Hut circles and a length of enclosure wall, forming part of a stone hut circle settlement 600m east of Nodden Gate

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 600m east of Nodden Gate survives comparatively well and contains archaeological remains and environmental evidence relating to the monument, the economy of its inhabitants and the landscape in which they lived. As such, it provides a valuable insight into the nature of Bronze Age occupation on the west side of the Moor. The multi-phase character of the settlement will provide valuable information concerning the changing domestic and agricultural requirements of an upland Bronze Age society.

Details

This monument includes 15 stone hut circles, a length of enclosure wall, a parish boundary stone and stone-splitting pits forming the largest part of a settlement situated on the west facing slope of Arms Tor overlooking the valley of the River Lyd. The six northern stone hut circles are linked together by a 1.7m wide and 0.4m high curved enclosure boundary wall which defines the northern and western sides of an enclosure, whilst the southern and eastern parts were either never completed or survive as a buried feature. This boundary wall is later than the huts which it links and provides important evidence of development within the settlement. All the stone hut circles within the monument survive as stone and earth banks surrounding a circular internal area. The internal diameters of these huts vary between 4.2m and 6.3m with the average being 5.61m. The height of the surrounding walls varies between 0.3m and 1.35m with the average being 0.7m. Six of the huts are linked to the enclosure boundary wall, one has a visible doorway, two include more than a single room and one has a partition. Two features of post-medieval date are included within this monument. The first is a roughly dressed granite pillar, measuring 1.5m high by 0.6m wide and 0.4m thick. This stone denotes the boundary between the commons shared by Bridestowe and Sourton and the parish of Lydford. The second feature includes a large number of stone-splitting pits which vary in size, but average 2.5m in diameter and 0.4m deep. These pits were produced during the search for, and limited quarrying of, surface stone.

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:

24075

Legacy System:

RSM

Sources

Books and journals
Butler, J, Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities, (1991), 224
Butler, J, Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities, (1991), 151
Butler, J, Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities, (1991), 151

Other
Title: Ordnance Survey 1:10000 sheet SX 58 NW Source Date: 1981 Author: Publisher: Surveyor:
MPP fieldwork by S. Gerrard,
Gibson, A, Single Monument Class Description - Stone Hut Circles, (1988)
Devon County Sites and Monuments Register, SX58NW9,

End of official list entry

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