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Summary

One of three hut circles of probable prehistoric date, identified by field and aerial survey on the north-west facing slopes of a spur to the north-west of Trowlesworthy Warren House. The hut circles are associated with an enclosed hut circle settlement immediately to the south. The earthwork is visible on aerial photographs of 1964, digital images derived from aerial photographs of 2007 and visualisations derived from lidar data captured between 1998 and 2017.

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1020323: Prehistoric and historic archaeological landscape at Trowlesworthy Warren

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX56SE21
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX56SE/48/9
• Old SAM Ref: 24232
• Pastscape: 439166

Monument Type(s) and Dates

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

Full description

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, SX56SE21, A (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV146590.

Visited 01/06/1950 (SX 5673 6497). Hut circle A, one of a group of eight. Diameter 7.0 metres. Wall is 2.0 metres wide. No visible entrance.

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

Eastern hut circle in a row of three shown on 19th century map with walls running to the west and east.

Ordnance Survey, 1904 - 1906, Second Edition Ordnance Survey 25 inch Map (Cartographic). SDV325644.

Row of three 'Hut Circles' shown on early 20th century map.

Royal Air Force, 1964, RAF/58/6399, RAF/58/6399 F64 0384-0385 02-JUL-1964 (Aerial Photograph). SDV363068.

A vegetation covered circular bank is visible.

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

Hut circle, one of a group of eight. Walls are composed of turf covered stones.

Gerrard, S., 1990-2002, Monument Protection Programme. Archaeological Item Dataset., MPP 140616 (Report - Survey). SDV277946.

Site visited on 2nd April 1995. Three hut circles. These survive as banks of earth and stone surrounding a circular internal area and are all of the simple plan and double orthostat walling type. The interior of the eastern hut measures 6 metres in diameter and the surrounding 2 metre wide wall stands up to 0.8 metres high. A south-west facing gap in the hut wall, lined with granite slabs on both sides represents a doorway. This hut appears to abut an orthostatic wall which forms part of a field system in this area, whilst a rubble wall leads west from the west side of the doorway.

Butler, J., 1994, Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities: Volume Three - The South-West, 160, Map 51, Figure 51.3 (Monograph). SDV137656.

Shadyback Tor Settlements. To the north of Prehistoric Enclosure A are three inter-connected hut circles with diameters of 4.7 - 6.3 metres which are almost overwhelmed by clearance rubble.

Thackray, C., 1994, The Upper Plym Valley: the management of an historic landscape, 55, 102 150c (Report - non-specific). SDV143510.

Three hut circles are arranged in a row along a wall which may represent the remnant of a Prehistoric enclosure wall.
Hut Circle 'c' at SX56726497 is a large massively built hut circle. A later turf and stone bank built in front of the linking wall abbuts the southern sector of the hut. Inner and outer facings are visible including orthostats in the south-east sector with an entrance in the south-west sector flanked by two pairs of orthostats set transversely 0.85 metres apart. Hut measures 5.5 metres by 5.2 metres internally and 9.2 metres vy 8.3 metres externally with walls and banks of 0.5 metres.

Environment Agency WMS, 1998-2016, LiDAR DSM data JPEG image (1m resolution) (Cartographic). SDV360209.

Hut circle clearly visible on Lidar data.

Environment Agency, 1998-2017, LiDAR DTM data (1m resolution) EA: South Devon Coast to Dartmoor, LIDAR SX5664 Environment Agency DTM 01-JAN-1998 to 31-MAY-2017 (Cartographic). SDV361470.

A circular bank is visible as an earthwork.

Bluesky International Ltd/Getmapping PLC, 1999-2017, Pan Government Agreement Aerial Photographs, Next Perspectives APGB Imagery SX5664 03-MAY-2007 (Aerial Photograph). SDV363087.

A circular stony bank is visible.

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

Hut shown on survey.

GeoInformation Group Ltd, 2010, 1:625 2010 Colour (12.5cm resolution) (Aerial Photograph). SDV346026.

Hut circle visible on aerial photograph.

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

Hut circle visible on aerial photograph.

National Monuments Record, 2019, Pastscape, 439166, SX56SE21 (Website). SDV362732.

Three hut circles adjoining a length of contemporary walling some 200 metres north of Trowelsworthy Warren House. All the huts have been terraced into the gently sloping hillside to provide level interiors. The adjoining wall forms part of a large Prehistoric settlement and field system formerly occupying most of the spur running west from Trowelsworthy Warren House.
The eastern hut circle at SX 56726498 has internal measurements of 6.1 metres north to south by 5.0 metres with walls 1.6 metres wide and 0.4 metres high. A possible entrance is positioned in the south wall (citing Probert, S. A. J., 26-FEB-2001 English Heritage Field Investigation).

Hegarty, C., Knight, S. and Sims, R., 2019-2020, The South Devon Coast to Dartmoor Aerial Investigation and Mapping Survey. Area 2, Avon Valley to Plymouth (AI&M, formerly NMP) (Interpretation). SDV362982.

A hut circle of probable Bronze Age to Iron Age date is visible on aerial photographs of 1964, digital images derived from aerial photographs of 2007 and visualisations derived from lidar data captured between 1998 and 2017 as a roughly circular bank up to 6m wide defining a hollow or platform approximately 4m across.
Loosely packed stones are identifiable within the bank material on the 2007 imagery, indicating a possible original diameter of circa 6m.
The hut circle is the easternmost of a row of three associated with, and defining the northern edge of, the banked enclosure MDV127064. A possible entrance is visible facing south into the enclosure.
The hut circle has been transcribed as part of enclosure MDV127064.

Historic England, 2021, National Heritage List for England, 1020323 (National Heritage List for England). SDV364016.

Within Scheduled area.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV7369 - Survey of Granite Loading Bays at Trowlesworthy, Devon
• EDV8148 - The Upper Plym Valley: The Management of an Historic Landscape
• EDV8155 - Plym Valley Survey: EH Project (Feb 2001 - Dec 2002)
• EDV8098 - The South Devon Coast to Dartmoor Aerial Investigation and Mapping (formerly NMP) Survey, Area 2, Avon Valley to Plymouth (Ref: ACD2040)

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