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Summary

Reave survives as a 302 metre length of boundary bank extending at right angles from the Walkhampton Common reave to the clitter on the south side of Leeden Tor. Prominent rubble and boulder bank with an average width of 2.8 metres, measuring 0.6 metres high. Associated with several small cairns, stone alignment and hut circles. This reave is a transverse boundary, which would have originally connected the Walkhampton Common reave to the Great Western Reave and would have sub-divided open pasture land.

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1011191: Two lengths of reave, two stone hut circles, a round cairn and stone alignment on Walkhampton Common

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX57SE132
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 440408
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX57SE/171
• Old SAM Ref: 22323(PART)

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• REAVE (Bronze Age - 2200 BC (Between) to 701 BC (Between))

Full description

Fleming, A., 1978, The Prehistoric Landscape of Dartmoor. Part 1: South Dartmoor, 97-123 (Article in Serial). SDV235265.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1980, SX57SE132 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV235237.

(31/07/1980) On the south east slope of Leeden Tor between SX56347163 and SX56567144 is a 'branch' reave of the Walkhampton Common Reave.
From the main reave it is aligned on a cairn to the north west. From the cairn it continues towards Leeden Tor with large boulders in evidence, until it disappears amongst clitter having deviated slightly to avoid two hut circles near its north west end.
The reave is a rubble and boulder bank, mostly turf covered and measures between 1.2 metres and 3.1 metres wide and up to 0.6 metres high.
Surveyed at 1:10 000 and at 1:2500 for A.O. Records.

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

Cross reave joining Walkhampton Common and the Great Western Reave. Not visible on Royal Air Force 1946 aerial photographs.

Gerrard, S., 1990-2002, Monument Protection Programme. Archaeological Item Dataset., MPP 130810, 15/5/1992 (Report - Survey). SDV277946.

302 metre length of Leeden Tor cross reave extending from clitter on the southern side of Leeden Tor to Walkhampton Common reave. Survives as 0.6 metre high prominent rubble and boulder bank averaging 2.8 metres wide. Several small cairns along its length average 4 metres in diameter, 0.5 metres high. Unclear whether these mounds predate the cairn, or whether they were built upon the already existing reave.

Butler, J., 1994, Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities: Volume Three - The South-West, 38, Map 45.2 (Monograph). SDV137656.

Reave is depicted by Butler with associated hut circles, cairn and stone alignment.

Fletcher, M. J., 2007-2008, Walkhampton Premier Archaeological Landscape; Field Investigation Project (Report - Survey). SDV359195.

(12/12/2007) A short spur reave extending from the Walkhampton Common Reave - in very good condition and up to 0.6 metres high. Surveyed at 1:2500 scale (citing Fletcher, M. J., English Heritage Field Investigation, 12/12/2007).

Ordnance Survey, 2016, MasterMap (Cartographic). SDV359352.

Reave is depicted on the modern mapping.

Historic England, 2016, National Heritage List for England, Accessed 22/08/2016 (National Heritage List for England). SDV359353.

This monument includes two lengths of reave, two stone hut circles, a round cairn and stone alignment situated on Walkhampton Common. The various components of this monument are all thought to be of Bronze Age date, but the stone hut circles, cairn and stone alignment are all earlier than the reaves.
The second reave includes a 302m length of boundary bank extending at right angles from the Walkhampton Common reave to the clitter on the south side of Leeden Tor. This reave survives as a 0.6m high, prominent rubble and boulder bank with an average width of 2.8m. In places along its length are several small cairns with an average diameter of 4m standing up to 0.5m high. This reave is a transverse boundary, which would have originally connected the Walkhampton Common reave to the Great Western Reave and would have sub-divided open pasture land.
Two stone hut circles which are adjacent and aligned north west-south east, are attached to the transverse reave by short lengths of rubble walling. These structures survive as stone and earth walls surrounding an internal area. Gaps in this walling represent original doorways. The interior of the northern hut measures 6.3m in diameter and the 2.5m wide wall stands up to 0.5m high. The southern hut measures 8.4m in diameter and the surrounding wall is 2.5m wide and 0.7m high. An internal partition has been identified within this structure.
A round cairn lying on the line of the transverse reave measures 9m in diameter and stands up to 1m high. A number of retaining stones are visible around the north east edge of the mound, suggesting the presence of a kerb which survives largely as a buried feature. This cairn is earlier than the reave, to which it is connected, and is probably associated with the nearby stone alignment which is aligned onto the cairn, though it now terminates 28m from the mound. The stone alignment is 132m long and includes a single row of 16 stones. The stones stand between 0.2m and 0.7m high and are spaced at regular intervals of about 13m. The Walkhampton Common reave cuts across this alignment and is therefore of a more recent date. Stone hut circles and enclosures survive within close proximity to this monument.

Various, 2018-2020, PALs Condition Recording forms (Worksheet). SDV362781.

Visited 20/04/2019. Heavy cover of gorse most of the way. Also grass & molinia. Reave can be located all the way up the hill. Photo taken

Various, 2018-2020, PALs Condition Recording forms (Worksheet). SDV362781.

Visited 20/04/2019. This was a separate visit to determine the condition of the junction where the reaves meet (Leeden tor cross reave / Walkhampton Common Reave)
SX56559 71433 Leeden reave is in very poor condition more or less totally overwhelmed with molinia and gorse from the cairn down towards the road. Above the cairn towards Leeden tor it is much better. Photos X 3 taken

Various, 2018-2020, PALs Condition Recording photographs (Photograph). SDV363073.

Visited 20/04/2019. Photo taken looking downhill towards the road

Various, 2018-2020, PALs Condition Recording photographs (Photograph). SDV363073.

Visited 20/04/2019. photos X 3 taken

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV8351 - Walkhampton Premier Archaeological Landscape; Field Investigation Project

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