For the surname, see Reaves. For other uses, see Reeve.
A reave is a long and generally straight boundary wall made of stone that was built during the Bronze Age. Reaves were identified as prehistoric features on Dartmoor in Devon, England in 1972, and although they had been described by antiquarians in the 1820s, the knowledge of their origins had been lost, ignored and misrepresented for around 150 years.[1]
A reave below White Tor, west Dartmoor
There are three main classes of reaves: parallel reaves divided land to create rectilinear fields which were sometimes subdivided by cross reaves. Terminal reaves tend to run for great distances along contours or watersheds and served to divide the enclosed areas from the higher open moor. In total, the reaves on Dartmoor cover an area of over 10,000 hectares (39 sq mi).[2]
There are over 20 major field systems delineated by reaves on Dartmoor. The largest is around Rippon Tor, which covers over 2,000 hectares (7.7 sq mi). Other large systems are North Dart (over 1,400 hectares (5.4 sq mi)), South Dart (550 hectares (2.1 sq mi)) and Easdon Down (380 hectares (1.5 sq mi)).[3]
The longest reave identified on Dartmoor is known as the Great Western Reave, which, although incomplete, stretches over 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) from beyond White Tor in the north, over Roos Tor, through the Merrivale archaeological landscape and Foggintor granite quarries to its southern end, east of Sharpitor, by the side of the B3212 road.[4]
Butler, Jeremy (1997). Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities, Volume 5: The Second Millennium B.C. Exeter: Devon Books. ISBN0-86114-910-6.
Fleming, Andrew (1988). The Dartmoor Reaves. Investigating Prehistoric Land Divisions. London: Batsford. ISBN0-7134-5666-3.
Further readingedit
Sandles, Tim. "The Dartmoor Reaves". Legendary Dartmoor. Retrieved 2 September 2009.
January 01, 1970
reave, surname, other, uses, reeve, reave, long, generally, straight, boundary, wall, made, stone, that, built, during, bronze, were, identified, prehistoric, features, dartmoor, devon, england, 1972, although, they, been, described, antiquarians, 1820s, knowl. For the surname see Reaves For other uses see Reeve A reave is a long and generally straight boundary wall made of stone that was built during the Bronze Age Reaves were identified as prehistoric features on Dartmoor in Devon England in 1972 and although they had been described by antiquarians in the 1820s the knowledge of their origins had been lost ignored and misrepresented for around 150 years 1 A reave below White Tor west Dartmoor There are three main classes of reaves parallel reaves divided land to create rectilinear fields which were sometimes subdivided by cross reaves Terminal reaves tend to run for great distances along contours or watersheds and served to divide the enclosed areas from the higher open moor In total the reaves on Dartmoor cover an area of over 10 000 hectares 39 sq mi 2 There are over 20 major field systems delineated by reaves on Dartmoor The largest is around Rippon Tor which covers over 2 000 hectares 7 7 sq mi Other large systems are North Dart over 1 400 hectares 5 4 sq mi South Dart 550 hectares 2 1 sq mi and Easdon Down 380 hectares 1 5 sq mi 3 The longest reave identified on Dartmoor is known as the Great Western Reave which although incomplete stretches over 10 kilometres 6 2 mi from beyond White Tor in the north over Roos Tor through the Merrivale archaeological landscape and Foggintor granite quarries to its southern end east of Sharpitor by the side of the B3212 road 4 References edit Fleming 1988 Preface Prehistoric Dartmoor Dartmoor National Park Authority Archived from the original on 1 December 2009 Retrieved 2 September 2009 Butler 1997 p 82 Fleming 1988 pp 42 44Sources editButler Jeremy 1997 Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities Volume 5 The Second Millennium B C Exeter Devon Books ISBN 0 86114 910 6 Fleming Andrew 1988 The Dartmoor Reaves Investigating Prehistoric Land Divisions London Batsford ISBN 0 7134 5666 3 Further reading editSandles Tim The Dartmoor Reaves Legendary Dartmoor Retrieved 2 September 2009 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Reave amp oldid 1166181811, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
