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Summary

Eight stone hut circles, five circular and three oval in shape, all terraced into the hillside and lying within a tight cluster. Most of the stone hut circles survive as banks of earth and stone each surrounding a circular or oval internal area. One of the huts has an annex, and another has a visible doorway. A structure attached to the southern outer face of one stone hut circle is a cache.

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1014656: An unenclosed stone hut circle settlement 760m north east of Trowlesworthy Warren House

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX56NE156
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 438938
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX56NE/486
• Old SAM Ref: 24240(P)

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• UNENCLOSED HUT CIRCLE SETTLEMENT (Bronze Age - 2200 BC to 701 BC (Between))

Full description

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1979, SX56NE156 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV143050.

(14/02/1979) SX 57456509. On a gentle north facing slope above the River Plym at 277 metres above sea level are three small sub-rectangular enclosures and four oval huts. The enclosures, interspaced between the huts, average 9.5 metres by 5.5 metres with rubble walling 1.3 metres thick and 0.6 metres high. The only entrance visible is in the south-east of the easternmost enclosure. The huts are of type 1 and average 5.5 metres by 4.5 metres with walling 1.0 metre thick and 0.4 metres high, all with eastern entrances, and levelled interiors. The overall condition is very poor, especially compared with the enclosures which are constructed of larger stones. Nevertheless they appear to be contemporary; ie. hut and enclosure associated. In two instances both are within a 'field' or property boundary about 40 metres square. This is formed by a line of single stones protruding through the turf. Although stones occur widely over the settlement area they are far fewer than in the clitter to the immediate west suggesting an attempt at clearance. The group is unique in having these small rectangular enclosures. Found during field investigation.
Surveyed at 1:10 000 on M.S.D.

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

Not recorded.

Gerrard, S., 1990-2002, Monument Protection Programme. Archaeological Item Dataset., MPP 140325, 30/6/1993 (Report - Survey). SDV277946.

Unenclosed stone hut circle settlement including 8 hut circles, all terraced into the hillside and lying within a tight cluster. Most of the hut circles survive as banks of earth and stone surrounding a circular or oval internal area. Five of the huts are circular, and measure between 4 metres and 6.5 metres in diameter. The remaining huts are oval, and measure between 7 metres and 10 metres by 4.5 metres and 7 metres. One hut survives as a ring of protruding stones whilst all of the others are composed of walls measuring between 1 metres and 1.3 metres wide and between 0.25 metres and 0.4 metres high. The average width and height of the walls is 1.14 metres and 0.36 metres respectively. One of the huts has an annex, and another has a visible doorway.
The individual huts are all of the simple plan and rubble bank walling type and may be described as follows:
Hut 1 (SX 57436509) interior oval, 7 metres by 4.5 metres. surrounded by a 1 metre wide wall standing up to 0.4 metres high.
Hut 2 (SX 57446511) interior oval, 8.7 metres by 5.2 metres. Surrounded by a 1.3 metre wide wall standing up to 0.4 metres high. A transversely set orthostat in the north-west sector of the wall may indicate the position of a doorway.
Hut 3 (SX 57456510) interior 4.4 metres in diameter surrounded by a 1.1 metre wide wall standing up to 0.25 metres high. A small circular structure with an internal diameter of 1 metre abuts the south side and may represent a cache. (This hut is numbered 102 420 in the National Trust site inventory).
Hut 4 (SX 57466510) interior is rectangular, 10 metres by 7 metres surrounded by a 1.3 metre wide wall standing up to 0.4 metres high. The possibility exists that this structure is of medieval or post medieval date, but without further evidence a prehistoric date seems more likely given the proximity of other hut circles of similar wall construction.
Hut 5 (SX 57476510) interior 4.5 metres in diameter surrounded by a 1 metre wide wall standing up to 0.3 metres high. (This structure is numbered 102 422 in the National Trust site inventory).
Hut 6 (SX 57476509) survives as a 4 metre diameter ring of stones protruding through the turf. (This structure is numbered 102 423 in the National Trust site inventory).
Hut 7 (SX 57466508) interior 4.7 metres in diameter surrounded by a 1.2 meter wide wall standing up to 0.4 metres high. A line of large boulders and one long orthostat protrudes into the interior from the south-western inner face. This partly separates a small area, 4 metres by 2 metres, in the south-west sector and may represent a bench.
Hut 8 (SX 57476508) interior 6.5 metres in diameter surrounded by a 1.1 metre wide wall standing up to 0.4 metres high. An annex attached to the northern side of this hut measures 4 metres by 3 metres and is defined by a 0.8 metre wide and 0.1 metre high wall. (This structure is numbered 102 425 in the National Trust site inventory).

Butler, J., 1994, Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities: Volume Three - The South-West, 114-5, Map 49, Figure 49.3 (Monograph). SDV137656.

Cluster of eight small enclosures, possibly pens, at 'Trowlesworthy Tors North' of different shapes and sizes to the north of the Lee Moor leat.

National Trust and English Heritage, 1994, The Upper Plym Valley: The Management of an Historic Landscape, Pages 102-5 (Report - non-specific). SDV166309.

Probert, S. A. J. + Fletcher, M. J., 2002, Plym Valley survey, 28/02/2002, (Report - Survey). SDV350782.

A small unenclosed settlement of uncertain origin built within a clitter spread.
SX 57486508 A small hut circle built into the slope with a square annex in the north side. It measures internally 5.4 metres by 5.9 metres (across the slope) with boulder / stone walling 1.3 metres wide and 0.4 metres high. The entrance may have been located on the east side. The annex which is 4.5 metres by 3.5 metres marked by a stony line 0.2 metres high.
SX 57476510 A small hut stance which measures internally 3.0 metres by 3.8 metres (across the slope). Its circumference is marked by a stony line 0.2 metres high.
SX 57476510 A small hut stance which measures internally 3.5 metres in diameter with boulder / stone walling 0.8 metres wide and 0.4 metres high.
SX 57466509 A hut circle internally 3.7 metres by 4.1 metres (across the slope) with boulder / stone walling 1.2 metres wide and 0.4 metres high. The position of the entrance is not clear.
SX57476510 A rectangular enclosure internally 10.0 metres by 5.6 metres (across the slope) a boulder / stone wall up to 2.0 metres across and 0.4 metres high. It is built in a slight natural depression and there are a number of large, earthfast boulders within the interior. The entrance may have been on the downhill side.
SX57466510 A small sub-square enclosure with an annex on the south side. It measures internally 4.6 metres by 3.4 metres (across the slope) with low stony walls 0.6 metres wide and 0.2 metres high. The annex is internally 1.4 metres by 1.2 metres with a gap on the east side.
X 57446511 A sub-oval shaped enclosure which is apparently divided into two. The eastern part measures approximately 4.8 metres square internally with boulder / stone walling 1.2 metres wide and 0.4 metres high. The western part, built in a gully is 2.9 metres by 5.9 metres with walling of similar proportions to its neighbour except that the upper side has been strengthened by large blocking boulders.
SX57436510 An irregular cleared area 4 metres (north-south) by 6.5 metres apparently enclosed by a boulder / stone wall some 1.2 metres wide and 0.4 metres high.

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

Features shown on survey.

Ordnance Survey, 2015, MasterMap (Cartographic). SDV357601.

Buildings are depicted on the modern mapping.

English Heritage, 2015, National Heritage List for England, 1014656 (National Heritage List for England). SDV357602.

This monument includes an unenclosed stone hut circle settlement situated on a gentle north-west facing slope overlooking the River Plym.
The settlement includes eight stone hut circles, all terraced into the hillside and lying within a tight cluster. Most of the stone hut circles survive as banks of earth and stone each surrounding a circular or oval internal area.
Five of the huts are circular in plan and measure between 4 metres and 6.5 metres in diameter. The remaining huts are oval in shape and measure between 7.0 metres and 10.0 metres long by 4.5 metres and 7.0 metres wide. One hut survives as a ring of protruding stones whilst all of the others are composed of walls measuring between 1.0 metres and 1.3 metres wide and between 0.25 metres and 0.4 metres high. The average width and height of the walls is 1.14 metres and 0.36 metres respectively. One of the huts has an annex, and another has a visible doorway. A structure attached to the southern outer face of one stone hut circle is a cache. The cache survives as a 1.0 metres wide and 0.3 metres high rubble wall surrounding an internal area with a diameter of 1.0 metres. The size of this structure suggests that it was used for storage purposes rather than as a shelter.

Various, 2018-2020, PALs Condition Recording forms, UPTR-25 (Worksheet). SDV362781.

(01/10/2020) Condition assessed as poor; vegetation encroachment is having an adverse effect. One hut is also being affected by run off from the leat and is very wet.

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

Photographs taken during October 2020 visit.

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)

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