MSO10936 - Post-medieval pillow mound at Warren Farm (Monument)

A linear mound 1.4 metres high lying obliquely across the facing slope 500 metres southeast of Warren Farm at SS 7987 4040. Flat top and steep sides with no evidence of any side ditches. Surface of mound is uneven but in good condition. 10 paces wide and 24 paces long. [1] SS 794 407; SS 7941 4086 [5]. At least four prominent pillow mounds have been located on the slopes south of Warren Farm, and are orientated north-south down the slope (see plan) similar to examples on Dartmoor. They are possibly of 16th or 17th century date and may have been accompanied, as on Dartmoor, by a warrener's house and outbuildings. There are possible remains of buildings at SS 794406 and of a pound at SS 792408. [5,6] A group of eight pillow mounds, centred at SS 7950 4065, on the south facing slopes of the Exe Valley below Warren Farm. The mounds are spread out along the valley side over a distance of 1 kilometre. They are all well defined, consisting of a linear mound, sometimes with flanking ditches. Half of the mounds lie across the contour (or run up-and-down the natural slope), the other half lie obliquely to the direction of the natural slope. All of the mounds are well preserved, although three of them have been cut through by later catchwater leats (MSO10939). The mounds cannot be precisely dated, although they are alleged to originate in the 16th or 17th Centuries. A group of earthwork platforms may represent the former Warrener's cottage (MSO10937). Mound 7. Centred at SS 7987 4041; it is 20.4 metres long, 8.3 metres wide and 2.4 metres high on the downslope side. It lies obliquely to the direction of the natural slope. [7,8] This forms part of a warren which was likely created by James Boevey in the 17th Century. Around 10 pillow mounds were present, comprising low rectangular banks with shallow surrounding ditches. [9] The site is depicted and labelled as a pillow mound on 2018 MasterMap data. [10] The mound was transcribed from aerial photographs by the National Mapping Project. [11-13] This record was enhanced as part of the National Record of the Historic Environment to Exmoor National Park Historic Environment Record data transfer project. [14]