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HER Number: | MDV6908 |
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Name: | Irishman's Wall on Belstone Tor |
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Summary
Impressive coursed dry stone wall running east-west across the Belstone/Higher Tor ridge, thought to date to before 1811. Name indicates it may have been constructed by Irish labourers, possibly as a job-creation scheme.
Location
Grid Reference: | SX 613 919 |
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Map Sheet: | SX69SW |
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Admin Area | Dartmoor National Park |
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Civil Parish | Belstone |
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District | West Devon |
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Ecclesiastical Parish | BELSTONE |
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Protected Status
- SHINE: Earthwork remains of an extensive area of medieval or later tin working on both sides of the River Taw at Taw Marsh as well as Taw Marsh Bronze Age reave on South Tawton Common
Other References/Statuses
- National Monuments Record: SX69SW14
- National Record of the Historic Environment: 444165
- Old DCC SMR Ref: SX69SW/34
Monument Type(s) and Dates
- FIELD BOUNDARY (Constructed, XIX - 1811 AD (Pre) to 1900 AD (Pre))
- WALL (Constructed, XIX - 1811 AD (Pre) to 1900 AD (Pre))
Full description
Prowse, A. B., 1892, The Bounds of the Forest of Dartmoor, 430 (Article in Serial). SDV273464.
Irishman's wall on Belstone Tor. Common belief that it is the remains of a Newtake boundary put up by encroaching Irishmen, whose wishes were frustrated by the aggrieved inhabitants of Belstone. May be the remains of a stone fence marking the forest boundary.19th century.
Crossing, W., 1912 (1965), Crossing's Guide to Dartmoor, 205-6 (Monograph). SDV320981.
Crossing deduces that, since the wall is documented in Risdon's Survey of 1811, it therefore predates the 1811 publication date of Risdon.
Crossing, W., 1912 (1965), Crossing's Guide to Dartmoor, 205-6 (Monograph). SDV320981.
Crossing deduces that, since the wall is documented in Risdon's Survey of 1811, it therefore predates the 1811 publication date of Risdon.
Royal Air Force, 1946, RAF/3G/TUD/UK/138, 5438 (Aerial Photograph). SDV238391.
Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1950, SX69SW14 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV271180.
(SX 61009201 - SX 62029185. Irishman's Wall (NAT) Early 19th century Newtake wall (citing Worth, R. H., 07/12/1948).
(31/05/1950) This feature is a comparatively modern newtake wall.
Royal Commission on the Historical Monuments of England, 1985, Aerial Photograph Project (Dartmoor) - Dartmoor Pre-NMP (Cartographic). SDV319854.
Visible and recorded.
Probert, S. A. J. + Newman, P., 2003-2004, Measured survey North Dartmoor Military Range Okehampton Range: Monument Baseline Condition Survey (Report - Survey). SDV350801.
(06/02/2004) Irishman's Wall. An impressive coursed drystone wall which extends for 1.25 kilometres in an almost straight line from the West Okement River to the Taw River. It crosses the steep Belstone/Higher Tor ridge which rises 123 metres above the level of the two rivers. Constructed of moorland boulders and stone it now stands to a maximum 1.8 metres high - although it has collapsed in many places and the western end has been destroyed. It may, as it name suggests, have been built by Irish labourers perhaps as a job creation scheme.
Ordnance Survey, 2013, MasterMap (Cartographic). SDV350786.
Depicted on the modern mapping.
Sources / Further Reading
SDV238391 | Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1946. RAF/3G/TUD/UK/138. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). 5438. |
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SDV271180 | Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card: Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division. 1950. SX69SW14. Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card. Card Index. |
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SDV273464 | Article in Serial: Prowse, A. B.. 1892. The Bounds of the Forest of Dartmoor. Transactions of the Devonshire Association. 24. Unknown. 430. |
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SDV319854 | Cartographic: Royal Commission on the Historical Monuments of England. 1985. Aerial Photograph Project (Dartmoor) - Dartmoor Pre-NMP. Royal Commission on the Historical Monuments of England Aerial Photograph P. Cartographic. |
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SDV320981 | Monograph: Crossing, W.. 1912 (1965). Crossing's Guide to Dartmoor. Crossing's Guide to Dartmoor. Hardback Volume. 205-6. |
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SDV350786 | Cartographic: Ordnance Survey. 2013. MasterMap. Ordnance Survey Digital Mapping. Digital. [Mapped feature: #98993 ] |
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SDV350801 | Report - Survey: Probert, S. A. J. + Newman, P.. 2003-2004. Measured survey North Dartmoor Military Range Okehampton Range: Monument Baseline Condition Survey. Royal Commission for the Historical Monuments of England Archaeological Survey. 28-2004. Unknown. |
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Associated Monuments
MDV105280 | Related to: Firing platform on Belstone Common, Belstone (Monument) |
MDV106730 | Related to: Granite window sill used as a military boundary stone south of Cullever Steps, Belstone Common (Monument) |
MDV106724 | Related to: Millstone on Belstone Common, south of the Tor (Monument) |
MDV128664 | Related to: Pillow mounds on eastern slope of Belstone Tor (Monument) |
MDV105278 | Related to: Possible pig trough south of Belstone Tor (Monument) |
Associated Finds: none recorded
Associated Events
- EDV8679 - Okehampton Range: Management Survey
- EDV8291 - Okehampton Range: Monument Baseline Condition Survey
- EDV8695 - Survey of Okehampton North Dartmoor Military Range
Date Last Edited: | May 17 2022 10:17AM |
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