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Summary

Seven hut circles and traces of at least two enclosures lie on the banks of the Walla Brook at the north-east foot of White Hill. The huts, tabulated below, are in varying states of preservation from good to very poor. All are terraced into the gentle slopes to provide level, often slightly ovoid, interiors. None possess obvious entrances. With the exception of one hut, at SX 53608448, all the huts are contained within the enclosures which occupy an area of approximately 0.5 hectares. Medieval or later streamworkings have bisected the settlement with the majority of remains lying on the left bank of the Walla Brook.

Location

Protected Status

• SHINE: Earthwork remains of post-medieval or earlier tin streamworking on the River Lyd and Walla Brook and leats on Doetor Common and one running from Great Nodden to the Doetor Brook
• Scheduled Monument 1007540: Enclosed settlement 420m south of Doetor Farm

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX58SW37
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 440749
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX58SW/75
• Old SAM Ref: 20353

Monument Type(s) and Dates

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

Full description

AM, Untitled Source (Report - Survey). SDV277825.

Vis=estimated -/-/1990 (ancient monuments) sub-circular enclosed settlement 68m by 65m, with entrance on e side. Wall of rubble, 1.8m wide, 0.8m high. E + w lengths of the enclosure wall are lyncheted and n side has been removed by tinworks.4 stone hut circles are attached to the internal face, 2 to the external face and 3 within the interior. Two short lengths of boundary wall survive within the enclosure (am).

Royal Air Force, 1947, RAF/CPE/UK/2082, 3489-90 (Aerial Photograph). SDV221887.

SX 536844 Probable hut-circles and enclosures situated partly within an area of old field boundaries, these appearing to be contemporary with the present field boundaries.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1979, SX58SW37 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV277826.

(13/08/1979) The rectilinear fields are probably 19th century newtakes, the boundaries formed by wide banks of peaty earth with accompanying ditches. Circular patches of bracken occur amongst them and patches of boggy ground, but no prehistoric remains could be found.

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

Visible on the 1947 Royal Air Force verticals.

Probert, S. + Fletcher, M. + Newman, P., 1998, Willsworthy Training Area, Peter Tavy, Devon: An Archaeological survey by the Royal Commission on the Historical Monuments of England (Report - Survey). SDV350638.

(14/06/1998) Seven hut circles and traces of at least two enclosures lie on the banks of the Walla Brook at the NE foot of White Hill. The huts, tabulated below, are in varying states of preservation from good to very poor. All are terraced into the gentle slopes to provide level, often slightly ovoid, interiors. None possess obvious entrances. With the exception of one hut, at SX 53608448, all the huts are contained within the enclosures which occupy an area of approximately 0.5ha. Medieval or later streamworkings have bisected the settlement with the majority of remains lying on the left bank of the Walla Brook.
Hut details:
SX 53678449 Hut diameter (internal) measures 3.5m, with wall 1.5m wide, 0.5m high.
SX 53688450 Hut diameter (internal) measures 3.0m. Poor condition - partially destroyed.
SX 53688452 Hut diameter (internal) measures 5.8m, with wall 1.5m wide, 0.6m high. Truncated by streamwork.
SX 53648449 Hut diameter (internal) measures 4.6m, with wall 2.5m wide, 0.5m high.
SX 53608448 Hut diameter (internal) measures 2.7m, with wall 1.6m wide, 0.5m high.
SX 53658452 Hut diameter (internal) measures 6.3m, with wall 1.8m wide, 0.6m high. Traces of internal facing.
SX 53678447 Hut diameter (internal) measures 5.2m. Crude circle of stones.

Probert, S., 2001, Willsworthy Training Area, Peter Tavy, Devon. Integrated Land Management Plan Implementation: Archaeological Condition Baseline Survey Appendices 2-5 (Report - Survey). SDV357727.

(31/07/2001) These features remain as described in 1998.

Probert, S., 2007, A Condition Survey of the Archaeological Sites of the Willsworthy Freehold, Dartmoor Training Area (Report - Survey). SDV357728.

Probert, S., 2013, A Condition Survey of the Archaeological Sites of the Willsworthy Freehold, Dartmoor Training Area (Report - Survey). SDV357729.

Newman, P., 2019, A Condition Survey of the Archaeological Sites of the Willsworthy Freehold, Dartmoor Training Area (Report - Survey). SDV363156.

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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