Enclosure 1250m NNW of Standon Down

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.

The enclosure 1250m NNW of Standon Down survives comparatively well and lies on the western edge of a large expanse of blanket peat which contains important environmental information. Archaeological structures, features and deposits will provide a valuable insight into the economy of the site's inhabitants and the landscape in which they lived.

Details

This monument includes a sub-oval enclosure situated on a gentle west-facing slope overlooking Tavy Cleave. The interior of the enclosure measures 29m north to south by 21m east to west and is defined by a rubble wall up to 2.5m wide and 0.5m high. The eastern half of the enclosure is buried beneath peat, although the upper part of the boundary bank remains visible. A bulge in the south-east corner of the enclosure may represent the site of a stone hut circle, which now survives largely as a buried feature. A gap in the southern wall represents an original entrance to the enclosure.

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:

22315

Legacy System:

RSM

Sources

Books and journals
Butler, J, Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities, (1991), 98

Other
Devon County Sites and Monuments Register, SX58SE26,
MPP fieldwork by S. Gerrard,
National Archaeological Record, SX58SE15,

End of official list entry

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