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Summary

One of three or four hut circles of probable prehistoric date identified by field and aerial survey in association with an enclosed settlement on the north-west facing slopes of a spur to the north-west of Trowlesworthy Warren House. The hut circle was identifiable as an earthwork on aerial photographs of 1946, 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

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX56SE/48/6
• Old SAM Ref: 24232

Monument Type(s) and Dates

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

Full description

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

Hut circle shown on 19th century map.

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

Hut circle shown on early 20th century map.

Royal Air Force, 1946, RAF/CPE/UK/1890, Devon County Council RAF/CPE/UK/1890 4290-4291 10-DEC-1946 (Aerial Photograph). SDV169268.

A vegetation covered circular bank is visible.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1950/1977, SX56SE21, D (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV146590.

Visited 01/06/1950 (SX 5664 6494). Hut circle D, one of a group of eight. Diameter 8.0 metres. Double walled type, wall is 2.5 metres wide and 0.6 metres high. No visible entrance.

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. Remains only.

Gerrard, S., 1990-2002, Monument Protection Programme. Archaeological Item Dataset., 140612. (Report - Survey). SDV277946.

Site visited on 2nd April 1995 Hut circle SX56646494 within agglomerated enclosure. These buildings survive as banks of earth + stone surrounding a circular internal area. The hut survives as a 1.9 metre wide and 0.8 metre high double orthostat and rubble bank wall surrounding a 7.2 metres diam internal area. A gap in the west wall may represent a doorway. The relationship of this hut to the enclosure wall is unclear although it appears most likely that the wall abuts the hut which is therefore earlier. Attached to the north side of the hut is a small annex which measures 7 metres by 3 metres and is defined by a 1.6 metre wide and 0.4 metre high rubble bank. A group of earthworks lying immediately to the south of this hut may represent an earlier enclosure associated with this hut.

Butler, J., 1994, Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities: Volume Three - The South-West, 159-160, Map 51, Figure 51.3 (Monograph). SDV137656.

Hut circle on the south-east side of Shadyback Prehistoric Enclosure (B) with an annex shown to the north-east.

Thackray, C., 1994, The Upper Plym Valley: the management of an historic landscape. Management Strategies and Archaeological Site Inventory, 65, 102 174 c (Report - Survey). SDV143510.

Hut circle at SX56646495 is a large well-preserved sub-circular structure. The south-east sector seems to have been utilised and refurbished by the later enclosure and contains the the largest inner and outer orthostats and greatest number of stones. The north and west sectors are less sunstantial and comprise some tall and widely spaced orthostats. A 0.8 metres gap in the western sector may indicate the entrance. An arc of wall curves from the western sector at a distance of 2.5 metres. The hut is 7.5 metres diameter with a bank of 0.3 metres high and boulders of 0.9 metres high.

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

Hut circle with annex to the north shown 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 a spread earthwork.

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

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

Hut circle shown on survey.

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

Visible on aerial photograph.

National Monuments Record, 2019, Pastscape, 439169, SX56SE21 + 22 (Website). SDV362732.

Hut circle at SX56646494 is built onto the enclosure wall, and has a west facing entrance and an attached yard of 7.0 metres. by 3.5 metres.

Hegarty, C., Knight, S. and Sims, R., 2019-2021, 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 1946, digital images derived from aerial photographs of 2007 and visualisations derived from lidar data captured between 1998 and 2017 as a roughly circular bank 2.5 to 3m wide defining a hollow or platform approximately 7 to 8m across, abutting or abutted by the inner south-east edge of the enclosed hut circle settlement MDV56780.
Packed stones are identifiable within the bank material on the 2007 imagery, indicating the possible original wall or bank width.
The hut circle is one of up to four recorded in association with the banked enclosure MDV56780, although only three are identifiable on the sources available the survey.
A possible entrance is identifiable facing south-west into the enclosure.
The hut circle has been transcribed as part of the enclosed hut settlement MDV56780.
A curvilinear stony bank circa 10m long and 1.5m wide is visible abutting the north-west side of the hut circle. This is probably the evidence for the annexe described by the above authorities. This bank is probably the most well-preserved southern end of a larger roughly circular enclosure up to circa 16m in diameter, visible as a subtle earthwork on lidar derived visualisations. This is tentatively interpreted as a stock pound and is better recorded as part of the enclosed hut settlement MDV56780.

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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