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Summary

Earthwork remains of a Bronze Age field system located mainly north-east between Littaford and Longaford Tors. Contrary to reports in the late 1970s, field survey in 1989 concluded it is largely devoid of archaeological features and dominated by thick clitter.

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1020876: Prehistoric settlement, field system and rabbit warren south of Longaford Tor

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX67NW91
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 442764
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX67NW/210/2
• Old SAM County Ref: 922
• Old SAM Ref: 34551(P)

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• ENCLOSURE (Constructed, Bronze Age - 2200 BC (Between) to 701 BC (Between))
• FIELD SYSTEM (Constructed, Bronze Age - 2200 BC (Between) to 701 BC (Between))

Full description

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1978, SX67NW91 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV270537.

(21/10/1978) Over an area of approximately 2 hectares centred at SX 6150 7700, at about 460 metres - 400 metres OD, are the remains of a prehistoric field system. The walls of the fields are mostly low and fragmentary, often barely traceable and are on average 0.5-0.6 metres wide and up to 0.3 metres high. It is therefore difficult to be precise as to the sizes of the fields; which appear to vary with the nature of the ground, which is clitter strewn on the north and east and more open on the south and west, where there is evidence of cultivation. One field visible on air photograph at SX 6150 7655 measures 100 metres x 80 metres but most are considerably smaller than this. These fields are undoubtedly associated with the settlements lower down the slope (SX 67 NW 58 and SX 67 NW 81 and SX 67 NW 97).

National Monuments Record, 1979, SF1509, 278-284 (Aerial Photograph). SDV262885.

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

Field system and hut circle (NMR SX6176/1/37-41 12-APR-1969).

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

(08/05/1989) This field system is overstressed and slightly misinterpreted in previous accounts (OS, 1978) and (Devon CC SMR). The area defined on the 1:10,000 NAR record sheet, a 20 hectare strip to either side of the line between SX 6145 7745 and SX 6155 7645, is in fact largely devoid of archaeological features and dominated by thick clitter. However, at SX 6155 7722 it clips the south west edge of a field system SX 67 NW 117 lying mainly to the north east between Littaford and Longaford Tors. The previous accounts in reality were referring to enclosures and fields among numerous hut circles and are part of an intricate settlement development rather than a field system proper. See SX 67 NW 58 and 81 for further information and plan.

Gerrard, S., 1990-2002, Monument Protection Programme. Archaeological Item Dataset., MPP 156991 (Report - Survey). SDV277946.

(2002) Prehistoric field system 610m south of Longaford Tor. Field system as shown on the RCHME aerial survey. The field boundaries survive as earthworks with occasional protruding stones. The banks are up to 0.5m high and 2m wide. Some animal poaching within the field system. Grass and bilberry.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV8644 - Cherrybrook and Longford Newtake, Duchy Farms Survey
• EDV8409 - Dartmoor Royal Forest Project
• EDV8423 - Duchy Farms Project

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