Prehistoric stone hut circle settlement, an associated field system and two round cairns 700m south west of Great Carrath

Reasons for Designation

Stone hut circles and hut circle settlements were the dwelling places of prehistoric farmers. Most date from the Bronze Age (c.2000-700 BC). The stone- based round-houses consist of low walls or banks enclosing a circular floor area; the remains of the turf, thatch or heather roofs 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 or stone. Frequently traces of their associated field systems may be found immediately around them. These may be indicated by areas of clearance cairns and/or the remains of field walls and other enclosures. The longevity of use of hut circle settlements and their relationship with other monument types provides 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.

Regular aggregate field systems date from the Bronze Age to the end of the fifth century AD and comprise a discrete block of fields orientated in roughly the same direction, with the field boundaries laid out along two axes set out at right angles to each other. The settlements or farmsteads from which people utilised the fields are usually situated close to or within the field system. The majority of regular aggregate field systems are thought to have been used mainly for crop production although rotation may also have been practiced in a mixed farming economy. They represent a coherent economic unit often utilised for long periods and can thus provide important information about developments in agricultural practices and broader patterns of social, cultural and environmental change over several centuries. Round cairns are prehistoric funerary monuments dating to the Bronze Age. They were constructed as stone mounds covering single or multiple burials. These burials may be placed within the mound in stone-lined compartments called cists. In some cases the cairn was surrounded by a ditch. Their considerable variation in form and longevity as a monument type provide important information on the diversity of beliefs and social organisation amongst early prehistoric communities. They are particularly representative of their period and a substantial proportion of surviving examples are considered worthy of protection. The prehistoric stone hut circle settlement and its associated regular aggregate field system and two round cairns 700m south west of Great Carrath survive well and represent a complex and diverse group of prehistoric monument classes. Together these monuments represent evidence of long term management and exploitation of the landscape and indicate the importance of this area in prehistoric times and the diversity of monument classes to be found here.

Details

The monument includes a prehistoric stone hut circle settlement, an associated field system, and two round cairns located on the lower south-facing slopes of Mell Fell, 700m south west of Great Carrath. The stone hut circle settlement includes a sub-rectangular stone-walled enclosure measuring approximately 65m by 50m internally which has a modern drystone wall constructed on its north eastern corner. Within the settlement enclosure are the remains of two stone hut circles, one built adjacent to the eastern wall of the enclosure, the other adjacent to the west wall of the enclosure, each measuring approximately 8.5m by 6m. There appear to be traces of a narrow entrance to the settlement immediately adjacent to the western hut circle. On the hillslope south and south east of the settlement there is an extensive associated field system consisting of rectangular and curvilinear fields or large enclosures bounded by stone and earth-built banks. Two disturbed round cairns interpreted as funerary monuments lie approximately 90m to the east and 90m to the west of the settlement. Both measure about 6m in diameter by 0.5m high. All modern field boundaries are excluded from the scheduling, although the ground beneath these features is included.

MAP EXTRACT The site of the monument is shown on the attached map extract.

Legacy

The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.

Legacy System number:

32821

Legacy System:

RSM

Sources

Other
SMR No. 6263, Cumbria County Council, (1998)
Letter to Cumbria SMR, Gates,T, (1998)
In SMR No. 6263. AP No. CCC2797,29, Cumbria County Council,
SMR no. 6263, Cumbria SMR, (1998)

End of official list entry

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