Reasons for Designation
Stone hut circles were the dwelling places of prehistoric farmers. The stone
based round-houses consist of low walls or banks enclosing a circular floor
area; the remains of the turf, thatch or heather roof are not preserved.
Frequently traces of their associated field systems may be found immediately
around them. These may be indicated by areas of clearance cairns and/or the
remains of field walls and other enclosures. Many hut circles have been shown
to date to the Bronze Age (c.2000-700 BC) but it is also clear that they were
still being constructed and used in the Early Iron Age. The longevity of use
of hut circles and their relationships with other monument types provides
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.
This hut circle survives well and significant information about the original
form and archaeological deposits within the monument will be preserved. The
clearance cairn is part of the wider field system associated with the hut
circle. The monument is part of a wider group of barrows, some of which are
thought to represent territorial markers. Similar groups of monuments are
known elsewhere on the North York Moors. Such groupings of monuments offer
important scope for the study of the division of land for social, ritual and
agricultural purposes in different areas in the prehistoric period.
Details
The monument includes a hut circle and an adjacent clearance cairn situated on
the crest of a knoll on the lower slopes of a high dale on the northern edge
of the North York Moors.
The hut circle is defined by a low circular bank 9.7m in diameter. On the
north west side an arc of exposed stones lies within the bank. Further stones
appear along the crest of the bank throughout its circumference. The central
area has been infilled level with the lip of the bank in order to protect the
exposed structure from weathering. A survey prior to this work in 1989
recorded a well defined central area with scatters of small stones in the
southern arc of the bank. The clearance cairn is a mound of stones cleared
from the land to allow for agriculture. It is round in shape, 6m in diameter
and stands 0.5m high. The southern flank is denuded of vegetation and the
structure of the mound is exposed to erosion.
The monument lies within a group of round barrows, one of several similar
groups in this area of the Hambleton Hills providing evidence of territorial
organisation. The monument is part of a wider landscape of occupation and
exploitation and provides evidence of the utilisation of marginal land for
agricultural purposes in the prehistoric period.
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
Legacy System number:
26909
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
