Enclosed hut circle settlement, 500m north-west of Jericho Farm

Overview

Location

Summary

An enclosed hut circle settlement, of prehistoric date.

Reasons for Designation

The enclosed hut circle settlement approximately 500m north-west of Jericho Farm in Sancreed is scheduled for the following principal reasons:

* Period/Rarity: it is representative of the prehistoric period and there is a presumption in favour of designating such sites when they survive to any substantive degree, as is the case here; * Potential: it will contain buried archaeological and environmental deposits relating to its occupation; * Survival: it survives undisturbed and will be of particular importance in understanding the nature and organisation of prehistoric land use in the area.

History

Stone hut circles were the dwelling places of prehistoric farmers, mostly dating from the Bronze Age (c.2000-700 BC). The stone-based round houses survive as low walls or banks enclosing a circular floor area; remains of a turf or thatch roof are not preserved. The huts occur singly or in small or large groups and may occur in the open or be enclosed by a bank of earth and stone. Frequently traces of their associated field systems may be found immediately around them, sometimes indicated by an area of clearance cairns and/or the remains of field walls and other enclosures.

The hut circle settlement some 500m north-west of Jericho Farm in the parish of Sancreed is located on a slight west-facing slope in an area of enclosed moorland which has been partly improved. The site which is of prehistoric date is visible on aerial photographs dating from 1946, 1977 and 1982 comprising a sub-circular enclosure with three conjoined fields on its north-east side. It was recorded and mapped during the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Mapping Project (carried out between 1994 and 2006) which was part of English Heritage's National Mapping Programme. The associated field system and areas of later ridge and furrow have been either damaged or destroyed during late-C20 and early-C21 land improvement and drainage works.

Details

PRINCIPAL ELEMENTS The monument includes the earthwork and buried remains of an enclosed hut circle settlement and is situated in an area of enclosed and partly improved moorland.

DETAILS It comprises a sub-oval enclosure measuring approximately 44m north-west to south-east and 30m north-east to south-west. It is defined by low banks of earth and stone standing to a height of up to 0.6m. There is no obvious sign of an entrance, but it is likely that the interior will contain the buried remains of hut circles as well as occupation debris associated with the occupation of the settlement site. Aerial photographs of the site show three conjoined fields defined by low banks to the north-east and east of this enclosure. However, only the fragmentary remains of one of these fields survives since much of this area has been the subject of ground disturbance and clearance and is, therefore, not included in the scheduling.

Sources

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 Digital, Culture, Media and Sport.