Prehistoric settlement 610m south west of Cox Tor

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 prehistoric settlement 610m south west of Cox Tor survives well and together with an associated enclosure and coaxial fields forms part of a well-preserved palimpsest on the lower slopes of Cox Tor, containing abundant evidence for the use of the area in both prehistoric and historic times.

Details

The monument includes a stone hut circle settlement with an associated enclosure and fields situated on a gentle west facing slope of Cox Tor overlooking much of West Devon and East Cornwall. The stone hut circle settlement includes three stone hut circles, which survive as rubble banks each surrounding a circular internal area which varies from 15.9 sq m to 19.6 sq m, with the average being 17.1 sq m. The surrounding walls measure up to 0.6m high and one has a visible doorway. The enclosure survives as a 64m long by 54m wide irregular shaped area denoted by a 2m wide rubble bank standing up to 0.5m high. Two of the stone hut circles lie within this enclosure which is clearly of a different date to the adjacent fields which form part of the coaxial field system on Whitchurch Common.

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:

22362

Legacy System:

RSM

Sources

Other
Title: Cox Tor Survey Source Date: 1991 Author: Publisher: Surveyor: 1:2500 plan
MPP fieldwork by S. Gerrard, Gerrard, S., (2000)

End of official list entry

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