Stone hut circle 160m east of Sharpitor
Overview
- Heritage Category:
- Scheduled Monument
- List Entry Number:
- 1007420
- Date first listed:
- 04-Nov-1993
Map
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Location
The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.
- County:
- Devon
- District:
- West Devon (District Authority)
- Parish:
- Walkhampton
- National Park:
- DARTMOOR
- National Grid Reference:
- SX 56131 70295
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 and a substantial proportion of
surviving examples are considered worthy of protection.
The stone hut circle settlement on the slopes of Sharpitor survives
comparatively well and will contain archaeological structures, features and
deposits as well as environmental evidence which, combined, will provide an
insight into settlement and agricultural practice on the western side of the
Moor.
Details
This monument includes a stone hut circle situated on a gentle east facing
slope of Sharpitor overlooking the valley of the River Meavy. The hut circle
is terraced into the hillslope and is composed of a stone and earth wall 1m
wide and 0.4m high defining an internal area measuring 2.4m in diameter. The
doorway faces east.
MAP EXTRACT
The site of the monument is shown on the attached map extract.
It includes a 2 metre boundary around the archaeological features,
considered to be essential for the monument's support and preservation.
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
- Legacy System number:
- 22280
- Legacy System:
- RSM
Sources
Other
Gibson, A, Single Monument Class Description - Stone Hut Circles, (1987)
National Archaeological Record, SX57SE129,
Legal
This monument is scheduled under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979 as amended as it appears to the Secretary of State to be of national importance. This entry is a copy, the original is held by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport.
End of official listing