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 five stone hut circles situated on a gentle south
facing slope overlooking the River Tavy and forming part of the large
unenclosed stone hut circle settlement at Watern Oke. Of the five huts, four
are circular in plan and the internal diameters of these huts vary from 2.6m
to 3.2m. The remaining hut is a two-roomed structure with the compartments
measuring 2.7m and 3.1m in diameter. The average height of all the walls is
0.72m. One hut has a porch and three have doorways.
This monument forms part of one of the largest unenclosed stone hut circle
settlements on Dartmoor.
During June and July 1905 these stone hut circles were partially excavated by
the Dartmoor Exploration Committee. Artefacts found include cooking and
rubbing stones and a piece of glass.
Further stone hut circles probably survive in the area north of the monument,
but these are not included in the scheduling because they are buried below
peat and have not yet been identified.
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
Legacy System number:
20362
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
