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Summary

The remains of a medieval field system covering approximately 11 hectares. The fields are bounded by curvilinear turf-covered earthern banks.

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1021045: Prehistoric settlement and irregular aggregate field system 340m south west of Laughter Hole Farm

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX67NE87
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 914893
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX67NE/40/7
• Old SAM Ref: 34457(P)
• Old SAM Ref: 879

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• FIELD SYSTEM (Constructed, Medieval - 1066 AD (Between) to 1539 AD (Between))

Full description

Ancient Monuments, 1971/2003, Schedule notes (Schedule Document). SDV229363.

(2003) SX 65537561. Field system on Laughter Tor. Scheduled.

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

(24/10/1988) The remains of a field system are situated on gentle SE facing heather and rough grass covered slopes some 250m SE from the summit of Laughter Tor at about 380m OD. (See plan 1).
The field system, some 11ha in area, is formed by curvilinear turf covered earthen banks with some stone content. They range in size from 0.3m to 0.7m high and from 1.5m to 2.5m wide. At one place (A) a stretch of bank is unusually well defined, being 0.7m high and up to 4 wide with ditches both sides 0.2m deep and 1m wide.
These banks from three fields (A, B and C) about 3.3ha, 2.8ha and 4.9ha retrospectively. Fields A and B are relatively barren apart from two short fragments of banks at (B) and (C). Field B has been truncated at the E end by a forestry plantation and evidence of continuation destroyed. A Post Medieval stone wall (D) may follow the line of the SE boundary of the field. Field C has been sub-divided into about five NW to SE fields (1-5). Formed of low banks and lynchets, some are no more than vegetation lines and most slighter than the main field boundaries. Some (E) and (F) are up to 0.5m high and no more than 2m wide. These sub-divisions are probably contemporary with field C as almost all parallel the E and W sides of it. However certain lynchets and banks (E - I) do not conform to pattern and some banks (J - L) appear to continue to the SE under the main southern field boundary. These may be remnants of the earlier systems and settlement (SX 67 NE 87 and 88).
These large fields clearly overlie the settlement and field system Laughter Tor East (A) (SX 67 NE 67) at points (M - P) (see plan 2). They are post dated by the enclosure wall (Q) first shown on the OS 2" drawing of 1802, and may have a Medieval origin.

Gerrard, S., 1990-2002, Monument Protection Programme. Archaeological Item Dataset., MPP 157091 (Report - Survey). SDV277946.

(09/05/2002) Medieval field boundaries associated with a prehistoric settlement and irregular aggregate field system 340 metres south-west of Laughter Hole Farm.
A series of interconnected banks with associated ditches cut across the earlier irregular prehistoric aggregate field system. The ditches are typically 2.0 metres wide by 0.2 metres deep and the banks are 2.5 metres wide by 0.3 metres high. The area is covered in dense gorse, with some bilberry and grass. This field system continues to the south of the monument but is not included within the scheduling because it is not in itself currently considered to be of national importance.

Butler, J., 1991, Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities: Volume Two - The North, 46-7; figure 27.11 (Monograph). SDV219155.

Depicted on Butler's plan.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV7388 - Archaeological condition survey in Bellever Woods
• EDV7406 - Archaeological condition survey in Bellever Woods
• EDV7431 - Woodland Survey (1989-90) at Bellever, Soussons and other woodland parcels
• EDV8634 - Brimpts Farm, Duchy Farms Survey
• EDV8409 - Dartmoor Royal Forest Project
• EDV8423 - Duchy Farms Project

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