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Summary

Large hut circle adjacent to east side of a north-south running reave, circa 81 metres north of the east-west Venform Reave, with a later, smaller hut within its south-west quadrant. Numerous stake holes and the postholes for upright timbers to support the roof were uncovered during excavations in 1977-78. Evidence for an earlier timber structure was found also found.

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1020487: Part of the Dartmeet coaxial field system and other archaeological remains on Holne Moor west and north west of Venford Reservoir

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX67SE105
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 443162
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX67SE/439
• Old SAM Ref: 22368

Monument Type(s) and Dates

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

Full description

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1977, SX67SE105 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV256693.

(08/07/1977) SX 67827096. This hut circle lies on a gentle, well drained, south east facing slope at 345m above OD. The hut, internal diameter 2.5m, has a single wall of orthostatic type about 0.5m wide. It is in poor condition and has an east south east facing entrance, 0.7m wide marked by transverse slabs.
It is built within a circular yard, internal diameter 8m, the wall 3m wide, 0.1m high and composed of turf covered stones. It is adjacent to a parallel reave (SX 67 SE 92) and on the line of a cross wall. Divorced Survey at 1:10 000 on PFD. Enlargement Survey at 1:1000 on PFD.
(07/10/1977) These features were excavated by Dr Fleming subsequent to investigation by F1. It is reported that both are hut circles, the larger having been utilised as a yard for the smaller but later hut.

National Monuments Record, 1979, NMR SF1457, 473-475 (Aerial Photograph). SDV172921.

The Royal Commission on the Historic Monuments of England Aerial Photograph Unit, 1985, The Royal Commission on the Historic Monuments of England Aerial Photograph Project (Interpretation). SDV340940.

Large hut circle which does not show up very clearly on the 1977 National Monuments Record aerial photo but does so on the 1979 photo and apparently fenced off as if it had been renovated.

Fleming, A., 1988, The Dartmoor Reaves: Investigating Prehistoric Land Divisions, 74-82 (Monograph). SDV229071.

Fleming's Site F of the Holne Moor parallel reave system.
Houses F and F1. Following excavation, it is now clear that the so-called 'yard' (of Auth 2) is a hut circle (House F) contemporary with the reaves, and that the smaller 'hut circle' is possibly a shepherd's hut, also of Bronze Age date, built after House F had fallen into decay. House F had an arc of stones just inside the house wall probably posting stones for an internal cladding of upright planks. The oven immediately inside the SE entrance was paved with stone. There was an internal ring-post setting and external drip-ditch.
House F1. Immediately to the south of House F, a ring-groove timber building was discovered, of 4.5m diameter.
A building of simple post-hole ring construction was discovered below the wall of House F.
Phase 1 of the site comprises one timber hut circle which was occupied when an earthen bank (reave predecessor) was built behind it.
Phase II: After an interval, one building directly replaced by a stone-built house (House F). The similarity of the ring-groove constructed building to the south of House F to the constructional techniques used in the stone building, suggest that these 2 buildings are roughly contemporary. At some stage, perhaps a little later, the reave was built along the top of the earth bank.
Phase III: The small 'hut' was built in the ruins of House F.

Butler, J., 1993, Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities: Volume Four - The South-East, Map 60 (Monograph). SDV337765.

Depicted by Butler.

Royal Commission for the Historical Monuments of England, 1996, Holne Moor Survey (Report - Survey). SDV154079.

(18/04/1996) SX 67827097. The features described by previous authorities are preserved in a bracken free area overlooking the W side of Venford Reservoir.

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

Hut circle visible on aerial photo.

English Heritage, 2013, National Heritage List for England (National Heritage List for England). SDV350785.

Part of the Dartmeet coaxial field system and other archaeological remains on Holne Moor west and north west of Venford Reservoir.

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

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV7100 - Holne Moor Survey
• EDV8143 - Fleming's excavations on Holne Moor

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