| More information : SX 567647. Warren; eighteen pillow mounds counted at Trowlesworthy, Shaugh Prior. (Name Trowlesworthy Warren centred at SX 573646). (1)
Trowlesworthy Warren. The oldest of the Dartmoor Warrens. Can claim some written evidence to this effect in Risdon's "Survey of Devon", dated about 1630. The "Additions" to the 1813 edition refer to ;- "Trowlesworthy Warren, in the parish of Shaugh, was granted before date of deeds, by Baldwin de Redvers, 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".
It remained under the same family ownership until January 1969, when it was left to the National Trust. It continues today 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 Cottabrook. 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 (Tithe ma 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.
The "Hat Factory", as it was spoken of by R.Giles, consists mainly of two mortared walls of a small building. Quite possibly hats were made here from felt made of rabbit fur. Such an industry is said to have been carried on in Plympton St Maurico until late 18th cent, and might subsequently, for a time, have continued here. In late years the fur was bought by London dealers. 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. (2-3)
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 an average 24.0m. long, 6.0m. wide and 1.0m. high above its ditch and range from 10.0m. to 52.0m. long, 3.0m. to 8.0m. wide and 0.6m. to 1.4m. high. They are aligned with the maximum slope. All are ditched, the average width being 2.0m., 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 SX 56946472 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, SX 57196506, is 131.0m. long. The circular pillow mound, at SX 57396498 is 10.0m. diameter, 0.6m. high and a hut circle (see SX 56 SE 13) has been adapted by infilling the interior and digging an encircling ditch.
Surveyed at 1:10 000 on P.F.D. (4)
SX 5695 6476: Prehistoric and historic archaeological landscape at Trowlesworthy Warren. Scheduled. (5)
Trowlesworthy Warren is generally accepted as the oldest surviving warren on Dartmoor, though doubts concerning its medieval origins have recently been expressed. It is known that it existed by 1651, when it was occupied by John Hamblin, a skinner from Plymouth. The warren appears to have remained in constant use from this time until the first half of the 20th century.
Two pillow mounds (SX 5715 6498 and SX 5711 6501) scheduled. (5)
Two pillow mounds, located 640 metres east-north-east of Trowlesworthy Warren House, at SX 5739 6490 scheduled. (6)
Eight pillow mounds, centred at SX 5777 6482, and one vermin trap at SX 5785 6489, scheduled (28798). (7)
SX 5702 6394. A pillow mound located 860 metres south-east of Trowlesworthy Warren House and forming part of Trowlesworthy Warren. Scheduled. (8)
SX 5742 6503. A vermin trap located 700 metres north-east of Trowlesworthy Warren House, and forming part of Trowlesworthy Warren. The trap consists of 2 lengths of drystone wall which converge to form a V-shape, pointing towards the Lee Moor China Clay Works leat. The trapping area would originally have been sites at the point of the V but is no longer visible above ground. Scheduled. (9)
SX 5750 6500. Flat topped pillow mound, 21 metres long 5.7 metres wide and 0.7 metres high, situated on a slope overlooking the River Plym. Part of Trowlesworthy Warren which is probably the oldest surviving warren on Dartmoor, circa 1292, and includes around 64 pillow mounds and 40 vermin traps.Scheduled 24235.(10)
SX 5666 6429. A flat topped pillow mound, rectangular in shape, surrounded by a quarry ditch and situated amongst earlier tin streaming earthworks within the valley of Blacka Brook. The mound forms part of Trowlesworthy Warren and is 28 metres long, 6.5 metres wide and 1 metre high. Scheduled 24238.(11)
SX 5676 6429. A vermin trap situated 490 metes south of Trowlesworthy Warren House forming part of Trowlesworthy Warren. This trap is found on the edge of a small gully overlooking Blacka Brook Valley and includes 2 lengths of rubble wall forming a `v' shaped trap pointing towards the gully. The walls measure up to 1.3 metres wide by 0.3 metres high composed of rubble. The western arm is 6 metres long while the eastern arm is 7 metres long. Scheduled.(12)
SX 5741 6387. Four pillow mounds surviving as flat-topped mounds of earth and stones, surrounded by a ditch. The mounds vary between 20.4 metres and 22 metres long and stand between 1 and 1.3 metres high. Three of the mounds are linked to animal runs which lead to an X shaped vermin trap. Scheduled. (13)
SX 5695 6476: A complex Prehistoric and historic archaeological landscape within Trowlesworthy Warren including a Bronze Age extensive stone hut circle settlement, a ring cairn and several clearance cairns, A Medieval field system, bounded by a cornditch and Post Medieval field system, pillow mounds, vermin traps and animal runs forming part of a warren, clearance cairns, a rectangular building, a dam, leats, gravel pit and areas of alluvial streamworks.(14)
Features comprising the post-medieval Trowlesworthy Warren, thought by previous authorities to be medieval in origin, are visible as earthworks and structures on Environment Agency 1m Lidar data flown in 2019, 2021 Historic England orthomosaic aerial photography and visualisations of a Digital Elevation Model derived from the orthomosaic. The site was mapped from aerial sources in 2023 during the Historic England Dartmoor-Plym project. At least 86 pillow mounds and 57 vermin traps were mapped from available aerial sources. There are examples of Bronze Age enclosures and hut circles that have been repurposed for use in the warren, for example by conversion to pillow mounds. Throughout the warren numerous drainage ditches, many with earthwork banks flanking the downslope sides, direct water away from pillow mounds and stony areas to protect the rabbits and their breeding areas. The majority of these form characteristic ‘v’ shapes on plan, although some are simply long, curving earthworks, often interconnected. Other features probably associated with work to maintain the warren include small mounds and numerous gullies that contribute to improved drainage. The warren boundary is defined by natural water courses and about 204m of boundary bank with partial ditch centred on SX 58197 64263, closing the south-east corner of the warren. (15-17)
|