Enclosure with hut circles west of Plym Steps

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. This enclosure is a well-preserved example with hut circles. It provides important insight into farming practices on the Moor during the Prehistoric period.

Details

The Dartmoor landscape includes many discrete plots of land enclosed by stone walls or earth and stone banks, which acted as stock pens or protected areas for crop growing. Some of them were subdivided to accommodate hut dwellings for farmers and herdsmen. Many examples date to the Bronze Age (c.2500-500 BC), though earlier and later ones also exist. This enclosure lies on a north-east facing slope above the confluence of the River Plym and Langcombe Brook, west of Plym Steps. It consists of an ovoid enclosure which measures 87m north to south and 91m east to west, defined by a bank of earth and stone up to 0.3m in height and 2m in width. Within it there are four huts, ranging from 6m to 10m in diameter with walls up to 2m in width and 0.6m in height. One hut is attached to the southern wall, the others are free-standing. The enclosure is crossed by a disused leat.

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:

10687

Legacy System:

RSM

Sources

Other
Devon County SMR SX66NW-035,

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