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 containing two stone hut circles situated
on a gentle south west facing slope overlooking the valley of the River Meavy,
and forms an outlying part of a larger settlement. The enclosure survives as a
55m long and 43m wide oval area defined by a 1.5m wide and 0.5m high double
faced rubble wall, which is lynchetted along its southern circuit, where it
stands up to 1.2m high. A short length of its eastern side has seen limited
damage as a result of the making of Raddick Lane and now survives as a buried
feature. The stone hut circles are composed of stone and earth banks each
surrounding a circular internal area. The interior of the northern hut
measures 8m in diameter and the surrounding wall is 1.7m wide and stands up to
0.7m high. The doorway survives as a 1.5m wide gap in the surrounding wall and
faces WSW.
The interior of the southern hut measures 5.6m in diameter and is defined by
a 1.4m wide and 0.4m high rubble bank.
A post-medieval drystone wall measuring 0.7m high and 1m wide which cuts
across the enclosure is excluded from the scheduling, although the ground
beneath this feature is included.
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
Legacy System number:
22385
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
