Summary

Enclosure 340m NNW of Dockwell Farm.

Source: Historic England

Details

This record was the subject of a minor enhancement on 18 November 2015. This record has been generated from an "old county number" (OCN) scheduling record. These are monuments that were not reviewed under the Monuments Protection Programme and are some of our oldest designation records.

This monument includes an enclosure situated on a slight north east facing slope at the foot of Dockwell Ridge close to the Harbourne River. The enclosure survives as an oval feature measuring 66m long by 63m wide internally defined by rubble and earth walls with some inner orthostatic facing stones on the western side which varies from 1.5m up to 4.5m wide and up to approximately 1m high. To the north east a short length of reave is attached to the enclosure. The interior is stony but there are no discernible features.

Further archaeological remains in the vicinity are scheduled separately.

Source: Historic England

Reasons for Scheduling

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 an 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. Within the landscape of Dartmoor there are many discrete plots of land enclosed by stone walls or banks of stone and earth, most of which date to the Bronze Age (c.2000-700 BC), though earlier and later examples also exist. They were constructed as stock pens or as protected areas for crop growing and were sometimes subdivided to accommodate stock and hut circle dwellings for farmers and herdsmen. The size and form of enclosures may therefore vary considerably depending on their particular function. Their variation in form, longevity and relationship to other monument classes provide important information on the diversity of social organisation and farming practices amongst prehistoric communities. They are particularly representative of their period. The enclosure 340m NNW of Dockwell Farm survives well and will contain archaeological and environmental evidence relating to its construction, use, longevity, farming practices and overall landscape context.

Source: Historic England

Sources

Books and journals
Butler, J, Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities, Volume Four – The South-East , (1993), 112
Other
PastScape Monument No:-441790

Source: Historic England