A stone hut circle settlement and irregular aggregate field system at the northern tip of Long Ridge

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 stone hut circle settlement and irregular aggregate field system at the northern tip of Long Ridge survives well and will provide evidence of their developmental sequence. In addition, archaeological and environmental information relating to the character and development of this area in prehistoric times survives. This settlement lies just outside a coaxial field system and on the interface between rich tin deposits and extensive areas of upland grazing.

Details

The monument includes five stone hut circles within an irregular aggregate field system situated at the northern tip of Long Ridge, known locally as Langridge, overlooking the valley of the River North Teign. The irregular aggregate field system includes at least four fields formed by orthostatic and rubble bank walling. A length of walling leading west from the settlement may be part of a larger scale land division boundary. At least five stone hut circles lie within the field system and of these, three are free standing and the remainder are butted by lengths of field wall. The hut circles which are butted by the field walling are clearly earlier than the field system. The field system shows obvious signs of having developed over time and was added to a previously unenclosed settlement. The stone hut circles within the settlement all survive as banks each surrounding circular internal areas which vary from 18 square metres to 37.37 square metres with the average being 30.45 square metres. The height of the surrounding walls varies between 0.3m and 0.75m, with the average being 0.61m. Three of the huts have visible doorways and all of them are of orthostatic 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:

28665

Legacy System:

RSM

Sources

Books and journals
Butler, J, Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities, (1991), 190

End of official list entry

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