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Summary

Group of hut circles, a length of boundary wall and a field system forming part of an unenclosed settlement.

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1007435: Eleven stone hut circles, a length of boundary wall and a field system forming part of an unenclosed settlement on the north-east slope of Sharpitor

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX56SE47
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 440161
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX57SE/28
• Old SAM Ref: 22272

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• UNENCLOSED HUT CIRCLE SETTLEMENT (Constructed, Bronze Age - 2200 BC (Between) to 701 BC (Between))

Full description

Royal Air Force, 1947, RAF/CPE/UK/2149, 4441 (Aerial Photograph). SDV282746.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1951, SX57SE47 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV272512.

Group of six huts (see related records).

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1980, SX57SE47 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV337205.

Centred at SX 56137055 is a group of fourteen hut circles situated at 355 metres OD on a moderate north slope, and to the east of a reave (SX 57 SE 93).
Eight huts are of Type 1 (SX 56 SE 19) of which four are linked by walling and one has its own walled plot (see plan). Their internal diameters range from 1.8 metres to 3.8 metres with walling either of single blocks or of rubble, between 0.4 metres and 1.2 metres wide, and from 0.2 metres to 0.4 metres high. Where visible, most entrances are to the east or south-east.
The smallest hut is part of the linked group centred at SX 56087055 where there is also an oval hut, 4.7 metres from east to west and 2.1 metres from north to south.
The six huts of Type 2 (SX 56 NE 71) have very obvious levelled interiors, from 3.0 metres to 7.5 metres in diameter, and double faced walling 1.2 metres to 2.5 metres wide and from 0.4 metres to 0.7 metres high. Entrances are to the south-east save in the largest at SX 56187051, ('A' on plan), which is subdivided with one or possibly, two entrances on the west. To the north of 'A' there are the remains of two fields with substantial turf covered lynchets 0.8 metres high. Elsewhere there are very poor traces of a field system which, seen in low light, appears to be confined to about 3.0 hectares within and northward of the settlement and extending up to the reave. The field system is demarcated on the 1:10 000 Field Sheet. Settlement surveyed at 1:10 000 on MSD and at 1:2500. (Quinnell, N. V., 02/06/1980)

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

Unenclosed hut settlement. See related records for details.

English Heritage, 1993, Eleven stone hut circles, a length of boundary wall and a field system (Schedule Document). SDV337207.

Eleven stone hut circles, a length of boundary wall and a field system forming part of an unenclosed settlement on the north-east slope of Sharpitor.

Butler, J., 1994, Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities: Volume Three - The South-West, 39, Map 45, Figure 45.3 (Monograph). SDV137656.

Settlement to the north-east of Sharpitor with one complete and one partial enclosure and fourteen hut circles.

Fletcher, M. J., 2007-2008, Walkhampton Premier Archaeological Landscape; Field Investigation Project (Report - Survey). SDV359195.

(06/06/2007) An unenclosed bronze age settlement comprising fourteen hut circles lies in a natural hollow on the lower slopes and in the shadow of the prominent clitter-covered hill called Sharpitor. Most of the huts are freestanding, although one hut is set within a small enclosure and four are linked to a curvilinear rubble wall. The largest hut is now sub-divided. This settlement is very well preserved and well defined. It lies in shallow hollow below the clitter line the lower slopes of Sharpitor on open grass moorland that is being colonised by bracken with some gorse vegetation. Surveyed at 1:2500 scale.

Various, 2018-2020, PALs Condition Recording forms, WLK-60 (Worksheet). SDV362781.

(14/06/2019) Condition assessed by volunteer recorder as very good; no damage agents affecting site. The Dartmoor Preservation Association regularly visit this site, clearing bracken cover. Some gorse growth noted nearby. Cattle, sheep and ponies are free to roam over this ground, but appear to be causing little visible damage. Hut H could not be identified during site visit.

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

Site photographed during June 2019 site visit.

Ordnance Survey, 2021, MasterMap 2021 (Cartographic). SDV364015.

Features shown on modern mapping.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV8351 - Walkhampton Premier Archaeological Landscape; Field Investigation Project

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