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Summary

Sub-circular enclosure with a well defined boulder/slab wall containing two poorly preserved hut circles. Enclosure of 74 metres by 68 metres with wall 1.5 metres wide by up to 0.7 metres high. The south-east corner has apparently been slighted by a 1.6 metres wide and 0.6 metres high, medieval boundary bank, whose alignment suggests that it was built on the line of an extension of the Willings Walls Reave.

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1014145: Three stone alignments, 15 cairns, a cist, a partially enclosed stone hut circle settlement and a small clapper bridge at Drizzle Combe

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX56NE90
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 438758
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX56NE/46
• Old SAM Ref Revised: 24104
• Old SAM Ref: 10726

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• ENCLOSURE (Constructed, Bronze Age - 2200 BC to 701 BC (Between))

Full description

Worth, R. H., 1943, The Prehistoric Pounds of Dartmoor, 277-8, Figure 3 (Article in Serial). SDV320337.

The Drizzlecombe pound 67 metres by 64 metres with walls 1.52 to 1.37 metres wide and covering an area of 0.3 hectares. The enclosure is not circular as there is a considerable length of straight wall on the south-west side. The wall is much ruined in parts. An inner lining of slabs is still visible on the north-west side. A cairn lies a few yards outside the pound wall, two hut circles within the enclosure. The entrance is in the west wall.

Royal Air Force, 1948, RAF/CPE/UK/2494, 4128-9 (Aerial Photograph). SDV147533.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1977, SX56NE90 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV252118.

(27/06/1977) On a south-facing slope at 350.0 m OD above the River Plym are two enclosures and six hut circles.
The western enclosure, roughly circular and 65.0m in diameter contains two hut circles, a Type 1 of 4.0m internal diameter and a Type 2 of 5.0m diameter; both have walls 1.2m thick and entrances on the south. See also MDV3443.
There is no associated field system. (Type sites: 1, SX 56 SE 19; 2, SX 56 NE 71). Surveyed at 1:10 000 on PFD.

Price, D. G., 1980, The Moorland Plym, 129-138 (Article in Serial). SDV254604.

Balaam, N. D. + Smith, K. + Wainwright, G. J., 1982, The Shaugh Moor Project: Fourth Report - Environment, Context and Conclusion (Article in Serial). SDV145845.

Possibly associated with prehistoric tinning.

Fleming, A., 1987, Prehistoric Tin Extraction on Dartmoor: A Cautionary Note, 117-122 (Article in Serial). SDV215976.

Price, D. G., 1988, Prehistoric Tin Extraction on Dartmoor: A Reply to Andrew Fleming, 91-95 (Article in Serial). SDV215977.

Gerrard, S., 1990-2002, Monument Protection Programme. Archaeological Item Dataset., MPP 133423, 12/3/1993 (Report - Survey). SDV277946.

Sub-circular enclosure measures internally 74m north-south by 68m east-west and is defined by a rubble wall 1.5m wide and up to 0.7m high, which is lined by slabs on the inner face of the north-western quadrant. The south-east corner of the enclosure has apparently been slighted by a 1.6m wide and 0.6m high, medieval boundary bank, whose alignment suggests that it was built on the line of an extension of the Willings Walls Reave.
The hut circles are composed of circular stone and earth banks surrounding an internal area and both are of the simple plan and double orthostat walling type. The northern stone hut circle is attached to the inner face of the enclosure, its interior measures 5.3 metres in diameter and is defined by a 1.5 metre wide wall standing up to 0.4 metres high. A south-west facing gap in the surrounding wall may represent an original doorway. The southern stone hut circle lies within the enclosure and includes a 1.9 metre wide and 0.6 metre high wall surrounding a 4.3 metre diameter internal area. A south-south-west facing gap, lined on both sides with upright slabs represents the original doorway.

Butler, J., 1994, Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities: Volume Three - The South-West, 128, Figure 49.13, Map 49 (Monograph). SDV137656.

Drizzlecombe Enclosure (B) with two associated buildings. The south-east has been sacrificed to a later wall. A large cairn is located close to the north-east side.

Robertson, J. G., 1994, The Archaeology of the Upper Plym Valley, 870-1 (Post-Graduate Thesis). SDV139549.

Depicted.

Fletcher, M. + Newman, P. + Probert, S., 1999, Drizzlecombe, Eylesbarrow, Ditsworthy and Hartor areas in the Plym Valley, West Devon (Report - Survey). SDV346268.

(09/08/1999) The sub-circular shaped enclosure centred at SX 5934 6714 has a well defined boulder/slab wall. It contains two poorly preserved hut circles : one at SX 5935 6717 linked to the enclosure wall has an average internal diameter of 4.8m with partial slab walling up to 0.4m. There is no trace of an entrance. The second, freestanding, hut is at SX 5932 6715. It has a similar internal diameter and a strong wall up to 0.6m high with some internal and external facing slabs. Its entrance is in the south-east side.

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

Feature visible on aerial photograph.

Historic England, 2018, National Heritage List for England, 1014145 (National Heritage List for England). SDV360653.

Sub-circular enclosure diameter 60 metres; bank 1.5 metres wide, 0.7 metres high. Faced on inside in north-west quadrant. Entrance to west. Traces of at least 2 hut circles within enclosure.

Various, 2018-2020, PALs Condition Recording forms, UP-DZ 24 (Worksheet). SDV362781.

Visited 08/02/2020. Overall condition moderate. Photo taken.

Various, 2018-2020, PALs Condition Recording photographs, UP-DZ 24 (Photograph). SDV363073.

Photo looking 060° showing grass/moss and bracken with reed outcrops on walls and throughout the enclosure.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV4966 - Survey of Drizzlecombe, Eylesbarrow, Ditsworthy and Hartor. The Eylesbarrow archaeological landscape
• EDV8155 - Plym Valley Survey

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