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Summary

Prehistoric settlement on Beardown Tors with several adjoining enclosures and at least seven stone hut circles

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1021178: Enclosed prehistoric settlement 650m south west of Longaford Tor
• SHINE: Earthwork and structural remains of a section of the late 18th century Devonport Leat running from from its take off point near Wistman's Wood to Holming Beam

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX67NW21
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 442566
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX67NW/18
• Old SAM Ref Revised: 34475
• Old SAM Ref: 835

Monument Type(s) and Dates

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

Full description

Royal Air Force, 1946, RAF/CPE/UK/1890, 2469-2470 (Aerial Photograph). SDV169268.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1950, SX67NW21, plan (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV265755.

(26/06/1950) SX 615 778 Hut circles and enclosures, remains of. The six hut circles are labelled on plan from N to S:
A (NNW of enclosure). Diameter 5m. Average height of wall 0.2m. Fragmentary condition. Wall is composed of part turf covered stones.
B (E of hut A). Diameter 4m. Same condition as A.
C (directly S of hut B). Diameter 4.5m. Same condition as A.
D (SW of hut C). Remains of diameter approximately 6m.
E (S of hut D). Diameter 5m. Wall 0.3m high. Composed of turf covered stones.
F (SE of hut E). Diameter 4.0m. Poor condition.
No entrance was visible in any of these hut circles. Enclosures, remains of. There are two small enclosures. The walls are very fragmentary being composed of turf covered stones, they are only a few inches high.

Ancient Monuments, 1970, Settlement on Beardown Tor (Report - Survey). SDV265746.

Visited on 12th November 1970. Enclosed hut group north-west of Wistman's Wood. Two circular pounds with diameters of 45.24 metres and 54.9 metres enclosing four hut circles with diameters of 9.14 metres, 9.14 metres, 8.23 metres and 7.32 metres. Entrance to the enclosures on the west side. Also two hut circles outside the enclosures to the north with diameters of 10.06 metres and 8.23 metres.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1978, SX67NW21, SX67NW21 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV265751.

(12/09/1978) At SX 610775 on the west bank of the West Dart River, at 405.0m. O.D., are the fragmentary remains of enclosure walls and six hut circles. (see plan). The huts have an average internal diameter of 3.5m. with walling up to a maximum of 1.0m. thickness. All are in poor condition and probably of Type 1. No entrances are visible. There is no evidence of cultivation in the area. (Type site SX 56 SE 19).
Surveyed at 1:10 000 P.F.D. and at 1:1250 for AO Records.

National Monuments Record, 1979, SF1509, 293-307 (Aerial Photograph). SDV262885.

Robinson, R., 1983, List of Field Monument Warden Visits 1983 (Un-published). SDV345762.

Visited on 19th January 1983.

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

Agglomerated enclosure of three possible elements, certainly two, with four hut circles attached to the internal walls and one attached to an external wall. Visible on RAF 1946 and NMR 1979 aerial photographs.

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

(14/09/1988) Centred SX 61017757. A settlement of approximately 1.2 hectares, situated on fairly steep east-facing slope, overlooking the West Dart River valley. The hillslope is covered by a thick layer of peat and scattered groups of clitter with isolated large boulders. The Devonport Leat (SX 67 SW 186) cuts across the upper part of the site. Five possibly six, hut circles are identifiable; some occur as free-standing features and others are linked by the fragmentary walling of at least four small fields or enclosures. Further elements are almost certainly, concealed beneath the peat.
Traceable walling is up.to 0.4m high and between 0.6m and 1.5m wide; it occurs as rather crude or banks of smallish boulders and stones with the occasional large 'grounder' on line. Short lengths of walling on the downhill side are crudely coursed with a marked accumulation of peat on the uphill side; they are 0.7mhigh externally, 0.3m high internally and about 0.6m wide.
The fragmentary enclosure which forms the southern part of the settlement measures approximately 50m by 30m and is bisected by a leat. No hut circles are associated with the enclosure and the walling consists of many in-line large boulders.
The adjacent enclosure approximately 30m by 25m contains two, possibly three hut circles, all linked by walling.
a) SX 61027754. A well defined hut scooped into the slope with an internal diameter of 3.8m. The crude walling of smallish boulders is up to 0.5m in height on the south side. On the downhill side it has tumbled to 1.5m wide with some low outer-facing slabs. The entrance was probably on the south where the wall has been disturbed. The enclosure wall appears to overlie the N side of the hut.
b) SX 61027758 A possible hut platform built into the angle of the enclosure wall. It is visible as a shallow scoop delimited by a vague scarp on the uphill side. It measures approximately 3m N/S by 3.8m E/W and the enclosure wall, which forms the eastern half is here 1.5m wide and 0.3m high.
c) SX 61007757. A hut scooped into the slope and built up on the downhill side. It measures 4.3m N/S by 3.3m E/W internally with walling of small and medium sized boulders, on average 0.8m wide and 0.3m high; on the downhill side it is spread to 2.7m wide and averages 0.9m high. A number of inner facing slabs are up to 0.3m high and the entrance was probably on the SE. It is linked to the enclosure wall.
A small central enclosure about 20m across, has one freestanding hut circle and one, possibly two, structures on the W side.
d) SX 61017759. A hut scooped into the slope and built on the downhill side. It measures 4.2m N/S by 3.3m E/W with walling of small boulders and a few low inner facing slabs 1.1m wide and 0.4m high. The entrance was probably on the S side.
SX 61007760. A slight level stance approximately 3.6m across and located at an angle of the enclosure wall may be a hut platform. A crude line of boulders up to 0.m high delimits the downhill side.
SX 60997759. A ragged line of irregularly spaced earthfast boulders at an angle in the enclosure wall may represent a hut site.
The northern enclosure is fragmentary and difficult to trace, especially within the thick clitter spread to the NE. It measures approximately 38.0m N/S by 34.0m E/W and contains two freestanding hut circles.
e) SX 60997763. A hut scooped into the slope and internally, 4.1m N/S by 3.3m E/W. Its rather crude walling of small boulders and stones is 0.8m wide and 0.3m high; There is some evidence of inner facing and two large earthfast boulders are incorporated into the W, uphill side The entrance was probably in the South.
f) SX 61007764. A hut scooped into and built up at the front measures internally, 3.2m N/S by 2.7m E/W. The walling of small boulders and stones is from 0.8m to 1.2m wide and at maximum 0.3m high. The entrance was probably in the south.

Butler, J., 1991, Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities: Volume Two - The North, 62, Map 29, Figure 29.2 (Monograph). SDV219155.

Settlement '5' of the 'West Dart Settlements' is cut through by a leat and consists of eight hut circles of 3 to 4 metres in diameter within at least four small enclosures.

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

Outline of enclosures shown on survey.

Historic England, 2022, National Heritage List for England, 1021178 (National Heritage List for England). SDV364675.

The monument comprises an enclosed prehistoric settlement lying on a steep east facing slope of Beardown Hill overlooking the valley of the West Dart River. The prehistoric settlement includes at least seven stone hut circles. The stone hut circles survive as circular or oval banks surrounding an internal area which varies between 6 square metres and 12.9 square metres. The height of the surrounding walls vary between 0.4 metres and 0.7 metres and two of the huts have visible doorways. The agglomerated enclosure associated with the settlement includes at least five elements and survives as a series of rubble banks which in places are lynchetted. This walling stands up to 0.75 metres high and 1.5 metres wide. Some of the huts within the settlement lie within the enclosures, others are linked to the walling and one abuts it. This detail confirms that this settlement evolved through time into its present form.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV8643 - Beardown Farm, Duchy Farms Survey
• EDV8409 - Dartmoor Royal Forest Project
• EDV8423 - Duchy Farms Project

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