Reasons for Designation
Dartmoor is the largest expanse of open moorland in southern Britain and,
because of exceptional conditions of preservation, it is also one of the most
complete examples of upland relict landscape in the whole country. The great
wealth and diversity of archaeological remains provide direct evidence for
human exploitation of the Moor from the early prehistoric period onwards. The
well-preserved and often visible relationship between settlement sites, major
land boundaries, trackways, ceremonial and funerary monuments as well as later
industrial remains, gives significant insights into successive changes in the
pattern of land-use through time.
Warrens are areas of land set aside for the breeding and management of rabbits
or hares. They usually include a series of purpose-built breeding places,
known as pillow mounds and buries, vermin traps and enclosures designed to
contain and protect the animals, and living quarters for the warrener who kept
charge of the warren.
Pillow mounds are low oblong-shaped mounds of soil and/or stones in which the
animals lived. They are usually between 15m and 40m long and between 5m and
10m wide. Most have a ditch around at least three sides to facilitate
drainage. Inside are a series of narrow interconnecting trenches. These were
excavated and covered with stone or turf before the mound was constructed.
Vermin traps of various kinds are found within most warrens. These include a
small stone-lined passage into which the predator was funnelled by a series of
ditches or walls. Over 100 vermin traps have been recorded on the Moor, with
the majority lying in the Plym Valley.
Warren boundaries were often defined by a combination of natural features such
as rivers. Within the warrens themselves smaller enclosed areas defined by a
ditch and bank are sometimes found, and some of these may have been
specialised breeding areas. Many of the warrens on the Moor contain a house in
which the warrener lived.
Most of the surviving warren earthworks probably date to between the 17th
century and the later 19th century, with some continuing in use into the early
20th century. At least 22 warrens are known to exist on the Moor and together
they contribute to our understanding of the medieval and post-medieval
exploitation of the area. All well-preserved warrens are considered worthy of
protection.
The six pillow mounds in Crockern Newtake survive well and form an
outlying part of a substantial and well-preserved warren on the western
slopes of Longaford and Littaford Tors. These pillow mounds will contain
information relating to their individual construction and use as well as
contributing to the importance of the warren as a whole.
Details
The monument, which falls into four separate areas of protection, includes
six pillow mounds situated near Crockern overlooking the West Dart River
within Crockern Newtake.
The northernmost pillow mound stands alone and survives as a 11.6m long,
4.9m wide and 1.6m high, round-topped, rectangular-shaped mound of soil
and stone, surrounded on three sides by the 2.8m wide and 0.6m deep ditch
from which material was quarried during its construction. The edges of the
mound are formed by drystone coursed walling and edge set orthostats. The
two central mounds lie end to end and are the largest within the monument.
The eastern mound is 31.5m long by 4.5m wide and up to 1.7m high and its
revetment is visible in places. The western mound is 55.5m long, 3.8m wide
and 1.3m high and survives largely as a steep sided earthwork. Both mounds
are flanked by ditches from which material was quarried during their
construction. The remaining three mounds survive in a tight cluster, with
the two southernmost ones sharing a ditch. These three mounds vary in
length between 8m and 12.3m and stand between 1.3m and 1.6m high. The
edges of each mound are formed by roughly placed granite rocks between
which is drystone walling.
These pillow mounds form an outlying part of a substantial warren which
survives on the western slopes of Longaford and Littaford Tors and
includes at least 32 pillow mounds and a warreners' house. A warren is
known to have been established in this area in 1895 by James Saltroun of
Powder Mills and was abandoned sometime before 1914. Some of the pillow
mounds may however belong to an earlier undocumented warren.
MAP EXTRACT
The site of the monument is shown on the attached map extract.
It includes a 2 metre boundary around the archaeological features,
considered to be essential for the monument's support and preservation.
