Pillow mound near Merrivale Bridge

Pillow mounds are low, elongated earthworks built to create warrens for breeding rabbits, a valuable resource in medieval and early modern times. This example forms part of Merrivale Warren, a complex of such features on the open moor north east of Merrivale Bridge. The mound itself is a subtle landscape feature, most obvious in certain light or after rain when vegetation highlights the earthwork's form.

These structures tell of how Dartmoor was managed intensively for centuries, not left wild but actively used for food production. Walking the moorland here, you can trace the deliberate shaping of the landscape by people centuries ago, a reminder that this apparently untamed place has long been woven into human economy and settlement.

Historic England listed designation: Pillow mound 700m north east of Merrivale Bridge, forming part of Merrivale Warren