Partially enclosed stone hut circle settlement known as Kraps Ring

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 known as Kraps Ring survives comparatively well and together with other nearby broadly contemporary settlement sites and ceremonial monuments provides an important insight into the nature of Bronze Age occupation and exploitation in the centre of Dartmoor.

Details

The monument includes a partially enclosed stone hut circle settlement lying on a moderate north facing slope of Lakehead Hill overlooking the valley of the East Dart River. The enclosure survives as an oval areas measuring 120m long by 113m wide defined by a rubble bank standing up to 5.5m wide and 0.8m high. Eleven stone hut circles survive within the enclosure and two others lie a short distance to the south. The stone hut circles within the settlement all survive with banks surrounding circular or oval internal areas which vary from 5.3 sq m to 50.2 sq m with the average being 16.7 sq m. The height of the surrounding walls vary between 0.3m and 0.82m, with the average being 0.52m. Four of the huts have visible doorways, one has an annex and the walls themselves vary in character, but the rubble bank and orthostatic construction techniques are both 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:

28686

Legacy System:

RSM

Sources

Books and journals
Butler, J, Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities, (1991), 43-4

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