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Summary

Ruined foundations of a post-medieval structure known as Will May's House on Gidleigh Common. Thought to date to around 1800, when last recorded in 1999, the remains consisted of walls surviving up to 1.2 metres in height. Building measures 2.7 metres by 1.3 metres. Damage to east wall noted in February 2017.

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1019981: Stone hut circle settlement and post-medieval shelter 990m north east of Hawthorn Clitter, 1030m east of The Thirlstone

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX68NW/88
• Old SAM Ref: 28762

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• BUILDING (XVIII to XIX - 1800 AD to 1850 AD)

Full description

National Monument Record, 1977, SX6487/2, 72-73 (Aerial Photograph). SDV249897.

Visible on aerial photograph.

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

Small rectangular building visible on 1977 National Monuments Record aerial photograph.

Gerrard, S., 1990-2002, Monument Protection Programme. Archaeological Item Dataset., MPP 152217 (Report - Survey). SDV277946.

(27/05/1999) A post medieval shelter known as Will May's House. Measures 2.7 metres by 1.3 metres. Drystone wall 0.6 metres wide, 1.2 metres high. Coursed drystone wall. Some stones have fallen off the wall into the interior. Fireplace in the west wall measures 0.5 metres wide, 0.75 metres deep and 0.67 metres high. Entrance faces north and is 0.45 metres wide. Wall on the western side is up to 1.15 metres thick.

Greeves, T. A. P., 2004, Will May's House (Worksheet). SDV237644.

'Will May's House' is a ruin of approximately 1800.

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

Ruined building is visible on the aerial photography.

Historic England, 2016, National Heritage List for England (National Heritage List for England). SDV359353.

The monument includes an unenclosed stone hut circle settlement and post- medieval shelter known as Will May's House situated on a gentle east facing slope overlooking the valley of the North Teign River. The stone hut circle settlement includes seven stone hut circles which survive as circular walls each surrounding an internal area which varies from 12 sq m to 27 sq m. The heights of the surrounding walls vary between 0.25m and 0.7m. Four of the huts have visible doorways. The post-medieval shelter includes a coursed drystone wall standing between 0.6m and 1.15m wide and up to 1.2m high. The interior measures 2.7m long by 1.3m wide and is entered through a doorway in the northern wall which measures 0.45m wide. A fireplace built into the western wall measures 0.5m wide by 0.75m deep and 0.67m high.

Nicholls, G., 2017, Record of damage to Will May's House (Personal Comment). SDV360620.

Site visited 19/02/17 and damage noted; complete east wall has been taken down and stones used to form a wind break; a tent was also noted and possibly semi-permanent unauthorised wild camping. Damage to the site appears quite recent.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

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