Two stone hut circles and an enclosure 680m ENE of Trowlesworthy Warren House

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.

The two stone hut circles and enclosure 680m ENE of Trowlesworthy Warren House survive comparatively well and, together with a rich array of nearby features, form part of an archaeological landscape in which the three major periods of human activity on the Moor are represented. This area is a popular visitor destination and the settlement is frequently visited.

Details

This monument includes two stone hut circles and an enclosure situated on a gentle north west facing slope overlooking the River Plym. Both stone hut circles survive as banks of earth and stone surrounding a circular internal area. The interior of the western stone hut circle measures 6m in diameter and the surrounding 0.9m wide wall stands up to 0.3m high. The interior of the eastern hut circle is oval in shape, measures 6.5m long by 4.3m wide and is defined by a 1.3m wide wall standing up to 0.l5m high. A 3.5m wide and 0.8m high rubble bank lies immediately east of the hut. This bank extends southward and divides the nearby enclosure into two parts. The interior of the enclosure measures 14.5m long east to west by 13m wide north to south and is defined by a 1.2m wide rubble bank standing up to 0.4m high. The bank leading through the enclosure measures 1.8m wide, stands up to 0.7m high and appears to post date the enclosure walls. The monument is in the care of the Secretary of State.

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:

24239

Legacy System:

RSM

Sources

Other
Thackray, C., The Upper Plym Valley: The management of an historic landscape, 1994, Archaeological Site Inventory
Thackray, C., The Upper Plym Valley: The management of an historic landscape, 1994, Archaeological Site Inventory
Gibson, A, Single Monument Class Description - Stone Hut Circles, (1987)
Devon County Sites and Monuments Register, SX56NE361, (1984)
MPP Fieldwork by S. Gerrard, (1993)

End of official list entry

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