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Summary

The remains of ten hut circles and one small enclosure on the moderate north slope of Down Tor. All are in poor condition. Their internal diameters average 5m and their walls average 1.0m thick. No entrances are visible.

Location

Protected Status

• SHINE: Earthwork and structural remains of a section of the late 18th century Devonport Leat running from Raddick Hill to Nun's Cross, including extensive tinning remains at Cramber Tor
• Scheduled Monument 1002612: Pound and hut circles N of Down Tor

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX56NE13
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 438535
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX56NE/153
• Old SAM County Ref: 839
• Old SAM Ref: 24077(P)
• SHINE Candidate (Yes)

Monument Type(s) and Dates

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

Full description

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1952, SX56NE13 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV250100.

(10/06/1952). Five hut circles.

Ancient Monuments, 1970, Schedule notes (Schedule Document). SDV250098.

(22/09/1970) Pound and hut circles north of Down Tor. Remains of a 29.26m diameter drystone wall pound and seven hut circles. Although the area is badly damaged by 19th century mine workings the hut circles are well preserved. They are all small being from 3.6m - 6.40m in diameter. Four have clearly defined entrances to the west.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1979, SX56NE13 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV250096.

(02/04/1979) On the lower north-facing slope of Down Tor, centred at SX 580696 are five hut circles, all in poor or very poor condition. Their internal diameters average 4.7m and their walls average 1.0m thick. No entrances are visible. Though their present condition makes a decision regarding their Type difficult, it is probable that they were all of Type 1 (Type site: SX 56 SE 19). Surveyed at 1:10 000 on PFD.

Gerrard, S., 1990-2002, Monument Protection Programme. Archaeological Item Dataset., MPP 133267 (Report - Survey). SDV277946.

Butler, J., 1994, Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities: Volume Three - The South-West, 63, 198 (Monograph). SDV137656.

Down Tor North. "An overgrown site at the centre of much tinning activity ... Only two of the twelve hut circles are likely to have been dwellings (both 5.5.m), substantial double-walled buildings on the perimeter of a very small enclosure. Pits have been dug in the interior and a short length of the west wall appears to be missing but the downhill section remains intact. Above the enclosure a string of at least ten more circles extend uphill ... All are of small diameter (3.0-3.5 m), mostly single rings of slabs which could never have been roofed."

Wessex Archaeology, 2002, Cramber Tor Training Area Rapid Condition Survey (Report - Survey). SDV354588.

Cramber Tor Survey 2002, Sites WA030, WA031, WA032, WA033, WA085, WA086, WA086, WA087, WA088, WA089, WA090.

Newman, P., 2007, Cramber Tor Training Area Monument Baseline Condition Survey (Report - Survey). SDV348210.

(01/08/2006) A group of 10 hut circles and a small enclosure on the moderate north slope of Down Tor. The ovoid enclosure SX 5801 6974 covers approximately 590 square metres but has been badly disturbed by post-med pitworks. The walls consist of now displaced granite moorstone built into turf banks. Two hut circles are built into the enclosure walls and the northern of these is the better preserved. It has a diameter 5.8m and comprises a circle of in situ orthostats. The interior is not level. The second enclosure hut has a diameter of approximately 6m. Parts of the wall remain in situ though most are displaced. See related records for details of other eight huts.
None of the huts have discernable entrances. Two additional huts depicted by Butler could not be found.

Fletcher, M. J., 2007-2008, Walkhampton Premier Archaeological Landscape; Field Investigation Project (Report - Survey). SDV359195.

Probert, S., 2008, Follow-Up Works to Cramber Tor Archaeological Baseline Condition Survey, Dartmoor Training Area (Report - Survey). SDV351304.

Greeves, T., 2012, Cramber Tor Training Area. Monument Condition Survey (Report - Survey). SDV350251.

Probert, S. A. J., 2017, A Condition Survey of the Archaeological Sites of the Cramber Tor Training Area, Devon, 2017 (Report - Survey). SDV360392.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV7382 - Condition Survey of the Cramber Tor Training Area
• EDV8351 - Walkhampton Premier Archaeological Landscape; Field Investigation Project
• EDV6034 - Monument Condition Survey in Cramber Tor Training Area
• EDV6152 - Follow-up Works to Threatened Sites in the Cramber Tor Training Area
• EDV6153 - Monument Baseline Condition Survey in the Cramber Tor Training Area
• EDV8711 - Condition Survey of the Cramber Tor Training Area

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