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Summary

Sub-rectangular enclosure measuring 20m by 20m with level, featureless interior. Boundary banks on the eastern side comprise a substantial earth and stone bank but on the southern side reduce to a small orthostatic earth-covered wall. The enclosure lies within a modern field incorporating the remains of a prehistoric field system. Has been suggested as prehistoric or Roman (1953/54), although Lady Fox (1970) suggested a Medieval date. Survey by the Ordnance Survey in 1982 agreed this feature probably dates to the Bronze Age.

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1002587: Enclosure 200yds (180m) WSW of Meacombe
• SHINE: Earthwork enclosure 180 metres west-south-west of Meacombe Farm

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX78NW10
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 445476
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX78NW/12
• Old SAM County Ref: 722
• Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division: SX78NW10

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• ENCLOSURE (Constructed, Early Bronze Age to Late Medieval - 2200 BC (Between) to 1539 AD (Between))

Full description

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV306727.

South west of meacombe: an enclosure.
Vis=-/5/1969 (ancient monuments). Embanked enclosure, roughly square with rounded corners, on ground gently sloping to south west. Interior almost level. Possible entrance to west. Bank is composed of earth and smallish stones. No visible ditch. Very overgrown: on reclaimed rough pasture.
Worksheet/(-/4/1977). Vis=-/10/1977(lady sayer)
Des=doe/letter to dartmoor npo/(10/3/1983)/in parish file.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1953/1982, SX78NW10 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV306726.

(19/06/1953) A well defined Bronze Age pound, at SX 72548663, roughly square, in shape, with rounded corners. The boundary banks are well preserved, the outer bank is now covered in grass and ferns. There appear to be no hut circles.
(24/10/1953) No evidence to substantiate a Bronze Age date for this feature.
The site is possibly a small forlet, roughly 20 yards square, with a stone and earth bank, rounded corners and a Roman-looking entrance to the west. No visible ditch, but field probably ploughed until fairly recently (citing letter T. Lethbridge 07/08/1954).
The enclosure has a bank of earth and small stones with a possible entrance to the west. There is no outer ditch to be seen. The interior is almost level. Visited May 1969 (DOE [IAM] Records Form).
(Visited 1969/1970) Suggested date: Medieval (C. A. Ralegh Radford and Lady S. Sayer).
(18/03/1982) SX 72558664. Cut into the crest of a south-west facing slope at approximately 252m. OD. lies the remains of a sub-rectangular enclosure measuring some 20m. by 20m. with lowered, level, featureless interior. Its boundary banks are of differing construction, the substantial earth and stone bank on the eastern side giving way to a small orthostatic wall with earth covering on the southern side. On the west an outer scarp is topped by a slight inner bank (see section). To the north-west a funnelled entrance is formed by the western boundary and a small scarp on its east which leads around to the eastern bank (see plan).
The enclosure lies within a modern field incorporating the remains of a prehistoric field system. This is visible on Air Photographs (1947), though not so evident on the ground. To the west of the enclosure and clearly visible on the steep slope are the remains of lynchets averaging 6.0m. wide and up to 1.2m. high which follow the line of the enclosure.
The construction of the enclosure together with its position within the field and the subsequent following of its alignment by the lynchets tend to confirm OS record (1953) in his assessment of it as Bronze Age.
Surveyed at 1:2500 on M.S.D.

Robinson, R., 1982, List of Field Monument Warden Visits 1982 (Un-published). SDV342809.

(17/03/1982) DOE field monument warden visit. This monument is subject of a management agreement under AMAAA 1979.

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

Not visible on 1946 RAF photos.

Robinson, R., 1986, List of Field Monument Warden Visits 1986 (Un-published). SDV345664.

(06/03/1986) Visited.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

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