| Summary : Bronze Age reaves are visible across Houndtor and Honeybag Chinkwell. On Houndtor Common, reaves are visible as low stony banks, with the two most prominent running SW-NE and representing transverse field systems and one, probably axial, running SE from the tor. The systems are partially fossilised by Medieval and later field systems. The reaves represent the northernmost part of the Rippon Tor parallel reave system. The reaves are visible as stony banks on visualisations of Environment Agency 1m Lidar data flown in 2021 and 2021 Next Perspectives APGB vertical aerial photography.
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| More information : (SX737085. Reaves sited from Auth 1 fig 26 and OS 10560 1963).
The Honeybag Tor, Chinkwell Tor and Houndtor Down parallel reaves are the Northernmost part of the Rippon Tor parallel reave system, (SX 77 NW 87), aligned WNW-ESE. Two short stretches of reave aligned WNW-ESE, on Houndtor and Honeybag Tor appear to be continuations of the Boundary Stone Reave (SX 77 NE 31) and apparently delimit the Northern edge of the system, although short parallel reaves running at right angles to this alignment do continue Northwards towards a small stream flowing from Houndtor to the East Webburn river. (See SX 77 NW 87 for plan). (1)
Centred SX 7450 7880. The reaves S of Hound Tor depicted by authority 1 do not exist on the ground though there are traces of similar features to the E of the tor. Three reaves are visible as low stoney banks up to 1.8m wide and 0.6m high in the open moorland above the former fields of the Houndtor settlements (SX 77 NW 30 and 63). The two most prominent banks are aligned SW to NE and are probably transverse reaves while the third, the longest and more likely to be an axial reave, runs SE from the tor. All are partially fossilised by the medieval and later field system. Several hut circles (SX 77 NW 92) are visible E of Hound Tor but they are not physically related to the reaves. The field evidence on Houndtor Down confirms the prevailing NW to SE axis of the Rippon Tor system, the WNW to ESE orientation displayed at Chinkwell Tor described by authority 1 is not typical and is probably a local variation.
For detailed 1:2500 plan and description see SX 77 NW 96. (2)
The Bronze Age reaves are visible as stony banks on visualisations of Environment Agency 1m Lidar data flown in 2021 and 2021 Next Perspectives APGB vertical aerial photography. The features were mapped from aerial sources in 2023 during the Historic England Dartmoor-Plym project. The features on the south-east slopes of Hound Tor Common include fragments of co-axial linear stony banks oriented north-west to south-east and south-west to north-east. Two sections approach Hound Tor, at SX 74261 78909 and SX 74344 78987; the latter is forked with a post-medieval shelter (NRHE 1045175) built in the lee of the bank. Centred on SX 74849 78542, to the south-east of Greator, two short sections of reave form a 'dog-leg' with the southern section on a slightly different orientation. Two sections of earthwork bank oriented west-north-west to east-south-east between SX 74153 78529 and SX 74308 78472 may be the feature described by authority 1 but discounted by authority 2. They are morphologically similar to the other reave banks on Hound Tor Common but it was not possible from the available aerial imagery to determine if the feature cuts, or is respected by, a perpendicular post-medieval field boundary at SX 74279 78480. These two sections of bank are tentatively included in this monument record (and see NRHE 1044937). (3-4)
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