Partially enclosed stone hut circle settlement on the north eastern slope of Steeperton Tor

Overview

Heritage Category: Scheduled Monument

List Entry Number: 1016639

Date first listed: 02-Jul-1999

Location

The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.

National Park: DARTMOOR

National Grid Reference: SX 62157 89057

Summary

Legacy Record - This information may be included in the List Entry Details.

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 on the north eastern slope of Steeperton Tor survives well and forms part of a group of at least three settlements situated within the upper reaches of the Taw River. Settlements such as this provide valuble insights into Bronze Age activity on the high moorland.

History

Legacy Record - This information may be included in the List Entry Details.

Details

The monument includes a partially enclosed stone hut circle settlement situated on a north east facing slope of Steeperton Tor overlooking the Steeperton Brook. The settlement survives as a group of rubble banks forming at least five incomplete enclosures in which a large number of stone hut circles are situated. The stone hut circles all survive as circular or oval banks each surrounding an internal area which varies from 5 to 30 square metres, with the average being 14.85 square metres. The height of the surrounding walls varies between 0.3m and 0.7m, with the average being 0.49m. Ten of the huts have visible doorways, seven are butted by enclosure walling, one is attached to an enclosure and they all of single orthostatic or rubble bank construction.

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: 28722

Legacy System: RSM

Sources

Other
MPP Fieldwork by S. Gerrard, Gerrard, S., (1998)
MPP Fieldwork by S. Gerrard, Gerrard, S., (1998)
Probert, S. et al, Dartmoor Royal Forest: SX68NW, (1993)

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 Digital, Culture, Media and Sport.