Details

The Dartmoor reaves are part of a highly elaborate and extensive system of
Prehistoric land division, introduced some time around 1700 BC. The reaves
consist of simple linear stone and earth banks used to mark out discrete
territories, some of which are tens of kilometres in area. The systems are
defined by parallel, contour and watershed reaves, dividing the lower land
from the grazing zones of the higher moor.
Eylesbarrow Reave is a watershed reave which separates the watershed of the
Plym from that of the Meavy, it extends from the Plym at Cadworthy Wood to
the summit of Eylesbarrow, a distance of approximately 6km. Though the reave
can be traced from end to end, there are now gaps along its length which
result in its preservation in separate sections of unequal length. This
part runs for 800m across the top of Ringmoor Down with gaps of c.100m at
either end and consists of a bank of stone and earth up to 0.3m in height
and 3m in width. It is crossed by a later field bank in two places and by
several recent tracks. Three large cairns lie c.100m from its north-west
side and a stone row and associated cairns lie within 500m of the south-east
side.

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.

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 provides 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.
Elaborate complexes of fields and field boundaries are some of the major
features of the Dartmoor landscape. They have important implications for
studying Prehistoric land divisions and communal systems of land-holding,
not just in this region but also nationally. Eylesbarrow Reave is a major
watershed reave in the South Moor system.

Source: Historic England

Sources

Books and journals
Fleming, A, The Dartmoor Reaves, (1988)
Other
SX56NE-278, SX56NE-278, (1990)

Source: Historic England