An enclosed stone hut circle settlement, three round cairns and a length of reave 650m WSW of Ger 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.

In addition to the settlement, three round cairns survive within this monument. Round cairns are prehistoric funerary monuments dating to the Bronze Age (c.2000-700 BC). They were constructed as earthen or rubble mounds, the latter predominating in areas of upland Britain where such raw materials were locally available in abundance. Round cairns may cover single or multiple burials and are sometimes surrounded by an outer ditch. Often occupying prominent locations, they are a major visual element in the modern landscape. Their considerable variation in form and longevity as a monument type provide important information on the diversity of beliefs and social organisation amongst early prehistoric communities. They are particularly representative of their period and a substantial proportion of surviving examples are considered worthy of protection. Dartmoor provides one of the best preserved and most dense concentrations of round cairns in south western Britain. The enclosed stone hut circle settlement, three round cairns and a length of reave 650m WSW of Ger Tor survive well within an area containing a number of broadly contemporary settlements, field systems and funerary monuments. The settlement contains archaeological remains and environmental evidence relating to the chronological development of 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 earthwork evidence indicates that at least some of the settlement remains buried beneath peat which will have provided a valuable protective covering.

Details

This monument includes two enclosures, seven stone hut circles, a length of reave and three round cairns situated on the south west facing slope of Nattor Down overlooking the valley of the Willsworthy Brook. The western enclosure is defined by a 1.8m wide and 0.5m high rubble wall on three sides, whilst its western side survives either as a buried feature or was never completed. The minimum dimensions of the area enclosed are 230m north to south by 130m east to west. A round cairn lies in the centre of this enclosure. The eastern enclosure lies adjacent to the first and is defined by a rubble wall similar in both character and dimensions. This enclosure measures 200m east to west by 115m north to south and has an entrance through the western wall. Two short lengths of boundary wall leading off from the northern side of the enclosure may represent the much truncated remains of a further enclosure or associated field system. Four stone hut circles are attached to the enclosure boundary wall and two further examples lie within the interior along with a round cairn. The stone hut circles are composed of circular stone and earth banks surrounding an internal area. All of the huts are circular in plan, and their internal diameters vary between 3.2m and 7m. The height of the surrounding walls varies between 0.3m and 0.7m, with the average being 0.54m. One hut possesses a visible doorway and four are attached or linked to enclosure boundaries. The three round cairns include circular mounds of stone and earth. The northern cairn mound measures 4m in diameter and stands up to 0.6m high. A slight hollow in the centre of the mound suggests robbing or partial early excavation. The western cairn lies in the centre of an enclosure, measures 9.5m north west to south east by 6m north east to south west and stands up to 0.9m high. This cairn has seen limited damage as a result of a post-medieval leat being cut through the eastern part of the mound. The southern cairn lies outside the enclosures, measures 7m in diameter and stands up to 0.4m high. Towards the western side of the mound, two slabs of stone set on edge, represent a cist. The side stone measures 1.2m long, 0.4m deep and 0.23m thick and the edge stone measures 0.5m long, 0.5m deep and 0.2m thick. The other sides are no longer visible and may have been removed when this cairn was robbed or partly excavated. The length of reave lies to the south of the enclosures and includes a 2m wide and 0.7m high rubble wall, which is double-faced in places. A 330m length of this boundary survives above ground level and it appears to be broadly contemporary with the nearby enclosures, to which it is attached by a stony lynchet measuring 25m long, 6m wide and 2m high.

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:

22248

Legacy System:

RSM

Sources

Books and journals
Butler, J, Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities, (1991), 99-100
Butler, J, Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities, (1991), 99

Other
MPP fieldwork by S. Gerrard,
(1987)
MPP fieldwork by S. Gerrard,
Devon County Sites and Monuments Register, SX58SW34,
Devon County Sites and Monuments Register, SX58SW37,
Gibson, A, Single Monument Class Description - Stone Hut Circles, (1987)
Devon County Sites and Monuments Register, SX58SW35,
Devon County Sites and Monuments Register, SX58SW36,
National Archaeological Record, SX58SW18A,

End of official list entry

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