Hut circle 770m south east of White Gables

Reasons for Designation

Unenclosed hut circle settlements were the dwelling places of prehistoric farmers. The hut circles take a variety of forms. Some are stone based and are visible as low walls or banks enclosing a circular floor area. Others were timber constructions and only the shallow groove in which the timber uprights used in the wall construction stood can now be identified; this may survive as a slight earthwork feature or may be visible on aerial photographs. Some can only be identified by the artificial earthwork platforms created as level stances for the houses. The number of houses in a settlement varies between one and twelve. In areas where they were constructed on hillslopes the platforms on which the houses stood are commonly arrayed in tiers along the contour of the slope. Several settlements have been shown to be associated with organised field plots, the fields being defined by low stony banks or indicated by groups of clearance cairns. Many unenclosed settlements have been shown to date to the Bronze Age but it is also clear that they were still being constructed and used in the Early Iron Age. They provide an important contrast to the various types of enclosed and defended settlements which were also being constructed and used around the same time. Their longevity of use and their relationship with other monument types provides important information on the diversity of social organisation and farming practices amongst prehistoric communities.

The hut circle 770m south west of White Gables is reasonably well preserved and retains significant archaeological deposits. The importance of the monument is enhanced by the presence of other broadly contemporary settlements on the east slopes of Humbleton Hill and the adjacent Coldberry Hill. It is one of a group of prehistoric sites of high quality and forms part of a wider archaeological landscape. It will contribute to the study of prehistoric settlement and activity in this area.

Details

The monument includes a hut circle of prehistoric date, situated on the east slope of Humbleton Hill. Further remains of prehistoric settlements, field systems and cairns in the vicinity are the subject of separate schedulings. The hut circle is situated on a small level platform, 7m by 7m, formed by a combination of scooping into the hillslope on the west edge and the creation of a platform of upcast material on the eastern edge. The platform is scooped into the hillside to a depth of 1m, the upcast platform stands up to 1.25m high. The hut circle is defined on the eastern side by a bank of earth and stone 1m wide and up to 0.3m high.

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:

31739

Legacy System:

RSM

Sources

Other
NT 92 NE 55,

End of official list entry

All text content is available under the Open Government Licence v3.0 , except where otherwise stated. Any supplied maps are © Crown Copyright [and database rights] 2026 OS AC0000815036 and may not be reproduced without permission.