Agglomerated enclosure with hut circles south-west of Ditsworthy Clam

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. This agglomerated enclosure is a well preserved example. It provides an important insight into occupation and farming practices on the Moor during the Prehistoric period and the later longhouse indicates the continuity of exploitation of this part of the Moor.

Details

The Dartmoor landscape includes many discrete plots of land enclosed by stone walls or earth and stone banks, which acted as stock pens or protected areas for crop growing. Some of them were subdivided to accommodate hut dwellings for farmers and herdsmen. Many examples date to the Bronze Age (c.2500 - 500 BC), though earlier and later ones also exist. This agglomerated enclosure lies on a spur above the south bank of the River Plym, south-west of Ditsworthy Clam. It consists of five conjoined enclosures with hut circles and a later longhouse built in the middle. The Lee Moor China Clay Works Leat cuts through the north-western part and it is not included in the scheduling. The agglomeration covers an area of c.2.7ha, defined by enclosure banks of earth and stone up to 2m in width and 0.5m in height. Within the enclosures there are fourteen huts ranging from 4m to 11m in diameter with walls up to 2.5m in width and 0.6m in height. Entrances to the huts vary from the north-west to the south-east. The agglomeration appears to have developed from the largest circular enclosure on the north- east side, with four smaller enclosures having been added to the south and west of it. There is a longhouse with associated courts within the complex; it is 7m in length and 4m in width with walls 1m in thickness and survives to a height of 1.5m.

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:

10693

Legacy System:

RSM

Sources

Other
Devon County SMR, SX56NE-053,

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