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Summary

Large oval enclosed settlement at Owley Corner with five hut circles and several trial pits. Enclosure of 210 metres by 120 metres with tumbled stone bank 2 metres wide by 1 metre high with facing stones. Entrance gaps to south-west and north-east. Small internal enclosure 25 metres by 30 metres with a stony bank 1.5 metres wide by 0.9 metres high. Several extraction pits and areas of stone quarrying.

Location

Protected Status

• SHINE: Group of two large Bronze Age enclosures containing five hut circles each and a single hut circle with small enclosure at Owley Corner

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX65NE55
• National Monuments Record: SX65NE55
• National Monuments Record: SX65NE92
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 1408981
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 441229
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX65NE/295

Monument Type(s) and Dates

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

Full description

Royal Air Force, 1946, RAF/CPE/UK/1890, 1215-6 (Aerial Photograph). SDV169268.

(SX 669599) Roughly oval-shaped enclosure. Crop marks of possible hut-circles within the enclosure.

Royal Air Force, 1946 - 1949, Royal Air Force Aerial Photographs, CPE/UK 1890/1215-6 (Aerial Photograph). SDV342938.

Photograph taken on 10th December 1946.

Plymouth Museum Archaeology Group, 1961, Settlements at the Scad Brook (Plan - measured). SDV176909.

Enclosure centred at sx66955990 containing five hut circles.

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

This oval enclosure does not show up clearly on the 1946 aerial photographs. Two possible hut circles internally and groups of trial pits. Just over 2hectares in size.

Butler, J., 1993, Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities: Volume Four - The South-East, 82-83, Map 56, Figure 56.1 (Monograph). SDV337765.

Bronze Age enclosed hut circle settlement at Owley Gate; possibly the largest enclosure on the moor, it is oval in shape measuring more than 200 metres long and is aligned parallel to the Glaze Brook. Tracks criss-cross the interior. A small section of the enclosure on the southern side has gone completely but its line probably followed that of the current field wall. Elsewhere the circuit wall is substantial, spreading to 4.0 metres across the Scad Brook (northern) end. At this end a curved bank indicates the remains of a court attached to the enclosure. The interior of this settlement has been much damaged by stone workers' pits and it's likely that some hut circles have been destroyed. Five can still be identified, measuring 4.7 - 5.8 metres in diameter and entrances, where visible, face south-east.

Gerrard, S., 1993-2010, Monument Protection Programme Alternative Action Report (Report - non-specific). SDV145710.

Considered under MPP by previous MPPA. Not recommended for scheduling.

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

This enclosure is indistinct on the aerial photography but can be traced when referring to Butler's plan of the site.

Various, 2018-2020, PALs Condition Recording forms, UGB13 (Worksheet). SDV362781.

Visited 08/04/2019. The main threat to the integrity of this site is a path which runs along rather than beside the perimeter enclosure bank for about 10 meters in oder to avoid the heavy gorse. The site is invisible in the summer due to bracken inundation. Photos taken

Various, 2018-2020, PALs Condition Recording photographs, UGB13 (Photograph). SDV363073.

Visited 08/04/2019. Photos X 12 taken giving coordinates at each location.
1 2) 3) showing gorse and foot traffic erosion on the enclosure bank on the south west side
4) 5) showing various damage to the enclosure bank to the north west side
6) SX66915 59957 looking north A possible unrecorded hut
7) SX66910 59958 looking south east showing a path cutting through the enclosure bank at the northern end
8) SX66935 59909 looking west north west at hut 2
9) SX66922 58885 looking north at hut 3
10) SX66919 59879 looking west north west at hut 4
11) SX66886 59889 looking north at hut 5
12) SX66988 59833 looking north west Possible location of hut 1

National Monuments Record, 2020, Pastscape, 441229, SX65NE55 (Website). SDV363416.

Roughly oval-shaped enclosure. Crop marks of possible hut-circles within the enclosure.
Enclosure centred at SX 66905990 containing 5 hut circles.

Riley, H., 2021, Archaeological Survey: Ugborough Premier Archaeological Landscape, Harford and Ugborough, 13, 7.2.2 (Report - Survey). SDV364697.

One of five enclosed settlements along the Glaze Brook valley between Owley Corner and Glaze Meet.

Riley, H., 2021, UG21 heritage asset database and gazetteer of sites (Report - Survey). SDV364699.

Visited on 22nd April 2021, surveyed and photographed. Large enclosure at Owley Gate: 210 metres north-west to south-east, 120 metres north-east to south-west, defined by tumbled stone bank, 2 metres wide, 1 metre high with facing stones; entrance gaps to south-west and north-east, small internal enclosure 25 metres north to south, 30 metres east to west, defined by spread stony bank 1.5 metres wide, 0.9 metres high, several extraction pits and areas of stone quarrying. Mature tree on north-west corner of enclosure and a tree on Hut 'C'. A well-trodden path cuts north-east side of site.

Historic England, 2021-2022, NRHE to HER website, Accessed 13/12/2021 (Website). SDV364039.

[441229 / SX65NE55] Enclosure centred at SX 66905990 containing 5 hut circles (citing Devon SMR / Plymouth Museum Arch Gp Plan 1961)

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV8770 - Archaeological Survey: Ugborough Premier Archaeological Lanscape, Harford and Ugborough

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