H. + Linehan, C. D., 1963, Abandoned Medieval Sites in Widecombe in the Moor, 172 (Article in Serial). SDV345196.

This site is on the lower slopes of Corndon Down at the south-east corner of the enclosure known as Corndonford newtake. There are the remains of a house with cross passage with the tumbled walls of associated enclosures, which may have been adapted from an earlier celtic site. There is an excellent spring nearby and a track leading down the hill to the present road. No documentary evidence references have been found. Longhouse measures 10.36 metres by 4.27 metres.

Linehan, C. D., 1966, Deserted Sites and Rabbit-Warrens on Dartmoor, Devon (Article in Serial). SDV307246.

Other details: Table 2.

Haynes, R. G., 1966-1969, Ruined Sites on Dartmoor (Un-published). SDV150434.

(Site visited 23/6/1966) Cordonford (SX689745) Small, simple cross passage house on the eastern slope of Corndon Tor. A steep and unlikely place for a farm. A spring rises nearby and there are some ancient field walls in the vicinity. Other details: Number 25. Sketch plan.

Beresford, M. + Hurst, J. G., 1971, Deserted Medieval Villages, 185 (Monograph). SDV303779.

A deserted Medieval site consisting of the remains of one house, 34 ft x 14 ft, and the remains of associated enclosures at SX 689745; lies "at the south east corner of Corndonford Newtake".
Beresford lists this site as the deserted Medieval village of Corndonford. French and Linehan state that no documentary references have been found.

Hall, J. + Hamlin, A., 1976, Deserted Medieval Settlements in Devon, 5 (Article in Serial). SDV38836.

At least one longhouse, enclosures and lynchets possibly associated with ruined field walls in vicinity. Close to a spring.

National Monuments Record, 1977, NMR SX6875, 2/150-156 (Aerial Photograph). SDV282747.

Beeson, M. M. R. + Masterman, M. C. H., 1979, An Archaeological Survey of Enclosed Land in Widecombe-In-The-Moor Parish, 208 + 200 (Report - Survey). SDV337078.

(Site visited 13/6/1979) Field recently cultivated boundary between it and field below has disappeared. Rough pasture with various indistinguishable enclosures in it.
(Site visited 22/6/1979) A walled enclosure in the middle of open land on the slopes of Corndon. Trees line the enclosure. There are traces of walls. Water has been found in the south-east corner and may be used to make improvements to the land.

National Monuments Record, 1980, SF1748, 374-383 (Aerial Photograph). SDV279663.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1980, SX67SE85 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV243110.

(02/06/1980) At SX 68927445, levelled into an east slope at 333m OD, is the scant rubble remains of a building (see plan).
It appears to be about 11.0m. long, 4.4m. wide and 0.3m. high. A small system of probably associated fields extend over 2.0ha. centred at SX 689744. The field banks average 1.2m. wide, 0.3m. high and have outer ditches. A few hollow ways are visible, one passing the south-east side of the house.
Building surveyed at 1:2500 on MSD.

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

Area of the deserted medieval settlement overshadowed by trees visible on 1980 National Monuments Record and 1947 Royal Air Force aerial photographs. Longhouse close to spring also visible on National Monuments Record 1977 aerial photograph at SX68957440.

Butler, J., 1993, Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities: Volume Four - The South-East, 131 (Monograph). SDV337765.

Near a spring below Corndon Tor are the foundations of a small longhouse, with remains of what may be a second building to the north. The longhouse lies within a triangular enclosure which continues the south wall of the strangely shaped newtake uphill, its outline partly borrowed from the course of the prehistoric reaves.
Internally it measures 9.8 by 3.8 meters, with two opposing entrances near the downhill end. 50 meters away is a rectangular bank, 9.5 by 5.5 meters within and not more than 0.3 meters high, containing a number of set stones, possibly a building or an unroofed pen. There is no sign of an entrance and the walls have almost crumbled back to earth. Other details: Map 15, 6.

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, although was incorrectly identified as being at Corndon Down Farm, not Corndon Ford. The programme ended before the entire list of sites was successfully scheduled so this is included on a local list of Nationally Important Sites.

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

(14/03/2008) SX 6894 7440. A longhouse 48m south-east of a modern enclosure set into a moderate slope. Walls are constructed from granite now turf covered and ruined to just above ground level . Internal dimensions 9.8m x 4.2m x 0.8m high. The building is probably associated with an abandoned enclosure, the west side of runs in an arc to the south of the building and comprises an earthen bank with some stone in its fabric and an external ditch. A series of linear hollows to the north of the building may be trackways associated with the settlement.
A second feature depicted on the OS 1:10 000 scale map and identified by Butler (1991) as a longhouse, is an unlikely candidate but a small D shape enclosure of 11m by 6.6m at the alleged position appears to be of prehistoric character with very low stony bank.

White, P., 2013, Previously Unsurveyed Dartmoor Historic Farmsteads (Un-published). SDV352501.

Corndon Ford Tor included in list; no further information provided.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV8296 - Dartmeet Premier Archaeological Landscape (PAL) Field Investigation Project

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