See important guidance on the use of this record.

If you have any comments or new information about this record, please email us.

Summary

An ovoid enclosure containing the remains of three hut circles lies on the moderate western flank of Shell Top. The enclosure measures 33m north-south by 44m and is bounded by a well-constructed stony bank between 1.5m and 2.0m wide and up to 1.0m high. The walls display traces of coursed stonework as well as containing orthostats. The hut circles are attached to the enclosure wall and are all in poor condition.

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1011953: Enclosure west of Shell Top

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX56SE114
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 439429
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX56SE/97
• Old SAM Ref: 10613

Monument Type(s) and Dates

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

Full description

Royal Air Force, 1946, RAF/3G/TUD/UK/223, RAF/3G/TUD/UK/223 Vp2 5134-5135 12-JUL-1946 (Aerial Photograph). SDV352279.

A curvilinear bank is visible as an earthwork.

NMR, 1976, SX5664/1 (National Monuments Record Database). SDV150480.

Aerial photograph.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1979, SX56SE 114 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV336989.

(09/04/1979) SX 58976391. On a south-west facing slope at 390.0m. is a sub-circular enclosure, 46.0m. by 33.0m. The well-constructed rubble walling is 2.0m. thick and 0.7m. high with a possible entrance gap on the south-east. On the north-west side of the enclosure at SX 58956392, is an amorphous collection of stone, possibly a small circular hut of 2.5m. internal diameter, with walling 0.8m. thick and 0.3m. high. The general appearance of the enclosure and the hut-cum-shelter suggests the feature is a late pound possibly for sheep.
Surveyed at 1:10 000 on P.F.D.

Royal Commission on the Historical Monuments of England, 1985, SX56SE (Cartographic). SDV336987.

Visible and recorded.

Department of Environment, 1991, Lee Moor Enclosure (Schedule Document). SDV147423.

This sub-circular enclosure lies on the south-west slope of Lee Moor and is 50 meters in length and 40 meters in width and defined by a rubble wall up to 2 meters in width and 0.75 meters in height. It has an entrance through the west side and another possible entrance in the south-east wall, close to one of the two huts built into the wall. The huts are D-shaped, the western one is 6 meters by 5 meters with a wall 1.5 meters in thickness and 0.4 meters in height; the eastern one is 6 meters in length and width and has a wall 1 meter in thickness and up to 0.4 meters in height. The western hut has a possible entrance into the enclosure.

Butler, J., 1994, Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities: Volume Three - The South-West, 161-2, Map 51, Figure 51.5 (Monograph). SDV137656.

Enclosure 'C' to the west of Shell Tor with a complete circuit apart from a gap in the south-west corner edged by cross slabs which was probably the original entrance. The three hut circles around the inside of the wall are small of 2.5 to 4.5 metres in diameter but substantial enough to have been roofed.

Bluesky International Ltd/Getmapping PLC, 1999-2017, Pan Government Agreement Aerial Photographs, Next Perspectives APGB Imagery SX5863 01-JUN-2002 (Aerial Photograph). SDV363087.

A curvilinear bank is visible as an earthwork.

Probert, S. A. J. + Fletcher, M. J., 2002, Plym Valley survey (Report - Survey). SDV350782.

(23/04/2002) Centred SX 58976392. An ovoid enclosure containing the remains of three hut circles lies on the moderate western flank of Shell Top.
The enclosure measures 33m north-south by 44m and is bounded by a well-constructed stony bank between 1.5m and 2.0m wide and up to 1.0m high. The walls display traces of coursed stonework as well as containing orthostats. The hut circles are attached to the enclosure wall and are all in poor condition.
SX 58966393. A semi-circular hut measuring 3.4m east-west by 2.3m with walls 1.3m wide and 0.6m high. A possible entrance lies in the south side.
SX 58996392. A small hut measuring 2.9m north-south by 2.6m with walls 1.0m wide and 0.6m high. A possible entrance lies in the west side. Adjacent to:
SX 58996391. Measuring 3.8m north-south by 3.6m internally this hut possesses walls 1.2m wide and 0.4m high.
There are no other contemporary features within the enclosure.

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

Enclosure shown on survey.

NERC, 2013, LiDAR DTM data (1m resolution) Tellus: South Devon to Dartmoor, LIDAR SX5863 Tellus DTM 01-JUL-2013 to 31-AUG-2013 (Cartographic). SDV361514.

A curvilinear bank is identifiable as an earthwork.

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

Visible on aerial photograph.

Google, 2019, Google Earth Pro, EARTH.GOOGLE.COM 08-AUG-2015 ACCESSED 14-OCT-2019 (Aerial Photograph). SDV363088.

A curvilinear bank is identifiable as an earthwork.

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 stony bank up to 3.5m wide is visible on aerial photographs of 1946 defining an oval enclosure up to 45m across on the south-west facing slopes of Lee Moor.
On the south facing internal edge of the bank, at circa SX58956393, a narrow bank defines a D-shaped enclosure circa 5m across. This might be evidence of a hut or shelter.
A possible entrance is visible as a 2.6m wide break across the south-west facing bank at SX58946391.
The enclosure earthworks remain clearly identifiable as subtle earthworks on visualisations derived from lidar data captured in 2013 and digital images derived from aerial photographs of 2019.

Ordnance Survey, 2021, MasterMap 2021 (Cartographic). SDV364015.

'Enclosure' shown on modern mapping.

Historic England, 2021, National Heritage List for England, 1011953 (National Heritage List for England). SDV364016.

This sub-circular enclosure lies on the south-west slope of Lee Moor and is 50 metres in length and 40 metres in width and defined by a rubble wall up to 2 metres in width and 0.75 metres in height. It has an entrance through the west side and another possible entrance in the south-east wall, close to one of the two huts built into the wall. The huts are D-shaped, the western one is 6 metres by 5 metres with a wall 1.5 metres in thickness and 0.4 metres in height; the eastern one is 6 metres in length and width and has a wall 1 metre in thickness and up to 0.4 metres in height. The western hut has a possible entrance into the enclosure.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

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

Search results generated by the HBSMR Gateway from exeGesIS SDM Ltd.