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HER Number:MDV3481
Name:Fragmentary enclosure with huts north-west of Hen Tor, Shaugh Prior

Summary

Fragmentary enclosure with huts north-west of Hen Tor is one of a cluster of irregular and incompletely preserved enclosures containing 20 hut circles lying between the clitter west of Hen Tor and the former enclosed land around Hentor Farm. The enclosure banks are generally 1.5 metres wide and exist up to 0.7 metres high (2002 survey).

Location

Grid Reference:SX 590 654
Map Sheet:SX56NE
Admin AreaDartmoor National Park
Civil ParishShaugh Prior
DistrictSouth Hams
Ecclesiastical ParishSHAUGH PRIOR

Protected Status

Other References/Statuses

  • National Monuments Record: SX56NE78
  • Old DCC SMR Ref: SX56NE/158
  • Pastscape: 438723

Monument Type(s) and Dates

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

Full description

Ordnance Survey, 1880-1899, First Edition Ordnance 25 inch map (Cartographic). SDV336179.

'Hut Circles' shown on 19th century map.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1979, SX56NE78 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV363230.

(10/04/1979) Below Hentor on a north-west facing clitter-covered slope, between 347.0m and 370.0m OD, are the remains of a partly enclosed settlement of twenty-six huts occupying an area of 4.5 hectares. There are two main enclosures, each incomplete, constructed of piled stones to form walling 1.5m thick and 0.5m high. No distinctive entrances are visible. The majority of the huts are connected by a rickle of stones.
Six lie within the first enclosure and two in the second. The huts appear to be of Type 2 with southern entrances and levelled interiors. The internal diameters vary from 2.0m to 5.0m with a mean of 3.3m. The hut walling averages 1.0m thick and 0.6m high. The site is generally in poor condition. (Type site: SX 56 NE 71). Surveyed at 1:10 000 on PFD.

National Monuments Record, 1983, NMR SF2134, 53, 54 (Aerial Photograph). SDV238551.

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

Two element agglomerated enclosure, the major part overlain by right angle formed by junction of two fields of field system (SX56nNE/379) of Hentor House. Five hut circles attached to enclosure walls. Freestanding hut circle to east of large element.

Gerrard, S., 1990-2002, Monument Protection Programme. Archaeological Item Dataset., MPP 140437, 18/5/1995 MPP 140439? (Report - Survey). SDV277946.

(At SX 5905 6549, SX 5905 6546 + SX 5908 6544). Four hut circles and length of boundary bank forming part of a partially enclosed stone hut circle settlement. Buildings survive as banks of earth and stone surrounding a circular internal area and are linked to each other by a length of rubble bank which is up to 2m wide and 0.4m high. The relationship between the buildings and the rubble bank is unclear, but they appear to be bonded suggesting that they were built at the same time. See related records for hut details.
The rubble bank connecting these huts may have once formed part of a complex series of enclosures associated with the partially enclosed stone hut circle settlement situated on the lower slopes of Hentor.

Butler, J., 1994, Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities: Volume Three - The South-West, 122-3, Map 49, Figure 49.8 (Monograph). SDV137656.

The north-west part of Settlement 'D' at 'Upper Hentor Brook' on the west side of Hen Tor includes many sections of walling, some enclosing hut circles with others adjoining or between hut circles. This group includes at least six hut circles of 3.5 to 4.5 metres diameter.

Thackray, C., 1994, The Upper Plym Valley: the management of an historic landscape (Report - non-specific). SDV143510.

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

(22/03/2002) Centred SX 5910 6543. A cluster of irregular and incompletely preserved enclosures containing 20 hut circles lie between the clitter W of Hen Tor and the former enclosed land around Hentor Farm. It is impossible to determine the original extent of this settlement as it has been severely disturbed by later activity which seems to have resulted in the removal of several elements and the obfuscation of most others. The enclosure banks are generally 1.5m wide and exist up to 0.7m high though some have been heightened by the addition of clearance stone in the post medieval period and others have been robbed to ground level.
Of the 26 huts recorded in 1979, only 20 can be positively identified, the remainder existing as small hollows in the clitter. All have been partially or wholly infilled by clearance material and few original features are apparent.

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

Features shown on survey.

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

Ordnance Survey, 2021, MasterMap 2021 (Cartographic). SDV364015.

Boundaries shown on modern mapping.

Historic England, 2021, National Heritage List for England, 1019082 (National Heritage List for England). SDV364016.

This monument includes extensive prehistoric and historic archaeological monuments situated within Hentor Warren, which lies between the Shavercombe and Hentor Brooks.

Sources / Further Reading

SDV137656Monograph: Butler, J.. 1994. Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities: Volume Three - The South-West. Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities: Volume Three - The South-West. Three. Paperback Volume. 122-3, Map 49, Figure 49.8.
SDV143510Report - non-specific: Thackray, C.. 1994. The Upper Plym Valley: the management of an historic landscape.
SDV238551Aerial Photograph: National Monuments Record. 1983. NMR SF2134. National Monuments Record Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). 53, 54.
SDV277946Report - Survey: Gerrard, S.. 1990-2002. Monument Protection Programme. Archaeological Item Dataset.. Monument Protection Programme. Archaeological Item Dataset.. Mixed Archive Material + Digital. MPP 140437, 18/5/1995 MPP 140439?.
SDV319854Cartographic: Royal Commission on the Historical Monuments of England. 1985. Aerial Photograph Project (Dartmoor) - Dartmoor Pre-NMP. Royal Commission on the Historical Monuments of England Aerial Photograph P. Cartographic.
SDV336179Cartographic: Ordnance Survey. 1880-1899. First Edition Ordnance 25 inch map. First Edition Ordnance Survey 25 inch Map. Map (Digital).
SDV345521Cartographic: English Heritage. 2005-2008. Prehistoric Survey Information. English Heritage. Digital.
SDV350782Report - Survey: Probert, S. A. J. + Fletcher, M. J.. 2002. Plym Valley survey. English Heritage Archaeological Investigation Report. Unknown. [Mapped feature: #122130 ]
SDV361462Aerial Photograph: Bluesky International Ltd/Getmapping PLC. 2015-2017. 2015-2017 Aerial Photographs. Bluesky International Ltd/Getmapping PLC. Photograph (Digital).
SDV363230Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card: Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division. 1979. SX56NE78. Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card. Card Index.
SDV364015Cartographic: Ordnance Survey. 2021. MasterMap 2021. Ordnance Survey Digital Mapping. Digital.
SDV364016National Heritage List for England: Historic England. 2021. National Heritage List for England. Digital. 1019082.

Associated Monuments

MDV3484Parent of: Hut in enclosure south of Hentor Farm, Shaugh Prior (Monument)
MDV126600Parent of: Hut in settlement north-west of Hen Tor, Shaugh Prior (Monument)
MDV55448Parent of: Hut in settlement north-west of Hen Tor, Shaugh Prior (Monument)
MDV55450Parent of: Hut in settlement north-west of Hen Tor, Shaugh Prior (Monument)
MDV55446Parent of: Hut within field system south-east of Hentor Farm, Shaugh Prior (Monument)
MDV55447Parent of: Hut within field system south-east of Hentor Farm, Shaugh Prior (Monument)
MDV55449Parent of: Possible hut in settlement north-west of Hen Tor, Shaugh Prior (Monument)
MDV3487Related to: Enclosure on the south-west side of Hen Tor, Shaugh Prior (Monument)
MDV3488Related to: Hut in field south-east of Hentor Farm, Shaugh Prior (Monument)
MDV55451Related to: Hut in settlement west of Hen Tor, Shaugh Prior (Monument)
MDV3482Related to: Partial enclosure with huts south-west of Hen Tor, Shaugh Prior (Monument)
MDV3485Related to: Partial enclosure with huts west of Hen Tor (Monument)

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

  • EDV8148 - The Upper Plym Valley: The Management of an Historic Landscape
  • EDV8155 - Plym Valley Survey

Date Last Edited:May 11 2021 10:40AM