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Summary

The remains of a peat cutters building lie on the N edge of Winney's Down, overlooking Little Varracombe, at SX 6204 8280. The building is well constructed, rectangular structure, with rounded corners, built of coursed moorstone slabs. It measures 4m N-S, 1.9m E-W and has walls 0.9m wide and, on average, 0.9m high. The remains of a fireplace lie at the S end of the building and here the walls survive up to 1.3m high.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX68SW45
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 443988
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX68SW/56

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• SHELTER (Built, XVIII to XIX - 1751 AD (Between) to 1900 AD (Between))

Full description

Le Messurier, B., 1975, Ruined buildings (Worksheet). SDV268787.

Ruined hut at SX 6200 8285. Fireplace at south end. It has a vegetation cap. Door on south-eastern side. Floor of rushes with some fallen stone. Peat cutting nearby.

Le Messurier, B., 1979, Post-Prehistoric Structures of Central North Dartmoor. A Field Survey, 66 (Article in Serial). SDV269283.

SX 62008285 On hillside above North Teign River. A hut with rounded end walling or corners with a fire-place at the south end and an entrance near the south east corner. Internal measurements 2.0m by 4.0m. Peat cutting nearby. (Similar to Statts House SX 68 SW 34).

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1979, SX68SW45 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV256977.

(13/09/1979) This hut could not be found after an extensive search over the area of peat digging in which the reference falls.

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

Not visible on 1947 Royal Air Force aerial photograph.

Royal Commission for the Historical Monuments of England, 1993-1998, Dartmoor Royal Forest Project, H. Riley (Report - Survey). SDV346608.

(31/07/1995) The remains of a peat cutters building lie on the N edge of Winney's Down, overlooking Little Varracombe, at SX 6204 8280. The building is well constructed, rectangular structure, with rounded corners, built of coursed moorstone slabs. It measures 4m N-S, 1.9m E-W and has walls 0.9m wide and, on average, 0.9m high. The remains of a fireplace lie at the S end of the building and here the walls survive up to 1.3m high. It is similar to Statts house (SX 68 SW 43), which lies 350m to the SE, and was probably used for storage and shelter by the peat cutters who worked the extensive peat beds in the area, the remains of which are evident in the environs.

GetMapping, 2010, GetMapping 2010 aerial photographs (Aerial Photograph). SDV351585.

Rectangular ruined building clearly visible on the aerial photograph. Assumed that this is the building referred to be Le Messurier, as nothing else obvious in the vicinity. Aligned south-west by north-east, with opening on the south-eastern side. Measures 6.5 metres by 3.8 metres.

Ordnance Survey, 2018, MasterMap 2018 (Cartographic). SDV360652.

Depicted on the modern mapping.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV8409 - Dartmoor Royal Forest Project

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