Partially enclosed stone hut circle settlement 650m south east of Tawcroft

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 partially enclosed stone hut circle settlement 650m south east of Tawcroft survives comparatively well and, together with a rich array of nearby features forms part of an archaeological landscape.

Details

This monument includes a partially enclosed stone hut circle settlement situated on a north west facing slope of Cosdon Hill overlooking the valley of the River Taw. The enclosure survives as a 50m long by 36m wide oval shaped area defined by a 2.4m wide and 0.4m high earthwork, with occasional orthostats. Two short lengths of walling lead from the northern side of the enclosure, suggesting that it may have been agglomerated, though because of peat accumulation the extent and character of the additional enclosures could not be established by fieldwork. A substantial gap in the western circuit of the enclosure may be the result of robbing, although a smaller one on the same side may represent an original entrance. There are two stone hut circles attached to the inner face of the main enclosure, a third lies close to one of the possible additional enclosure walls and four more lie to the south west. The stone hut circles survive as stone and earth banks each surrounding a circular internal area and two have visible doorways.

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:

28799

Legacy System:

RSM

Sources

Other
MPP fieldwork by S. Gerrard, Gerrard, S., (1996)

End of official list entry

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