Reasons for Designation
Medieval rural settlements in England were marked by great regional diversity
in form, size and type, and the protection of their archaeological remains
needs to take these differences into account. To do this, England has been
divided into three broad Provinces on the basis of each area's distinctive
mixture of nucleated and dispersed settlements. These can be further divided
into sub-Provinces and local regions, possessing characteristics which have
gradually evolved during the past 1500 years or more.
This monument lies in the extensive south-west Peninsula sub-Province of the
Northern and Western Province, an area climatically, culturally and physically
distinct from the rest of England. It includes varying terrains, from the
granite uplands, through rolling dissected plateaux to fertile clay lowlands
in the east. While nucleated settlements are present, notably in the Devon
Lowlands and throughout the South Hams, many originated as small towns, and a
high proportion may be of later date. Excluding only the moorland masses, the
sub-Province is characterised by medium and high densities of dispersed
settlements; indeed, some of the former industrial areas had densities as high
as any in the country.
The Dartmoor local region is a high, undulating moorland scenically and
climatically distinct. The inner core, now treeless, is the ancient `Forest of
Dartmoor', while an outer ring of commons provides grazing for a number of
communities outside the Forest. Almost devoid of nucleated settlement, the
region has extremely low densities of dispersed settlement. Scattered
farmsteads and hamlets with irregular enclosed fields appear in peripheral
valleys, while above the present head-dyke are numerous traces of abandoned
settlements and fields.
The medieval settlement on Peek Hill 240m and 280m north east of Lowery
Tor survives well and contains archaeological and environmental
information relating to the exploitation of this area during the medieval
period. Most unusually, this settlement does not appear to have an associated
field system.
Details
The monument, which falls into two areas of protection, includes a medieval
longhouse and outbuilding situated on a south facing slope of Peek Hill
overlooking Burrator Reservoir. The longhouse survives as a rectangular
building denoted by drystone walls measuring 1m wide and up to 0.6m high. The
interior of the building measures 13m long by 4m wide. An annex attached to
the north western side of the longhouse is 9m long by 4m wide and is defined
by a rubble wall standing up to 0.4m high. A 3.8m wide hollow measuring up to
0.6m deep lies adjacent to the south eastern part of the longhouse and this
represents a drainage ditch. The outbuilding lies 66m north east of the
longhouse and survives as a 8.4m long by 2.9m wide internal area surrounded by
a 0.8m wide and 0.6m high drystone wall. The interior of the building is
filled with rubble and a gap in the south western wall represents an original
entrance. An outshut attached to the north eastern side of the building
measures 2m long by 1.1m wide.
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.
