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Summary

Site of two possible hut circles on south side of South Common Plantation. Identified in the 1950s and described by the Ordnance Survey, these features were not found in 1979 and have been reassessed as unlikely features. 2018 survey recorded no ground evidence for hut circles here.

Location

Protected Status

• SHINE: Earthwork and turf-covered walling remains of a Bronze Age hut circle settlement to the south-east of South Common Plantation, including at least 6 hut circles and a curved fragment of enclosure walling

Other References/Statuses

• National Record of the Historic Environment: 440630
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX58SE/4
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX58SE/4/1
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX58SE/4/2
• Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division: SX58SE18

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• NATURAL FEATURE (Unknown date)
• (Former Type) HUT CIRCLE? (Constructed, Bronze Age - 2200 BC (Between) to 701 BC (Between))

Full description

Royal Air Force, 1947, RAF/CPE/UK/1995, 4379 (Aerial Photograph). SDV224714.

Royal Air Force, 1949, RAF/540/176, 5112-3 (Aerial Photograph). SDV224083.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1958, SX58SE18, SX58SE18 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV214736.

Hut Circles. A group of several huts, all the stones of which lie first under a thin layer of turf in an enclosure of rough grazing land between Bagga Tor and Lynch Tor at SX558595. In this large enclosure is a circular plantation of trees, which makes it easily identifiable; the plantation is just to the north-west of the group (citing Sayer, S., 29/12/1957, letter to Ordnance Survey).
Corrected siting to SX558803 (Ordnance Survey, 06/01/1958).
Two hut circles surveyed at SX 55758059 and SX 55748057, both circular and approximately 5.0 metres diameter, the stones barely break the turf. I would suggest the hut at SX 55748057 is a doubtful one (Ordnance Survey, 28/03/1958).

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1979, SX58SE18 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV268745.

(16/10/1979) The field has been heavily drained to produce a rich pasture but no trace of the published hut circles could be found. If they exist, and the general situation is favourable, they are now completely concealed. The possible huts noted on the air photograph are circular patches of turf encompassed by rushy drainage channels of natural origin.

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

Agglomerated enclosure identified from aerial photographs. Two elements. Three hut circles freestanding within the two elements. Four huts hut circles attached to the enclosure walls. Group of three hut circles to the immediate east at SX55778050. Enclosure cut through by leat (MDV27100).

Butler, J., 1991, Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities: Volume Two - The North, 105, Map 32, Site 15 (Monograph). SDV219155.

The South Common Plantation overlies a settlement of unknown extent. The tops of one or possibly two huts show above the turf close to where the lower end of a contemporary enclosure bank disappears under the plantation wall.

Newman, P., 2004, Merrivale Range Baseline Condition Survey (Report - Survey). SDV346874.

(23/08/2004) As described in 1979 - no ground evidence.

Cartographic Engineering, 2006, Dartmoor 2006 1:1250 Aerial Photography (digital) (Aerial Photograph). SDV345590.

Two circular features visible at SX55758057 and SX55768058 just south of South Common Plantation.

Newman, P., 2018, Archaeological Sites within Merrivale Training Area, Dartmoor National Park, Devon: A condition survey on behalf of Defence Infrastructure Organisation, 8, Table 3 (Report - Survey). SDV361635.

440630: The site of two alleged hut circles. No ground evidence (included in list of sites previously recorded but not recorded in this survey either because not located, natural features, non-antiquities or duplicates).

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV7441 - Condition survey of the archaeological sites of Merrivale Training Area
• EDV8713 - Merrivale Range: Monument Baseline Condition Survey

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