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Summary

Western of two hut circles to the north-west of Powder Mills. Hut of 4.7 metres diameter with walls 1.9 metres wide by 0.5 metres high

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1016638: A partially enclosed stone hut circle settlement, two cairns containing cists and a post-medieval building 440m NNW of Powder Mills

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX67NW17
• National Monuments Record: SX67NW18
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 442558
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 442561
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX67NW/15
• Old SAM Ref: 28721.03

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• (Former Type) CAIRN CIRCLE (Bronze Age - 2200 BC (Between) to 701 BC (Between))
• HUT CIRCLE (Constructed, Bronze Age - 2200 BC (Between) to 701 BC (Between))

Full description

Breton, H. H., 1926, The Heart of Dartmoor, Morwenstow, 34-5 (Monograph). SDV265360.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card, 1950/1953, SX67NW17 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV263617.

(14/12/1951) This circle at SX 62527786 and other (MDV13520) are of similar size and of fairly large stones (up to 1.5m high) and fairly complete although many of the stones are fallen and are partly buried. Both appear to be cairn circles (large scale reviewer).
Cairn circle, or perhaps a hut ? Probably hut not cairn (citing Lady A. Fox correspondence, 1953).

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1951, SX67NW18 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV263627.

(18/12/1951) SX 6252 7787 Cairn Circle 5.7m in diameter, stones0.3m high. One stone on southern side 1.0m high, condition fair. Lady A. Fox suggests this is perhaps a hut circle.

Grinsell, L. V., 1978, Dartmoor Barrows, 149, Lydford 50 (Article in Serial). SDV273224.

(12/06/1976) Stennen Hill SX 62527787. Ring cairn of close-set slabs. Diameter 7m, height of ring 0.3m.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1979, SX67NW17 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV263622.

(08/11/1979) On a SE slope at 400m OD are two hut circles with levelled interiors measuring 4.7m in diameter. Both are in poor condition (see ground photographs) and of uncertain type but appear to have rubble walling up to 1.9m wide and 0.5m high with some inner facing slabs. The entrances, both on the SE, have slabs (? jambs) angled to the main face.
Surveyed at 1:10 000 on MSD and at 1:2500 for AO Records.

Robinson, R., 1982, Huts north-west of Powder Mills (Personal Comment). SDV263631.

Information given on 3rd February 1982. This appears to be a hut circle. There are others circa 200 metres away.

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

Not visible on 1951 RAF aerial photograph.

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

(18/07/1989) Two hut circles at SX 62527787 and 62567788, set 45m apart on a moderate, S slope amid medium clitter NW of Powder Mills.
'A' SX 62527787 Internal diameter 4.4m defined by fragmentary walls 1.1m wide and 0.3m high, composed of medium and large size stones including several, edge set facing slabs standing up to 0.5m high. A large, triangular slab on the SE arc, placed transversely to the hut wall, probably marks an entrance. Another large stone leans against it.
Neither of these features are stone circles, despite the scheduled status. Explanation as cairn circles by Grinsell is understandable (1978) given the proximity of two genuine cairns with cists (SX 67 NW 15 and 16). There is no doubt, however that they are hut circles.

Gerrard, S., 1990-2002, Monument Protection Programme. Archaeological Item Dataset., MPP 149283 (Report - Survey). SDV277946.

(06/09/1998) At SX62517787. A stone hut circle forming part of a partially enclosed stone hut circle settlement 440m north-north-west of Powder Mills. Diameter 4.6m. Single orthostat wall 1.6m wide, 1.2. Single orthostat wall 1.6m wide, 1.2m high. Average height of the hut wall is 0.5m high. Large upright orthostat on left of the doorway which faces 162 degrees. The door jamb on the right hand side of the door has fallen into the passage. Gorse, grass and bilberry cover.

Butler, J., 1991, Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities: Volume Two - The North, 64, Map 29. (Monograph). SDV219155.

100 metres to the east of the 'Stennen Hill settlements' is the first of a pair of larger huts of circa 5.0 metres diameter with entrances downhill. This hut has a peculiarly pointed jamb stone.

English Heritage, 2005-2008, Prehistoric Survey Information (Cartographic). SDV345521.

Hut circle shown on survey.

Historic England, 2021-2022, NRHE to HER website, Accessed 14/02/2022 (Website). SDV364039.

[442561 / SX67NW18] Cairn or hut circle. SX 62527787. Cairn circle or probable hut circle. Now part of SX 67 NW 17.

Ordnance Survey, 2022, Mastermap 2022 (Cartographic). SDV364674.

One of two 'Hut Circles' shown on modern mapping.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV8645 - Powder Mills and Gawler Newtake, Duchy Farms Survey
• EDV8409 - Dartmoor Royal Forest Project
• EDV8423 - Duchy Farms Project

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