Hut circle 300yds (270m) SW of Meacombe

Summary

A stone hut circle 270m south west of Meacombe.

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; remains of the turf or thatch roof are not preserved. 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.

The stone hut circle 270m south west of Meacombe survives comparatively well and is associated with several other monuments some of which are more unusual than others. It does not appear to have been disturbed by partial early excavation and will contain archaeological and environmental evidence relating to its construction, use, agricultural practices and general landscape context.

History

See Details.

Details

This record was the subject of a minor enhancement on 10 November 2015. The 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.

The monument includes a stone hut circle situated at the crest of a north west facing slope overlooking the valley of a tributary to the River Teign. The hut circle survives as a ring of edge set stones measuring approximately 0.3m wide and 0.2m high, with each stone averaging 1.1m in length which surround a level slightly depressed internal area with a diameter of about 7.5m.

Further archaeological remains in the immediate vicinity are scheduled separately.

Legacy

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

Legacy System number:

DV 724

Legacy System:

RSM - OCN

Sources

Other
PastScape Monument No:-445579

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