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Summary

Length of boundary wall and seven stone hut circles forming part of a large enclosure north-east of Ger Tor. Curved boundary wall denotes the higher edge of a substantial enclosed area. The boundary includes two, 1m wide and 0.3m high rubble banks which both curve to form a funnelled entrance measuring 50m wide. A number of huts scattered around the entrance area may be contemporary with the enclosure, although the siting of one within the narrowest part of the passage seems inconsistent with this interpretation. The enclosure measures 440m north to south by 600m east to west.

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1011237: Length of boundary wall and seven stone hut circles forming part of a large enclosure north-east of Ger Tor

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 440591
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX58SW/57/1
• Old SAM Ref: 22242

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• ENCLOSURE (Early Neolithic to Late Bronze Age - 4000 BC to 701 BC)

Full description

Gerrard, S., 1990-2002, Monument Protection Programme. Archaeological Item Dataset., MPP 130602 (Report - Survey). SDV277946.

(1992) This curved boundary wall is situated on a south-east facing slope overlooking the valley of the River Tavy, and it denotes the higher edge of a substantial enclosed area. The boundary includes two, 1m wide and 0.3m high rubble banks which both curve to form a funnelled entrance measuring 50m wide. A number of huts scattered around the entrance area may be contemporary with the enclosure, although the siting of one within the narrowest part of the passage seems inconsistent with this interpretation. The enclosure (of which this item forms only the northern edge) measures 440m north to south by 600m east to west and is defined on the east by a small stream, on the south by the River Tavy and on the west by a rubble wall. The shape and orientation of the entrance passage suggests that this enclosure was constructed to hold livestock driven from the higher moorland, and its size reflects the need for substantial grazing. Many of the stone hut circles situated within discrete clusters along the upper edge of the enclosure are probably associated with the herding and management of stock.

Butler, J., 1991, Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities: Volume Two - The North, 100-101, Map 32, Figure 32.3 (Monograph). SDV219155.

Settlement to the north-east of Ger Tor with widely dispersed solidly built huts. Two curved reaves form the northern boundary of the settlement with a 50 metres gap between them where there is a cluster of huts.

Historic England, 2023, National Heritage List for England, 1011237 (National Heritage List for England). SDV365228.

This monument includes a length of enclosure boundary wall and seven stone hut circles situated on a south-east facing slope overlooking the valley of the River Tavy. The enclosure boundary includes two 1 metre wide and 0.3 metres high rubble banks, which both curve to form a funnelled entrance measuring 50 metres across. The enclosure, of which this monument only forms the northern edge, measures 440 metres north to south by 600 metres east to west and is defined on the east by a small stream, on the south by the River Tavy and on the west by a rubble wall. The shape and orientation of the entrance passage suggests that this enclosure was constructed to hold livestock driven from the higher moorland, and its size reflects the need for a large quantity of grazing. Many of the stone hut circles within the enclosure are situated in discrete clusters within the vicinity of the northern boundary. This monument includes seven stone hut circles situated within the entrance area, which would have been the focal point for activity within the enclosure. The stone hut circles survive as stone and earth walls surrounding an internal area. Six of the huts are circular and their internal diameters vary between 3.5 metres and 6 metres, with the average being 4.5 metres. The remaining hut is oval in shape and its interior measures 2 metres long by 1.5 metres wide and the surrounding wall 1.5 metres wide and 0.3 metres high. The height of all the hut walls vary between 0.3 metres and 0.7 metres. One hut has an annex, five have visible doorways, one an internal partition, one a bench and three are attached to boundary walls. Excavation of four huts within the settlement was carried out by the Dartmoor Exploration Committee in 1893. Hearths were found in two huts, a partition wall in another and two of the huts were partly paved with large slabs.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV7368 - Survey of the Willsworthy Training Area, Peter Tavy (1998)
• EDV6663 - Survey of the Willsworthy Training Area
• EDV6664 - Survey of the Willsworthy Training Area
• EDV6665 - Survey of the Willsworthy Training Area
• EDV8141 - Condition survey of the Willsworthy Training Area

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