Two pillow mounds near Trowlesworthy Warren House

These two earthwork mounds are the remains of a medieval rabbit warren at Trowlesworthy Warren, part of a wider network of such sites across Dartmoor. Pillow mounds are low, elongated artificial banks, typically arranged in groups, and were constructed to provide warrens with drainage and shelter. They allowed controlled breeding of rabbits, which were a valued food source and commodity in medieval and post-medieval times.

Today the mounds are subtle features in the moorland landscape northeast of Trowlesworthy Warren House. Their presence reflects the long history of land management on Dartmoor, where communities developed productive systems within the open moor. The site is part of a scheduled monument designation, protecting it as an important archaeological record of medieval rural life and economy.

Historic England listed designation: Two pillow mounds 415m and 430m north east of Trowlesworthy Warren House forming part of Trowlesworthy Warren