Dispersed stone hut circle settlement and associated fields 490m south east of Silk 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.

Despite afforestation, the dispersed stone hut circle settlement and associated fields lying west of Lowton Brook survives well and contains archaeological structures, features and deposits, relating to the exploitation of this part of the moor during the Bronze Age period.

Details

The monument, which falls into six areas, includes a dispersed stone hut circle settlement and associated fields situated on a north east facing slope overlooking the valley of the Lowton Brook. The settlement contains at least 12 stone hut circles together with a number of lengths of rubble walling forming part of a field system. The stone hut circles within the settlement all survive as banks each surrounding an internal circular area which varies from 14.51 to 55.39 square metres with the average being 30.56 square metres. The height of the surrounding walls vary between 0.6m and 1.3m, with the average being 0.91m. Four of the huts have visible doorways and the orthostatic, rubble bank and coursed walling building traditions are all represented.

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:

28671

Legacy System:

RSM

Sources

Other
Devon County Sites and Monuments Register, SX68SE22, (1982)
Devon County Sites and Monuments Register, SX68SE28, (1981)
MPP fieldwork by S. Gerrard, Gerrard, S., (1997)
Devon County Sites and Monuments Register, SX68SE35, (1988)
Devon County Sites and Monuments Register, SX68SE26, (1981)
Devon County Sites and Monuments Register, SX68SE26.1, (1981)
MPP Fieldwork by S.Gerrard, Gerrard, S., (1997)
Devon County Sites and Monuments Register, SX68SE23, (1981)
Devon County Sites and Monuments Register, SX68SE27, (1981)
Devon County Sites and Monuments Register, SX68SE25.1, (1981)
Devon County Sites and Monuments Register, SX68SE25, (1981)
Devon County Sites and Monuments Register, SX68SE26.3, (1981)
Devon County Sites and Monuments Register, SX68SE26.2, (1981)

End of official list entry

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