Two stone hut circles and adjacent Prehistoric field bank 250m SE of Trewortha Farm

Reasons for Designation

Bodmin Moor, the largest of the Cornish granite uplands, has long been recognised to have exceptional preservation of archaeological remains. The Moor has been the subject of detailed archaeological survey and is one of the best recorded upland landscapes in England. The extensive relict landscapes of prehistoric, medieval and post-medieval date provide direct evidence for human exploitation of the Moor from the earliest prehistoric period onwards. The well-preserved and often visible relationship between settlement sites, field systems, ceremonial and funerary monuments as well as later industrial remains provides significant insights into successive changes in the pattern of land use through time. Stone hut circles were the dwelling places of prehistoric farmers on the Moor, mostly dating from the Bronze Age (c.2000-700 BC). The stone-based round houses survive as low walls or banks enclosing a circular floor area; remains of a turf or thatch roof are not preserved. The huts occur singly or in small or large groups and may occur in the open or be enclosed by a bank of earth and stone. Although they are common on the Moor, their longevity of use and their relationship with other monument types provides important information on the diversity of social organisation and farming practices among prehistoric communities. They are particularly representative of their period and a substantial proportion of surviving examples are considered worthy of protection.

These hut circles on Twelve Men's Moor have survived well, with no evident or recorded disturbance. Their adjacent fragment of a broadly contemporary rubble bank indicates the former presence of walling closely associated with hut circles which is otherwise unattested by the surviving remains in this extensively cleared area of pasture. The proximity of the monument to other broadly contemporary settlement sites, field systems and funerary monuments on Twelve Men's Moor demonstrates well the nature of farming practices and the organisation of land use during the Bronze Age.

Details

The monument includes two adjacent stone hut circles and a short length of boundary wall alongside them, situated near other, broadly contemporary, hut circles, cairns and field systems on the western edge of Twelve Men's Moor on eastern Bodmin Moor. The two hut circles are centred 10m apart on a north-south axis. The northern hut circle survives with a wall of heaped rubble, up to 0.8m high and 1.4m wide, with an almost continuous line of edge-set inner facing slabs. The wall defines an oval, level, internal area, measuring 4.5m WNW-ESE by 2.5m NNE-SSW, and has an entrance gap 1.5m wide facing SW. The southern hut circle has similar rubble walling, up to 1.4m wide and 0.8m high, but with fewer, less prominent inner-facing slabs. This wall defines a near circular internal area, 6m in diameter, and curves inwards slightly at an eastern entrance gap. Close to the eastern side of these hut circles is a 28m length of boundary wall, running NNW-SSE, and formed of boulders and heaped rubble, up to 1.75m wide and 0.8m high. The wall touches the eastern outer side of the northern hut circle's wall and passes 2.5m east of the southern hut circle. The wall is truncated at each end by modern clearance. The fact that neither the hut circles' walling nor the boundary wall have been robbed of stone for the construction of each other indicates their broadly contemporary date. The ground level of the monument and its immediate vicinity is raised slightly above that of the surrounding pasture, due to the gradual lowering of the surrounding surface by occasional ploughing to which the monument itself has not been subjected.

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:

15141

Legacy System:

RSM

Sources

Other
consulted 10/1991, Cornwall SMR entry for PRN 1077.04,
consulted 10/1991, Cornwall SMR entries for PRN 1077.02 - .08,
consulted 9/1991, Carter, A./RCHME, 1:2500 AP transcription for SX 2475,
consulted 10/91, Cornwall SMR entry for PRN 1077.05,
consulted 10/1991, Quinnell, N V/RCHME, 1:2500 AP Supplementary Field Trace for SX 2475,

End of official list entry

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