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.
Details
This monument includes eight stone hut circles and a shieling situated
immediately next to an area of clitter on a south facing slope overlooking the
valley of the River Tavy and forming part of the large unenclosed stone hut
circle settlement at Watern Oke.
Of the eight hut circles, two are attached to boundary walls. Six of the huts
are circular in plan and the internal diameters of these vary from 2.3m to
4.3m. Two huts are oval in plan; these vary in length between 3.5m and 7.4m
and in width from 2m to 3m. The average height of all the walls is 0.76m.
Excavations by the Dartmoor Exploration Committee in June 1905 revealed that
seven of the huts contain hearths.
The shieling is a rectangular one-roomed structure with coursed stone walls.
This is later in date than the hut circles, probably dating to the medieval
period. The interior of the structure measures 7.4m long by 3m wide and has
1.7m wide walls standing up to 1m high. Excavations revealed a fire-place in
the south-west corner.
This monument forms part of one of the largest unenclosed stone hut circle
settlements on Dartmoor.
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
Legacy System number:
20356
Legacy System:
RSM
Sources
Books and journals 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
