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Summary

Hut Circle '6' (Butler) at unenclosed hut circle settlement and field system south of Lower Piles

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1009578: Agglomerated enclosure with hut circles, south of Lower Piles
• SHINE: Earthwork remains of a field system with possible prehistoric origins surrounding Lower Piles deserted medieval farmstead, as well as a prehistoric cairn and industrial streamworking along Piles Brook and the River Erme

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX66SW53
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX66SW/92
• Old SAM County Ref: 818
• Old SAM Ref: 10522
• Pastscape: 442333

Monument Type(s) and Dates

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

Full description

Ordnance Survey, 1880-1899, First Edition Ordnance 25 inch map (Cartographic). SDV336179.

'Hut Circles' shown on 19th century map.

Griffith, F. M., 1988, DAP/JT, 3, 3a (Aerial Photograph). SDV343788.

Photograph taken on 21st January 1988.

Butler, J., 1993, Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities: Volume Four - The South-East, 40, Map 54, Figure 54.2 (Monograph). SDV337765.

Hut Circle '6' of over 7.0 metres in diameter at 'Lower Piles Settlement' in the centre of the settlement with an entrance to the south.

English Heritage, 2013, National Heritage List for England, 1009578 (National Heritage List for England). SDV350785.

This is an agglomerated enclosure in the south-east corner of Lower Piles newtake, on a fairly steep west-facing slope above the River Erme. The site consists of lengths of walling of prehistoric date originally forming at least three enclosures, with lynchets in some places, and enclosing nine Bronze Age hut circles. Some of the enclosure walls have been added to at later dates and a double bank of low stones suggests the presence of a droveway along the northern field boundary. The walls are constructed of rubble and earth and are about half a metre high, or slightly more where subsequently refurbished. The hut circles range from 7 metres to 12 metres in diameter, with walls up to 2 metres thick and 0.5 metres to 1 metre high. They are mainly turf-covered and four are attached to field walls. Clearance heaps and subdivisions associated with the newtake exist within the site.

Bluesky International Ltd/Getmapping PLC, 2015-2017, 2015-2017 Aerial Photographs (Aerial Photograph). SDV361462.

Enclosure and hut circles visible on aerial photograph.

Ordnance Survey, 2020, MasterMap 2020 (Cartographic). SDV363413.

'Settlement' with ten hut circles and several sections of wall shown on modern mapping.

National Monuments Record, 2020, Pastscape, 442333, SX66SW53 (Website). SDV363416.

Field Investigation on 4th August 1977. Centred at SX 64426049. This settlement consists of 9 hut circles and the remains of 3 probable enclosures, on a gentle, well drained west facing slope, at 265.0 metres above OD, within Lower Piles, a probable Medieval newtake, whose walls and clearance heaps overlie it.
Enclosure 'A' at SX 64476050. The remains of this enclosure comprise of sub-circular arc of walling, 1.4 metres wide, with a hut circle, internal diameter about 7metres, which has been used as a dump for field clearance. A newtake wall overlies both the enclosure wall and hut circle.
Enclosure 'B' at SX 64366050. The remains of this enclosure forms a semi-circular arc of double-faced orthostatic walling, 1.0 metre wide, with a terraced, sub-rectangular hut, or possibly yard, 5.7 metres by 5.4 metres internally, with orthostatic walling, built against the inner face. They are truncated on the west by a newtake wall.
Enclosure 'C' from SX 64376047 to SX 64406051. This length of lynchetted walling, linking two probable type 2 hut circles, average internal diameter 7.0 metres, is probably the remains of an enclosure. The wall and the huts have been used as dumps for field clearance.
The five freestanding, terraced, probably Type 2 hut circles, average internal diameter 7.0 metres are in very poor condition, two have been partly cleared and three have been used as dumps for field clearance. No evidence of cultivation associated with the settlement can
be identified.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

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