| Summary: | Evidence of the oldest of the Dartmoor Warrens can be found in Risdon's "Survey of Devon", dated about 1630. "Trowlesworthy Warren" was granted before date of deeds by Baldwin de Redvors, Earl of Devon, to Sampson de Traylesworthy at some period between 1135 and 1272. In 1551 it was leased to William Woollcombe and in 1560 was conveyed in fee. Trowlesworthy Warren contains at least sixty seven pillow mounds, sixty-three rectangular, six built against walls, one circular and one adapted hut circle. The rectangular "Buries" measure on average 24m long, 6m wide and 1m high above its ditch and range from 10m to 52m long, 3m to 8m wide and 0.6m to 1.4m high. They are aligned with the maximum slope. All are ditched, the average width being 2m and usually all round with, quite often a tailing ditch continuing down the slope. The majority lie on moderate slopes, a few lie on the valley floors and on steep river cliffs. They are constructed of earth over stone bases, visible in many instances as revetments, especially at the ends. One at SX56946472 has possibly been truncated by a field wall. The "Buries" built against extant field walls are similar, except that there is only one side ditch, and one SX5719506 is 131m long. The circular pillow mound at SX57396498 is 10m diameter, 0.6m high and a hut circle has been adapted by infilling the interior and digging an encircling ditch. Trowlesworthy Warren remained under the same family ownership until January 1969, when it was left to the National Trust. It continues as a hill farm. It is bounded on the west by Blackabrook; by the Plym on the north; Spanish Lake on the East; and Cotta Brook on the south. A water barrier on all sides, except the few yards between Spanish Lake Head and Cotta Brook. In fact, almost an island. These few yards were filled by a short piece of stone walling. The boundaries thus defined remained unaltered for many centuries. An area of 489 acres shown on Tithe Map of 1842. The late warrener thought it about 600 acres. There are no apparent medieval remains, but the warren house, post 1842, stands on earlier remains, and what must have been a longhouse once stood at the yard gate and was used by R. Giles in the 1930's to build the yard wall. This longhouse was connected to the field system on Shadyback Plateau. The present enclosed fields of the warren are probably founded on walls of this period. Names from Tithe Map of 1842, post 1842 enclosures were never named. This warren has been extensively drained for the benefit of rabbits and ditches occur everywhere. Notably on the steep slopes of Trowlesworthy Tors, inverted V shaped ditches have been dug, leaving a dry area between the arms of the V in which rabbits burrowed. |
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