Summary

Animal pound 680m south west of Tehidy Barton.

Source: Historic England

Details

This record was the subject of a minor enhancement on 8 December 2015. This record has been generated from an "old county number" (OCN) scheduling record. These are monuments that were not reviewed under the Monuments Protection Programme and are some of our oldest designation records.

This monument includes an animal pound situated within the coastal North Cliff Plantation of Tehidy Woods overlooking the Red River Valley. The pound survives as a roughly square enclosure measuring up to 46m internally and is defined by a low broad bank of up to 0.9m high externally with rounded corners, except to the north where the bank is up to 2m high above the base of a partly filled outer ditch measuring up to 0.5m deep. It lies within the original limits of Tehidy deer park and was cultivated during the 18th century. Discovered by Tangye before 1966 he hinted at its possible prehistoric origin through field name evidence for a round, however, an animal pound is documented in the Manor of Tehidy in 1756.

Source: Historic England

Reasons for Scheduling

The term animal pound is derived from the Anglo-Saxon word 'pund' meaning enclosure, and is used to describe stock-proof areas for confining stray or illegally pastured stock and legally-kept animals rounded up at certain times of the year from areas of common grazing. The earliest documentary references to pounds date from the 12th century and they continued to be constructed and used throughout the medieval and post-medieval periods. Most surviving examples are likely to be less than three centuries old, and most will have fallen into disuse in the late 19th or early 20th century. Animal pounds are usually located in villages or towns though some lie in more open locations, particularly on the edge of old woodlands and commons. Construction methods vary according to the availability of building materials: stone, brick, fencing, iron railings and earthworks being used to enclose areas ranging from 4m by 6m to over 0.5ha. The walls are normally about 1.5m high, although greater heights are not uncommon as attempts to prevent poundbreach. In addition to stock control, animals were sometimes taken as a 'distress' (seizure of property in lieu of debt or to enforce payment) and kept under the care of the pinder or hayward until redeemed. Pounds are usually unroofed and have a single entrance, although some have additional low entrances to allow the passage of sheep and pigs while retaining larger stock. Other features include rudimentary shelters for the pound-keeper, laid floors, drainage channels, troughs and internal partitions to separate the beasts. Animal pounds are widely distributed throughout England, with particular concentrations in the west and Midlands. About 250 examples are known to survive in fair condition with perhaps another 150 examples recorded either as remains, or from documentary evidence alone. Pounds illustrate a specialised aspect of past social organisation and animal husbandry, and reflect the use and former appearance of the surrounding landscape. Despite reduction in the height of the earthworks through past cultivation the animal pound 680m south west of Tehidy Barton contain archaeological and environmental evidence relating to its construction, longevity, function, agricultural practices, social and economic significance and overall landscape context.

Source: Historic England

Sources

Other
PastScape Monument No:-426212

Source: Historic England