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Pillow mounds near Merrivale Bridge
Dartmoor Forest, Tavistock, Devon
Grid ref: SX 5573 7534
- Period: Medieval or post-medieval
- Status: Eight scheduled monuments (Historic England entries listed below)
- Warren: Merrivale Warren, at least 27 pillow mounds on the lower slopes of Great Mis Tor, Little Mis Tor and Over Tor
A pillow mound is an oblong mound built as a home for farmed rabbits. These belong to Merrivale Warren, which Historic England says includes at least 27 pillow mounds scattered along the lower slopes of Great Mis Tor, Little Mis Tor and Over Tor. Their unusual oval shape and their closeness to a medieval settlement have led to the suggestion that many are medieval. Most lie inside Merrivale Newtake and some on the open moor just outside it.
One monument also holds a military training pit. The monuments in the Merrivale area are sometimes known together as Merrivale Antiquities; the stone rows, standing stone and stone circle have their own listings, linked below.
The eight scheduled monuments
| Historic England entry | Grid reference | What survives |
|---|---|---|
| 1014653 | SX 55608 75463 | One pillow mound on the west-facing slope of Over Tor, outside Merrivale Newtake. |
| 1014654 | SX 55489 75338 | One pillow mound on the west-facing slope of Over Tor. |
| 1014655 | SX 55788 75185 | One pillow mound on the west-facing slope of Over Tor, on the open moor just outside the newtake. |
| 1014672 | SX 55675 75181 | Two pillow mounds on the west-facing slope of Over Tor, on the open moor just outside the newtake. |
| 1014673 | SX 55734 75208 | Three pillow mounds on the west-facing slope of Over Tor, on the open moor just outside the newtake. |
| 1014674 | SX 55819 75435 | One pillow mound on the north-west-facing slope of Over Tor, on the open moor just outside the newtake. |
| 1014675 | SX 55849 75489 | One pillow mound on the north-west-facing slope of Over Tor, on the open moor just outside the newtake. |
| 1014609 | SX 55935 75488 | Three pillow mounds and a military training pit on the north-west-facing slope of Over Tor. |
Grid references are from the Historic England entries. Each entry covers one scheduled monument; a monument can hold several features.
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The 8 rings on this map are the separate scheduled monuments that make up this listing, placed from Historic England’s records. Tap a ring for its grid reference and a link to its official entry. The pin marks the middle of the group.
Official record
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