Stone hut circle and a short length of boundary wall 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, this part of 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 a stone hut circle and a short length of boundary wall forming part of an unenclosed stone hut circle settlement, and a tin prospecting pit, all situated on the north-east slope of Cox Tor overlooking the Colly Brook. The stone hut circle is terraced into the hillslope and is composed of an orthostatic wall defining an internal area measuring 6.6m long by 4.4m wide. The huts walls are 1.5m wide and stand up to 0.2m high. The boundary wall lies to the south of the hut, is of rubble construction, measures 2.5m wide, 0.4m high and forms a 30m long arc aligned from north to south. The tin prospecting pit lies at the south end of the boundary. The pit consists of a sub-rectangular hollow measuring 4.4m long by 3m wide and 0.6m deep with an associated crescent shaped bank standing up to 0.9m high lying immediately downslope.

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:

20397

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

Other
Gibson, A, Single Monument Class Description - Stone Hut Circles, (1987)
National Archaeological Record, SX57NW33, (1987)

End of official list entry

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