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.
Details
The monument, which falls into two areas of protection, includes a stone hut
circle settlement situated on a gentle south facing slope overlooking the
Walla Brook. The settlement includes at least one enclosure and 18 stone hut
circles, which survive as circular or oval banks each surrounding an internal
area which varies from 3.8 sq m to 15.2 sq m, with the average being
10.4 sq m. The height of the surrounding walls varies between 0.2m and 0.8m,
with the average being 0.43m. Eight of the huts have visible doorways and two
lie within the enclosure. The three hut circles centred at NGR SX66698142 are
especially complex in character, with the northern one possessing a hooked
porch, whilst the other two are connected to a small irregular shaped
courtyard.
The enclosure is situated within the northern part of the settlement and
includes a 1.5m wide and 0.5m high earthwork bank with occasional large
orthostats surrounding an area measuring 19m long 15m wide.
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
Legacy System number:
28744
Legacy System:
RSM
Sources
Books and journals
Legal
This monument is scheduled under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979 as amended as it appears to the Secretary of State to be of national importance. This entry is a copy, the original is held by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.
End of official list entry
