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.
Details
This monument includes an enclosure situated on a south east facing slope
overlooking the valley of Ford Brook and forms part of a settlement including
at least 13 stone hut circles and three enclosures. The interior of the
enclosure measures 55m east to west by 24m north to south and is defined by a
partly faced 2.5m wide and 0.6m high rubble wall. Substantial breaks in the
northern and southern lengths of the boundary wall may be the result of
limited robbing though significant parts of these lengths of walling may still
survive as buried features.
This enclosure lies on the south western edge of the settlement and has been
cut through by a post-medieval leat which leads from SX 60486289 to the
Whitehill Yeo China Clay Works. The leat channel lying within the monument
measures 2m wide and 0.8m deep and the associated bank of material upcast
during the cutting of the leat survives as a 1.9m wide and 0.5m high bank on
the downslope side of the channel.
Stone hut circles and enclosures lying north and west of this monument are the
subjects of separate schedulings.
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
Legacy System number:
24094
Legacy System:
RSM
Sources
Other
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 Culture, Media and Sport.
End of official list entry
