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Summary

A medieval farmstead comprising a long house, outbuildings and animal pen, set within the remains of an associated field system. The long house, built into a north west- facing hillslope, is set within an enclosure. Its two rooms measure 4.3 metres by 3.5 metres and 11.9 metres by 3.5 metres internally; there is evidence of military disturbance within the lower room. The walling is 1 metre wide and 0.7 metres high and tumbled material lies against each face. Traces of opposing entrances in the long sides are visible as slight gaps. At SX59186636, attached to the west side, is a small structure which measures 3.5 metres square internally. The enclosure has been disturbed by desultory digging including military slit trenches and there are traces of walling which sub-divide the area.

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1019082: Multi-period remains at Hentor Warren

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX56NE129
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 438867
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX56NE/124
• Old SAM Ref: 24230(P)

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• DESERTED SETTLEMENT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD (Between))

Full description

Linehan, C. D., 1965, Deserted Sites on Dartmoor, Devon, 175 (Article in Serial). SDV217992.

Shavercombe (SX592664). House with upper room 61 feet (18.6 metres) by 13 feet (3.96 metres) with enclosures with include hut circles; all in extensive field system.

Linehan, C. D., 1966, Deserted Sites and Rabbit-Warrens on Dartmoor, Devon, 124 (Article in Serial). SDV307246.

A deserted Medieval site, possibly known as Shavercombe, at SX 592664 consisting of one building and enclosures. The building has an upper room measuring 61 feet by 13 feet.

Haynes, R. G., 1966-1969, Ruined Sites on Dartmoor, 123 (Un-published). SDV150434.

Shavercombe SX592664. A two roomed longhouse with enclosures running south-west from Shavercombe Brook. Some suggestion of a porch or lean-to. The north end of the building has been partly destroyed where barbed wire etc. was buried at the end of the war.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1979, SX56NE129 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV156491.

(15/03/1979) On a northern slope below Shavercombe Tor at 325.0 metres above sea level is a sub-divided longhouse type building at SX 59196635. Internally it measures 18.4 metres by 3.8 metres; the walling being 1.0 metres wide and 0.9 metres high. The building is in poor condition and no entrance is visible.
At SX 59226634 there is a semi-circular rubble outbuilding which is 5.0 metres in diameter. Three plots are attached to the site, the two largest average 35.0 metres square and have earthen banks 1.8 metres wide and 0.6 metres high. The plots adjoin a field system (SX 56 NE 125).
Surveyed at 1:10 000 on PFD.

Gerrard, S., 1990-2002, Monument Protection Programme. Archaeological Item Dataset., MPP 140484, 10/5/1995 (Report - Survey). SDV277946.

Deserted medieval farmstead within a refurbished prehistoric enclosure within Hentor Warren. Farmstead lies within the ne part of an extensive field system, which although reused in post medieval times was probably laid out during the medieval period. The farmstead includes a long house, outbuildings, animal pen, garden plot and roadway sitting partly within an earlier refurbished circular enclosure.

Butler, J., 1994, Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities: Volume Three - The South-West, 123-4 Map 49 (Monograph). SDV137656.

Depicted by Butler. A sub-divided longhouse type building. Internally it measures 18.4m by 3.8m; the walling being 1.0m wide and 0.9m high. The building is in poor condition and no entrance is visible. A semi-circular rubble outbuilding is also visible which is 5.0m in diameter. Three plots are attached to the site, the two largest average 35.0m square and have earthen banks 1.8m wide and 0.6m high.

National Trust and English Heritage, 1994, The Upper Plym Valley: The Management of an Historic Landscape, 271-2/102.975 (Report - non-specific). SDV166309.

Probert, S. A. J. + Fletcher, M. J., 2002, Plym Valley survey (Report - Survey). SDV350782.

(28/02/2002) SX59186637 A sub-divided longhouse built into a north-west facing hillslope is set within an enclosure. The two rooms measure 4.3m by 3.5m and 11.9m by 3.5m internally; there is evidence of military disturbance within the lower room. The walling is 1.0m wide and 0.7m high and tumbled material lies against each face. Traces of opposing entrances in the long sides are visible as slight gaps. At SX59186636 attached to the west side is a small structure which measures 3.5m square internally. The enclosure has been disturbed by desultory digging including military slit trenches and there are traces of walling which sub divide the area.
A small enclosure at SX59216635 to the south of the longhouse with a square trench cut into it may be of military origin.

White, P., 2013, Previously Unsurveyed Dartmoor Historic Farmsteads (Un-published). SDV352501.

Included in list. No further information provided.

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

Area of the farmstead depicted on the modern mapping.

Various, 2018-2020, PALs Condition Recording forms, UPHT-39 (Worksheet). SDV362781.

(24/03/2020) Condition assessed as good. HER description is accurate, although recorder highlights dividing wall in longhouse, which does not show on map. Photo 3 shows the historic military disturbance in the lower room and iron work left behind intertwined with disturbed stone.
Note: Same Iron work found here also found protruding from ground in one area of Philips leat.
Slit trenches mentioned in description not clearly identified at time of survey as south/west side of house and surrounding area has been disturbed resulting in lumps and bumps all around which may be trenches. Site is stable.

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

Site photographed in March 2020.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV8148 - The Upper Plym Valley: The Management of an Historic Landscape
• EDV8155 - Plym Valley Survey

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