Huts and fields on Penn Moor near Broadall Lake

Summary

An agglomerated enclosed settlement between Penn Moor and High House Waste.

Reasons for Designation

Dartmoor is the largest expanse of open moorland in southern Britain and, because of exceptional conditions of preservation; it is also one of the most complete examples of an upland relict landscape in the whole country. The great wealth and diversity of archaeological remains provide direct evidence for human exploitation of the Moor from the early prehistoric period onwards. The well-preserved and often visible relationship between settlement sites, major land boundaries, trackways, ceremonial and funerary monuments as well as later industrial remains, gives significant insights into successive changes in the pattern of land use through time. Stone hut circles and hut settlements were the dwelling places of prehistoric farmers on Dartmoor. They mostly date from the Bronze Age, with the earliest examples on the Moor in this building tradition dating to about 1700 BC. The stone-based round houses consist of low walls or banks enclosing a circular floor area. The huts may occur singly or in small or large groups and may lie in the open or be enclosed by a bank of earth and stone. Although they are common on the Moor, their longevity and their relationship with other monument types provide important information on the diversity of social organisation and farming practices amongst prehistoric communities. They are particularly representative of their period and a substantial proportion of surviving examples are considered worthy of protection. Despite partial robbing for building stone the agglomerated enclosed settlement between Penn Moor and High House Waste survives comparatively well within an area containing a large number of broadly contemporary settlements. The agglomerated form of the settlement clearly illustrates chronological development and archaeological and environmental information relating to this will survive.

History

See Details.

Details

This record was the subject of a minor enhancement on 5 November 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 agglomerated enclosed settlement with at least nine stone hut circles situated on an east facing slope overlooking the valley of Broadall Lake. The agglomerated enclosure includes at least five irregular shaped enclosed areas, each defined by stone walling up to 3m wide and 0.7m high. Some of the walls have been overlain by a later historic newtake wall. The stone hut circles survive as circular structures with internal diameters varying between 3m and 8.5m. Some of the huts are attached to the enclosure walling whilst the earlier ones are butted by it.

Legacy

The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.

Legacy System number:

DV 339

Legacy System:

RSM - OCN

Sources

Books and journals
Butler, J, Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities, Volume Three - The South-West , (1994), 179-80

Other
PastScape:- 442295

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