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Summary

Prehistoric settlement comprising three hut circles and two, twin-celled ancillary structures situated against the south-west side of the Venford Reave. This site is on the local list of Nationally Important Dartmoor sites.

Location

Protected Status

• SHINE: Central western section of the Bronze Age Venford Reave at Swincombe, with a number of attached hut circle settlements and enclosures, as well as an extensive Bronze Age field system, a cairn and a post-Medieval blowing house on Down Ridge

Other References/Statuses

• Dartmoor Non-designated Heritage Asset (Historical): NI Site
• National Monuments Record: SX67SW25
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 443304
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX67SW/51
• Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division: SX67SW25

Monument Type(s) and Dates

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

Full description

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1950/1980, SX67SW25 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV234066.

(30/08/1950) Hut Circles and Enclosure. Small enclosure with four hut circles in a fair condition. Wall consists of granite slabs many of which are partly buried, measuring on average 1.5 metres in width, and 0.5 metres in height.
A. Hut Circle. 6372/6906. Double-walled type. Diameter 7.0m. Width of walls 1.5m. Height 0.5m. Composed of stones which are partly turf-covered. Condition fair. Entrance to the east.
B. Hut Circle. 6372/7407. Double-walled type. Small. Diameter 4.0m. Width of walls 1.0m. Height 0.3m. Composed of turf-covered stones. Much disturbed with some of the stones thrown down towards the centre. Condition poor. Entrance probably on the east side. The circle butts onto the enclosure wall.
C. Hut Circle. 6372/7408. Double-walled type. Diameter 7.0m. Width of wall 1.25m. Height 0.5m. Composed of turf-covered stones. Condition fairly good. Entrance on the east side. The circle butts onto the enclosure wall.
D. Hut Circle. 6372/7310. Double-walled type. Diameter 7.5m. Width of wall 1.25m. Height 0.6m. Composed of turf-covered stones. Condition good. Entrance on east side. The circle butts onto the enclosure wall.
E. Small Enclosure. 6372/7307. The wall - av. width 1.5m and av. ht. 0.5m - is in fair condition and consists of granite slabs many of which are partly buried.
Another wall in much better general state of preservation joins the enclosure on the SE and NW sides - this appears to be an old ruined newtake wall and no hut circles were found to be associated with it.
(14/02/1980) A reave, 280m. long, makes an oblique descent on a north slope between SX 63887201 and SX 63647216, forming a boundary between clitter to the west and open moorland to the east. Fleming (1978) considers it part of the Venford Reave (SX 67 SE 95) last traceable more than 1Km to the east, but it may be only of local significance since it differs by having traces of field systems to each side. (SX 67 SW 100 and SX 67 SW 103).
It is of rubble construction, incorporating large stones and in situ boulders and is from 1.0m. to 2.4m. wide and up to 0.9m. high.
In the southern half a single walled Type 1 (SX 56 SE19) hut at SX 63807204 and a squarish yard or hut at SX 63777206 are built onto the north-east face of the reave (see plan) fifty metres beyond at SX 63727209 are two Type 1 huts which are on the alignment of the reave and evidently pre-date it but are associated with a small enclosure of 0.1ha. to the south-west and two other huts. The rubble walling of the huts averages 1.1m. thick and 0.5m. high but the internal diameters range considerably from 2.8m. to 8.1m. and, where visible the entrances are in the north-west and south-east. The reave continues for another 87m. to the north-west and then abruptly diminishes towards a low wall of the field system.
Surveyed at 1:10 000 on MSD and at 1:2500 for AO Records.

National Monuments Record, 1976, NMR SX6372, 3 (Aerial Photograph). SDV279433.

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

Three-sided enclosure visible attached to the Venford Reave, containing two hut circles, both of which are incorporated into the reave. Another hut circle is visible at SX63697250 but the fourth hut circle is not visible from the air.

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

(15/07/1988) Settlement comprising three hut circles and two, twin-celled ancillary structures, together with four associated enclosures situated against the SW side of the "Venford Reave" (SX 67 SE 96) at centre SX 63737207.
It is sited on sloping ground amid medium to thick clitter which extends to the SW. To the NW the ground is open and contains extensive, prehistoric field system (SX 67 SW 180).
In plan the settlement appears of agglomerated form, growing from a base provided by the "Venford Reave" (SX 67 SE 96). Hut circle (C) possibly pre-dates the reave which follows around its NE side but the relationship is not clear-cut: a hut circle built onto a linear feature of this sort potentially pushes the feature outwards or causes subsequent re-alignment. Hut circle (D) cannot be said to pre-date the reave; it lies against it (contra auth 2).
All settlement structures are in marginal positions to the associated enclosures, either on the circuits or placed against them. It is possible that the three hut circles (A, C and D) were built prior to the enclosures whereas the twin-celled structures (B and E) are later. Each hut circle is possibly associated with one enclosure. The huts are well preserved and substantially built, probably being of general domestic use, whereas the twin-celled structures are smaller and slighter, possibly fulfilling different, more specific functions (agricultural/storage, perhaps). The enclosures are all quite small (largest = 0.25ha) and probably functioned or yards and pens, given the amount of clitter remaining within.
Hut Circle A. SX 63697206. A rubble wall of medium - large stones and boulders defines an internal area of 5.2m diameter. The walling now spread between 1.4 and 2.6m in width and standing an average 0.6m high, is broken by an entrance gap 1.4m wide on the E side. The entrance gives access into an enclosure, the walls of which abut the S and E arcs of the hut circle. The interior is terraced into the slope by cutting in on the S and building up on the N. There are traces of coursing to the internal wall face, possibly indicating later re-building and re-use.
Hut Circle C. SX 63747209. Internal diameter 5.2 - 5.9m with rubble walling of large stones incorporating some in situ boulders and traces of internal facing stones in the NW and SW arcs. Walling remains are 1.2 - 1.7m wide and on average 0.5m high internally and externally. The NE arc is however, very slight before the main slope of the reave. There is a possible entrance just east of N, but it is not certain. The interior slopes gently to the N and is cut into the slope on the S arc.
Hut Circle D. SX 63727210. This feature occupies a slight shelf with a short, steep slope providing shelter on the SW - SE arcs. The structure is oval with an E-W internal diameter of 7.9m and a N-S diameter of 5.9m. The walling is composed of large stones and boulders with clear double-facing along the NW side and part of the SW. There has been some displacement of wall material on the NE side to the interior. Where facing is extant the wall is 1m wide, elsewhere it is spread between 1.5 and 2.9m. Average wall height is 0.5m. There is no visible entrance. The interior is flat and cut into the slope on the E/NE. An enclosure wall, now quite fragmentary, adjoins the S arc.
Feature B. SX 63737207. A two-celled structure situated against an enclosure wall. The whole appears rectangular with rounded corners. Walling averages 1.3m wide and 0.2 - 0.5m high, composed of small - medium size rubble, now partly turf-covered. In contrast, the enclosure wall is of much larger stones. The W cell measures 3.2 x 2.5m internally, the E cell 2.9 x 2m, with longer axes E-W. Slight breaks either side of the common wall may indicate entrance ways.
Feature E. SX 63757205. Similar to B but situated in the angle formed between two enclosures. The N cell is best preserved, measuring 4.5 x 2.7m internally with low rubble walls, mostly of earthfast, medium-size stones, up to 1m wide and 0.3m high. The S cell is fragmentary, with occasional stones defining and internal area 3.5 x 2.8m. Each cell is oval in plan.
There are two further structures situated a little to the SE which are possibly associated with this settlement. they are, however, built onto the N side of the "Venford Reave" (SX 67 SE 96) and are described in that report.
The enclosure walling varies greatly in preservation. For the most part it consists of medium and large-size stones, occasionally incorporating natural boulders. In present form the walls appear as piled rubble banks at best 1.5 - 2m wide and 0.5m high but in places stripped to more intermittent lines c. 0.8m wide and 0.3m high.
The settlement is visible on AP's (1976) one of which is published in Fleming (1978). Part of the settlement is shown by RCHME APP (1985).

Butler, J., 1993, Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities: Volume Four - The South-East, 209-210, Map 62, Figure 62.3 (Monograph). SDV337765.

Settlement '6' at Deep Swincombe West is a group of four small enclosures and eight huts built on the upper side of the reave on the north side. The two largest buildings with a pair of ancillary huts, occupy a triangular enclosure surrounded by more substantial walls than any in the vicinity. Most of the huts are small.

Gerrard, S., 2004, List of Sites Remaining to be Considered for Designation on Dartmoor (Un-published). SDV345444.

This site was considered for designation as a Scheduled Ancient Monument during the Monument Protection Programme. The programme ended before the entire list of sites was successfully scheduled so this is included on a local list of Nationally Important Sites.

Levy, S., 2005, Wheal Emma Leat. Archaeological Field Survey Report (Report - Survey). SDV359768.

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

Map object based on this Source.

Ordnance Survey, 2010, MasterMap (Cartographic). SDV344030.

Map object based on this Source.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV7062 - Survey of the Wheal Emma Leat, Dartmoor
• EDV8146 - Royal Commission Survey at Down Ridge and Swincombe
• EDV8409 - Dartmoor Royal Forest Project
• EDV8423 - Duchy Farms Project

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