See important guidance on the use of this record.

If you have any comments or new information about this record, please email us.

Summary

Irregular aggregate field system and stone hut circle on Laughter Tor. The field system is defined by a series of low rubble banks, some of which are lynchetted, and which together form at least eight fields. The hut circle stands within the southern field and survives as a circular platform.

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1021051: Irregular aggregate field system and stone hut circle 755m north east of Dunnabridge Pound Farm

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX67NE106
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 442800
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX67NW/218
• Old SAM Ref: 34463

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• AGGREGATE FIELD SYSTEM (Constructed, Bronze Age - 2200 BC (Between) to 701 BC (Between))

Full description

Royal Air Force, 1946, RAF/CPE/UK/1890, 1306-7 (Aerial Photograph). SDV169268.

Royal Air Force, 1964, RAF 58/6399, RAF F6158 58 6399 30 (Aerial Photograph). SDV225229.

Possible crop marks of enclosures at SX 647752.

National Monument Record, 1977, SX6575, 1/365-385 (Aerial Photograph). SDV247974.

National Monuments Record, 1979, SF1509, 192-207 (Aerial Photograph). SDV262885.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1979, SX67NW106 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV263347.

(14/12/1979) Situated on a SW slope of open moorland, between 349m and 379m OD, is a poorly defined system of rectilinear and curvilinear fields, mostly visible as crop marks (a). The fields vary from 0.12ha to 2.0ha though the larger may have concealed sub-divisions. Where visible on the ground the rubble boundaries are 0.5m wide and 0.2m high. No associated hut circles are visible.
Area banded on 6 inch OS Field Sheet and depicted at approximately 1:2500 on sketch plan.

Royal Commission on the Historical Monuments of England, 1985, Aerial Photograph Project (Dartmoor) - Dartmoor Pre-NMP (Cartographic). SDV319854.

Large fragmentary agglomerate enclosure extending onto SX67NE (SX67NE/157). Comprises more than ten elements with five hut circles, three of which are attached to the enclosure walls. Visible on NMR 1977 aerial photographs.

Royal Commission for the Historical Monuments of England, 1987-1993, Duchy Farms Project Survey Visit (Report - Survey). SDV350839.

(25/08/1988) A Field group situated in open moorland on Brimpts Newtake, on a moderate, W facing slope at centre SX 6488 7526. Ground survey of the group was inhibited by vegetation cover; coarse grass with heather and low gorse. Peat accumulation has served also to hide field boundaries. All features shown on the accompanying plan are definitive boundaries. Other features depicted on previous recording are either vegetational marks, the edges of peat lies (which are extensive to N and W) or features of which there is no surface trace. None of the five hut circles depicted on the RCHME APP (1985) are visible on the ground. The fields may have been more extensive but peat cutting on the N and E has achieved almost total ground cover and consequent destruction.
Parts of at least seven fields remain, though only one is complete. Boundaries are straight or curvilinear producing an irregular effect in plan, suggesting development by accretion. The one complete field has an area of c 0.3 ha, but others may have been larger. The boundaries survive as low banks of smooth, curving profile 2-2.7m wide and 0.1-0.45m high; the greater relief on the downhill side so that several are reduced almost to scarps. Now largely vegetation covered, the banks appear to be composed of hand-sized stones and earth. A circular platform (A) at SX 64927514 is 5.3m diameter and defined by a penannular scarp up to 1.7m long and 0.6m high. No trace of stone could be found. Although possibly a hut circle, it remains uncertain.
At (B) is a possible length of trackway 25m long defined by a bank to the N and a scarp facing it to the S. There is a sunken area 3m wide by 0.5m deep between. An apparent trackway at (C) is produced by two facing scarps the N one of which may be the edge of a peat tie. The site is visible on aerial photographs.

Gerrard, S., 1990-2002, Monument Protection Programme. Archaeological Item Dataset., MPP 157140 (Report - Survey). SDV277946.

(10/05/2002) Irregular aggregate field system and stone hut circle 1480m north-east of Huccaby Tor. Heather, grass and gorse overall.

Butler, J., 1991, Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities: Volume Two - The North, 57, 227, Map 28, Figure 28.3 (Monograph). SDV219155.

Laughter Tor south-west settlement at SX648752. The walls have been quarried for stone and are now reduced to banks no more than 0.2 metres high. No trace of any hut dwellings can be found.

Ancient Monuments, 2003, Schedule notes (Schedule Document). SDV263359.

(30/09/2003) SX 64927527. Irregular aggregate field system and stone hut circle on Laughter Tor. The field system is defined by a series of low rubble banks, some of which are lynchetted, and which together form at least eight fields. The hut circle stands within the southern field and survives as a circular platform. Scheduled.

GeoInformation Group Ltd, 2010, 1:625 2010 Colour (12.5cm resolution) (Aerial Photograph). SDV346026.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV8634 - Brimpts Farm, Duchy Farms Survey
• EDV8409 - Dartmoor Royal Forest Project
• EDV8423 - Duchy Farms Project

Search results generated by the HBSMR Gateway from exeGesIS SDM Ltd.