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 includes a stone hut circle settlement, cairnfield and field
system situated on a gentle south west facing slope overlooking the Ruelake
Pit. The stone hut circle settlement includes three stone hut circles, which
survive as circular or oval rubble banks each surrounding an internal area
which varies from 18 sq m to 22 sq m, with the average being 19.7 sq m. The
heights of the surrounding walls vary between 0.3m and 0.6m, with the average
being 0.43m. All of the huts have visible doorways and one is attached to a
short length of field wall.
The cairnfield includes a cluster of at least 14 mounds varying in diameter
between 1.5m and 4m. The cairns stand between 0.2m and 0.6m high and two of
them are denoted by a stone kerb. The field system survives as lengths of
sinuous walling in the area between the huts and the cairnfield.
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
Legacy System number:
22351
Legacy System:
RSM
Sources
Books and journals Other
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
