Agglomerated enclosure with hut circles on Corringdon Ball

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. Within the landscape of Dartmoor there are many discrete plots of land enclosed by stone walls or banks of stone and earth, most of which date to the Bronze Age (c.2000-700 BC), though earlier and later examples also exist. They were constructed as stock pens or as protected areas for crop growing and were sometimes subdivided to accommodate stock and hut circle dwellings for farmers and herdsmen. The size and form of enclosures may therefore vary considerably depending on their particular function. Their variation in form, longevity and relationship to other monument classes 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.

This agglomerated enclosure is a major element in the concentration of contemporary occupation evidence surviving on Corringdon Ball, near the ceremonial and funerary complex at Glasscombe.

Details

This agglomerated enclosure lies on the south west slope of Corringdon Ball, some 50m above Corringdon Leat and is a major element in the concentration of occupation evidence occurring in the area. The agglomeration consists of four enclosures with at least six hut circles set within them. The enclosure banks comprise large boulders and survive up to 5m in width and 1m in height. The south-western enclosure is the largest, measuring 60m by 55m; the others range from 24 to 38m in diameter and the whole agglomeration covers an area of some 0.7ha. The huts are all attached to the enclosure banks and range from 7m to 9m in diameter, with walls measuring 1m in thickness and up to 0.6m in height. Some walls are faced and the hut entrances open into the enclosures.

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:

10859

Legacy System:

RSM

Sources

Other
SX 66 SE-104, SX 66 SE-104, (1991)

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