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ERME POUND

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A probable Prehistoric or Roman enclosed settlement with hut circles later utilised as a Medieval and Post Medieval cattle pound

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(SX 63806580) Erme Pound (NR).

(SX 64036557) Enclosure (NR).

(SX 63766564) Hut Circles (NR).

(SX 64046551) Hut Circle (NR). (1)

There is a mention of Erme Pound in the Court Rolls of 1552-3, but
only as identifying the position of certain land lying nearby. The
pound is an irregular ellipse in shape with a major axis of
approximately 340 ft and a minor axis of 200 ft. Its area is about
1.23 acres. Within are a number of hut circles and it may well be
an Early Bronze Age structure, restored and adapted. (2)

A circle of stones (SX 64046551) but with no trace of a cist,
considered by Worth to be a small hut circle rather than a cist,
as shown on the 1st edition OS 6". (3)

Erme Pound, a modern enclosure erected for impounding stray cattle,
which looks hastily and inexpensively built. (4)

(SX 63846564) Lynchetted plot. (5-6)

Erme Pound is a multi-phase structure of 4.0 ha, situated on the
south west slopes of Brown Heath between 410m and 440m OD.

The Pound (A), of approximately 0.6 ha has a rubble wall up to 2.0m
wide and 1.2m high but where it has spread or collapsed, it forms
the base of a supplementary wall of coursed blocks 0.7m wide and
1.0m high. This repair or rebuilding is particularly evident on the
northwest and southwest sides and probably dates from the Medieval
or post Medieval utilisation of the prehistoric enclosure. (See also
SX 66 NE 25). The entrance at the southeast is probably original
with later facing.

Within the enclosure are six huts, all with levelled interiors and
probably of Type 1 (type site SX 56 SE 19). Their rubble walls
average 1.7m wide and 0.5m high and the internal diameters measure
from 3.2m to 5.5m. Only two have discernible entrances, both on the
south and three huts are linked by walling 1.0m wide and 0.3m high
to form enclosed plots about 8.0m by 15.0m. Near the north corner
of the enclosure there is a possible hut built into the collapsed
wall. It has an internal diameter of 3.0m but is in ruined condition
and could be prehistoric or an attempt to create a modern shelter.

Attached to the outer face of the Pound are a half dozen small and
incomplete prehistoric enclosures. The walling is mostly rubble
and averages 1.5m wide and 0.5m high.

To the southeast of Erme Pound an area of 3.4 ha is incompletely
enclosed and there is slight evidence that it may have been divided
into two parts. The walling is of rubble, and averages 3.0m wide
and 1.1m high, with occasional revetting on the outer face of the
lower, southern side. Along the north and east sides the wall is
much concealed by peat growth.

The western half of the enclosure (B) incorporates a number of
plots, 15.0m to 20.0m across formed by low banks of rubble and in
most cases integrated with one or more huts. These are of Type 1,
small, with internal diameters measuring from 2.4m to 3.7m, and
rubble walls 1.2m wide and 0.4m high. Entrances, from southwest
to southeast face into the enclosures. There are two free-standing
huts which appear to be of Type 2 (SX 56 NE 71), with traces of
double walling 1.2m wide and 0.5m high. The internal diameters are
small, both 3.3m, with no discernible entrances. One is that
originally considered to be a cist; the other, and Crawford's
"lynchetted plot" are the only visible features in the eastern half
of the large enclosure. The plot, 17.0m by 8.0m has been levelled
but is still bounded by a low rubble wall.

Surveyed at 1:10 000 on MSD and 1:1000. (7)

SOURCE TEXT

( 1) Ordnance Survey Map (Scale / Date)

OS 6" 1968

( 2) General reference

Hansford Worth R. 1953. Dartmoor. 476

( 3) Devonshire Association reports and transactions

(R Hansford Worth) 73 - 1941 Page(s)56

( 4) Devonshire Association reports and transactions

(C Spence Bate) 4 - 1871 Page(s)503

( 5) General reference

Rec 6" (O G S Crawford, undated)

( 6) General reference

AP's (RAF CPE/UK/1890 4277-8 10.12.46)

( 7) Field Investigators Comments

F1 NVQ 01-JUL-79

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