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.
Details
This monument includes an agglomerate enclosure and seven stone hut circles
situated on a gentle west facing slope of Raddick Hill overlooking the valley
of the River Meavy.
The agglomerate enclosure is composed of two similar sized conjoined
enclosures aligned north-south and defined by a rubble wall measuring 2m wide
and standing up to 0.4m high. The interior of the northern enclosure measures
60m north to south by 56m east to west and the southern enclosure 60m north to
south by 58m east to west. Two gaps in the boundary wall may be original
entrances allowing access between the two enclosures and between the
enclosures and their surrounding area. Six of the stone hut circles lie within
the enclosures and the seventh lies immediately outside the north east angle
of the northern enclosure. The stone hut circles are composed of stone and
earth banks surrounding an internal area. The internal diameter of the huts
varies between 3.5m and 6.8m with the average being 4.8m. The height of the
surrounding wall varies between 0.3m and 0.6m with the average being 0.4m. A
cairnfield lying 50m to the south east of the monument is included within
other scheduling proposals.
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
Legacy System number:
22293
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
