Sixteen stone hut circles forming part of an unenclosed stone hut circle settlement on the north-east slope of Cox Tor

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. Stone hut circles and hut settlements were the dwelling places of prehistoric farmers on Dartmoor. They mostly date from the Bronze Age, with the earliest examples on the Moor in this building tradition dating to about 1700 BC. The stone-based round houses consist of low walls or banks enclosing a circular floor area; remains of the turf or thatch roof are not preserved. The huts may occur singly or in small or large groups and may lie in the open or be enclosed by a bank of earth and stone. Although they are common on the Moor, their longevity and their relationship with other monument types 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.

Despite limited damage, the unenclosed stone hut circle settlement on the north-east slope of Cox Tor survives comparatively well. Important and informative archaeological structures, features and deposits survive intact and provide an insight into agricultural practice on the western side of the Moor.

Details

This monument includes sixteen stone hut circles forming the largest part of an unenclosed stone hut circle settlement, as well as a contemporary enclosure and a large number of tin prospecting pits situated on the north-east slope of Cox Tor overlooking the valley of the Colly Brook. Fifteen of the huts are circular in plan and measure between 2m and 8m in diameter. The remaining hut is D-shaped and has variable dimensions of 5.2m and 6m in diameter. The walls of all the huts are composed of stone and earth and measure between 0.2m and 0.9m high. One of the huts has an annexe, another is associated with a small box-like structure and eight have visible doorways. An enclosure boundary wall leads in a shallow arc between two of the stone hut circles and measures 2.3m wide and stands up to 0.5m high. A large number of tin prospecting pits lie within the monument. These consist of rectangular pits measuring 4m long by 3m wide and 0.8m deep with an associated crescent-shaped bank on the downslope side standing up to 1m high. These pits were excavated by tinners searching for tin ore.

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:

20393

Legacy System:

RSM

Sources

Books and journals
Butler, J, Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities, (1991), 84-5
Gerrard, G A M, The Archaeology of the Early Cornish Tin Industry, (1986), 254-5
Butler, J, Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities in Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities - The North, Vol. 2, (1991), 84-5

Other
Devon County Sites and Monuments Register, SX57NW3,
Gibson, A, Single Monument Class Description - Stone Hut Circles, (1987)
Gibson, A, Single Monument Class Description - Stone Hut Circles, (1987)
National Archaeological Record, SX57NW33, (1987)

End of official list entry

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