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Summary

Vag Hill warren comprises twenty five pillow mounds on the south and eastern slope of Vag Hill (centred SX 6800 7280) of these twenty one are linear banks with parallel sides with rounded ends, three are circular and one is an extensive linear bank of 110m length. Three vermin traps are also part of this warren, which dates from the 17th century. Referred to in a lease of 1613.

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: SX67SE89
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 443116
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX67SE/126

Monument Type(s) and Dates

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

Full description

Royal Air Force, 1946, RAF/CPE/UK/1890, 2375-6 (Aerial Photograph). SDV351061.

RAF, 1951, 540/483, 4163-4 (Aerial Photograph). SDV224110.

Pillow mounds scattered over the south and eastern sides of Vaghill (area centred at SX 679726 on location plan and air photographs).

Royal Air Force, 1961, 58/4424, 4163-4 (Aerial Photograph). SDV280247.

Linehan, C. D., 1966, Deserted Sites and Rabbit-Warrens on Dartmoor, Devon, 132-3, 139-143 (Article in Serial). SDV307246.

Twenty three pillow mounds observed. A lease of 1613 allowed two men to make a warren. These may have constituted the warrens worked by Eastern Combe (SX 67 SE 87) and/or Vaghill (SX 67 SE 88).

Haynes, R. G., 1970, Vermin Traps and Rabbit Warrens on Dartmoor, 163-4 (Article in Serial). SDV166302.

A warren of about 520 acres; the 1613 lease defines the area of the warren which lay between the River Dart, Yar Tor, and Corndon Tor. Pillow mounds can be seen adjacent to the warren house, others on the higher western slopes of Eazen Combe and the southern slopes of Vaghill. 25 have been noted. The warren may have had a short life. 3 vermin traps known.

National Monuments Record, 1977, NMR SX6772/2, 407-417 (Aerial Photograph). SDV315807.

National Monuments Record, 1977, NMR SX6773/1, 75-79 (Aerial Photograph). SDV285717.

National Monuments Record, 1977, SX6672/1, 80-84 (Aerial Photograph). SDV244382.

Beeson, M. M. R. + Masterman, M. C. H., 1979, An Archaeological Survey of Enclosed Land in Widecombe-In-The-Moor Parish, Vol V, 1017 (Report - Survey). SDV337078.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1979, SX67SE87 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV282732.

(30/04/1979) (SX 683733) Vaghill Warren first mentioned in a lease dated 23 April 1613. The little ruined house, outbuilding and enclosures probably date accordingly (see MDV6421).
There are 3 Vermin traps and 25 'buries'. There is a small house at SX 677723. (SX 67 SE 88). Within Eastern Combe at SX 683733 in a small field are the remains of two buildings and nearly two ditched pillow mounds (see plan). Linehan's plan is incorrect in the number of buildings and pillow mounds and also the continuance of the mounds under the field walls.
The pillow mounds are respectively 27.0m. and 12.3m. long, 3.5m. and 7.0m. wide, and 0.7m. high. There are two drystone buildings 8.0m. and 7.8m. long internally and 3.8m. and 4.6m. wide with walling 0.8m. thick and up to 1.8m. high respectively (see GP). The narrower building is cut back into the hillslope while the other has the remains of a paved yard to its south.
A number of dry areas formed by inverted 'V' ditches are to be found within the warren (See NMR APs with SX 67 SE 89) The vermin traps are found in close proximity to SX 67 SE 74 and 88 and the pillow mounds within the warren number at least thirty-seven.
There is some unresolved confusion as to whether there were one or two warrens, Eastern Combe and Vaghill. The local farmer considers that there was just one, Vaghill Warren, and this evidently is the view taken by Haynes.
Surveyed at 1:2500 on MSD.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1980, SX67SE89, Plan (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV315337.

(02/05/1980) Extending around the eastern and southern sides of Vaghill, and centred at SX 679726, are twenty two pillow mounds, three of which are circular. All are ditched, and the conventional type measure between 7.8m and 28.3m. long are mostly aligned with the slope, with average widths of 5.8m. and heights of 1.1m. The circular mounds average 8.0m. in diameter and 0.9m. high.
Linehan refers to two warrens with warrener's houses on Vaghill (SX 67547241) and at Eastern Combe (SX 68277329) while Haynes (c) and the local farmer (b) note on Vaghill Warren and suggest that the warrener's house is that at Eastern Combe. Whether there were two separate warrens and houses is unresolved but there is certainly no obvious boundary and the various groups of pillow mounds (SX 67 SE 74, 87, 88 and 90) could apply to either warren.
Pillow mounds surveyed at 1:2500 on MSD's.

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

Pillow mounds are visible on NMR 1977 and RAF 1946 aerial photos at SX68227274, SX68207275, SX68127282, SX68137287, SX68167288, SX67937258, SX67907257, SX67897258 (round), SX67867258 (round), SX67877259 (round), SX67867257, SX67967242, SX67967243 and a probable mound at SX67907251. A further mound can be seen near the warren house at SX68307326 extending from a field boundary and another possible mound at SX68317330. Five pillow mounds and one round mound centred around SX67557236 belong to this warren and four pillow mounds at SX67497264, SX67517270, SX67527272 and SX67457279

Brewer, D. J. L., 1985, Rabbit Warrens on Dartmoor, 295-7 (Article in Serial). SDV356231.

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

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

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

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

(14/03/2008) Twenty five pillow mounds exist on the south and eastern slope of Vag Hill (centred SX 6800 7280) of these twenty one are linear banks with parallel sides with rounded ends, three are circular and one is an extensive linear bank of 110m length. Twelve linear mounds are oriented east to west, four north to south, three northwest to southeast, and three northeast to southwest. Most are ditched and range from 11.6m to 30.5m long with the exception of one 110m long, and 4.5m to 7.3m wide, with the circular mounds ranging from 2.3m to 8.8m diameter. Eight are built into enclosure walls.
PM 1 SX 6810 7306 Length 14m x 5.8m x 0.8m high external ditch on three sides.
PM 2 SX 6810 7299 Length 15.5m x 6.5m x 1m high.
PM 3 SX 6813 7286 Length 14.3m x 6.2m x 1.1m high external ditch on three sides.
PM 4 SX 6817 7288 Length 30.5m x 5.4m x 0.9m high external ditch on west side, built into reave.
PM 5 SX 6812 7280 Length 16m x 6.8m x 0.9m high external ditch on three sides.
PM 6 SX 6819 7274 Length 15.3m x 5.6m x 0.6m high external ditch on three sides.
PM 7 SX 6822 7274 Length 15.2m x 4.8m x 1.1m high external ditch on three sides.
PM 8 SX 6818 7257 Circular in shape diameter 7.6m x 0.9m high external ditch surrounds.
PM 9 SX 6807 7260 Length 11.6m x 4.5m x 1.4m high external ditch on north side , built into enclosure wall, adjacent to PM 10.
PM 10 SX 6806 7261 Length 28.2m x 4.8m x 1.1m high external ditch on 2 sides, adjacent to PM 9.
PM11 SX 6793 7258 Length 17.4m x 4.6m x 0.5m high external ditch on north side, built into enclosure wall.
PM 12 SX 6789 7258 Length 22.1m x 7.3m 0.9m high external ditch on three sides.
PM 13 SX 6788 7258 Circular in shape diameter 8.8m x 1m high.
PM 14 SX 6787 7260 Circular in shape diameter 2.3m x 0.6m high external ditch surrounds.
PM 15 SX 6786 7257 Length 17.9m x 5.6m x 0.8m high.
PM 16 SX 6789 7262 Length 11.3m x 4.8m x 0.8m high built against enclosure wall.
PM 17 SX 6788 7263 Length 17.3m x 5.6m x 0.8m high built against enclosure wall.
PM 18 SX 6751 7271 Length 19.2m x 5.6m x 1.4m high.
PM 19 SX 6751 7273 Length 11.3m x 4.8m x 0.8m high.
PM 20 SX 6741 7270 Length 16.2m x 4.7m x 0.8m high.
PM 21 SX 6741 7272 Length 20.7m x 5.4m x 0.5m high external ditch on east side, built into enclosure wall.
PM 22 SX 6744 7265 Length 11.2m x 5.7m x 0.9m high.
PM 23 SX 6743 7279 Length 29.5m x 5.6m x 0.7m high external ditch on south side.
PM 24 SX 6825 7321 Length 26.3m x 5.6m x 0.7m high.
PM 25 SX 6764 7276 Length 110.3m x 5.7m x up to 2m high deep external ditch on southeast side and strengthens a field boundary.
Three vermin traps are associated with the warren. Each comprises a V shape funnel wall built against enclosure walls of between 8.5 and 10m long and 0.4m high. The example at SX 6743 7275 has a funnel on the interior and exterior. At SX 6808 7266 the funnel is on the interior only and at SX 6793 7252 it is on the exterior. According to Haynes (1970) the warren was in existence by AD 1613.

Greeves, T. + Stanbrook, E., Apr 2013, Combestone Farm, Holne, Devon. A History, 24 (Report - non-specific). SDV356154.

The 1613 lease set the limit to which the leaseholders, Richard Reynell and Walter Fursland, were allowed to pursue rabbits on the other side of the Dart from the warren.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV8296 - Dartmeet Premier Archaeological Landscape (PAL) Field Investigation Project
• EDV8827 - Survey of Mel Tor Wood

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