Two stone hut circles forming part of the enclosed stone hut circle settlement on the south-east slope of Conies Down Tor

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 enclosed stone hut circle settlement on the south-east slope of Conies Down Tor survives comparatively well and forms part of a scattered group of at least five broadly contemporary settlements situated in the upper reaches of the valley of the River Cowsic. Both the huts and enclosures contain archaeological remains and environmental evidence relating to the monument and the landscape in which it was constructed and, as such, provide a valuable source of information concerning the nature of Bronze Age occupation and land use in this remote Dartmoor valley.

Details

This monument includes two attached stone hut circles terraced into the south- east facing slope of Conies Down Tor and forms part of an enclosed stone hut circle settlement. The larger structure is composed of stone and earth, measures 3.5m in diameter and is defined by a 1m wide wall standing up to 0.4m high. The smaller hut is attached to the north-east side, measures 2m in diameter and is defined by a wall 1.3m wide and 0.3m high. These structures lie 30m west of the enclosed settlement.

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:

22224

Legacy System:

RSM

Sources

Other
Gibson, A, Single Monument Class Description - Stone Hut Circles, (1987)
Devon County Sites and Monuments Register, SX57NE26, (1983)

End of official list entry

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