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. Within the landscape of Dartmoor
there are many discrete plots of land enclosed by stone walls or banks of
stone and earth, most of which date to the Bronze Age (c.2000-700 BC), though
earlier and later examples also exist. They were constructed as stock pens or
as protected areas for crop growing and were sometimes subdivided to
accommodate stock and hut circle dwellings for farmers and herdsmen. The size
and form of enclosures may therefore vary considerably depending on their
particular function. Their variation in form, longevity and relationship to
other monument classes 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 comprises a prehistoric enclosed settlement known as Broadun
Ring situated on a south east facing slope overlooking the valley of the
East Dart River. The enclosure survives as an oval shaped area denoted by
a boulder faced wall measuring up to 6m wide and standing up to 1.2m high.
The interior of the enclosure measures 119m north-south by 79m east-west
and contains at least 13 stone hut circles varying between 3.5m and 8.5m
in internal diameter. A gap in the south eastern length of the enclosure
wall may represent an original entrance. Most of the huts within the
enclosure have visible doorways and six are attached to the inner face of
the enclosure. The largest hut within the settlement has a rectangular
platform built within its interior. Some of the huts appear to have been
refurbished, suggesting reuse perhaps in the historic period. Ten of the
huts within the settlement were partially excavated by the Dartmoor
Exploration Committee in 1893 and this work revealed hearthstones,
charcoal, flints and pot boilers.
A small number of pits within the enclosure represent the site of historic
stone splitting activity. A drystone wall leading alongside the inner face
of the western side of the enclosure bank stands up to 1.5m high and
represents a post-medieval field boundary.
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
Legacy System number:
34493
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
