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Summary

Group of around five prehistoric hut circles with associated enclosure walls and probable cairns.

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1021339: Coaxial fields, prehistoric settlement, two cairns and a stone alignment in Little Stannon Newtake, 900m south east of Stannon Tor

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX68SE79
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 443879
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX68SE/173
• Old SAM Ref: 34498.04

Monument Type(s) and Dates

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

Full description

Greeves, T. A. P., 1982, Hut settlement (Worksheet). SDV277133.

(13/10/1982) Group of at least nine prehistoric hut circles with associated enclosure walls in centre of southern half of newtake. There are some additional fragments of prehistoric walls WSW of this group. Other details: Plan.

Dartmoor National Park Authority, 1982, Untitled Source (Plan - measured). SDV320369.

Other details: Scale 1:10560.

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

Not visible on 1946 RAF photos.

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

(08/03/1989) A small settlement, in moorland pasture, is centred at SX 65358050, on the W. flank of Merripit Hill.
Nine hut circles are recorded by Greeves (1982).
Four may be accounted for by stone heaps (MDV6677) which, if originally huts, have been infilled with stone at some distant time and now resemble cairns. Two distinct hut circles were identified and 3 amorphous features which may represent the sites of stripped huts.
At SX65378046 is a squarish hut, measuring 7.4m N-S and 6.6m E-W. Rubble walling, 0.8m to 1.2m thick, shows some evidence of internal and external facing stones up to 0.6m high. To level the interior the SW side has been built up 0.5m. No entrance can be seen SX65368049. A platform, 5.5m in diameter has been terraced into the hillslope to create a level interior, with a low turf covered stoney bank demarcating the SW side, and up to 0.5m high. A fragment of a field wall abuts the NW side. At SX65388047 there is a crescentic bank of turf covered tones, 3m wide and 6.3m long, and at SX65428051 an amorphous spread of stones is about 5m across and, at max, 0.4m high. This is adjacent to a prehistoric field wall and could be spread or clearance material. A vague platform at SX65388049 is about 2.5m across and features other than appearing to be slightly raised on the W side.
Whatever the former size of the settlement it has been much disturbed. Fragmentary walls that may have encompassed the site are visible at SX65418052, SX65338051, and SX65358047. About 20m long they are 0.8m to 1.2m wide and up to 0.6m high.

English Heritage, 2004, Schedule Note (Schedule Document). SDV320500.

Prehistoric stone hut circle settlement in the southern coaxial field surviving as a cluster of at least 5 hut circles and several lengths of stone rubble walling denoting the positions of small enclosures.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV8649 - Little Stannon Newtake, Duchy Farms Survey
• EDV8409 - Dartmoor Royal Forest Project
• EDV8423 - Duchy Farms Project

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