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Summary

An irregular enclosure defined by single and double orthostat walls standing a maximum of 1.3m high. Within are 8 hut circles with internal diameters of 4.5m to 5.5m. Entrances, where apparent, are all to the south-east. The scheduling for this site was revised in 1992.

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1010651: Enclosure with hut circles south-east of Eastern Tor

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX56NE51
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 438644
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX56NE/26
• Old SAM County Ref: 579
• Old SAM Ref: 10711

Monument Type(s) and Dates

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

Full description

Worth, R. H., 1943, The Prehistoric Pounds of Dartmoor, 295 (Article in Serial). SDV320337.

Royal Air Force, 1946, RAF/CPE/UK/1890, 4286-7 (Aerial Photograph). SDV169268.

An enclosure with an unusual shape visible.

Worth, R. H., 1953, Dartmoor, 155 (Monograph). SDV231148.

Eastern Tor. Pound enclosing one hut circle.

National Monuments Record, 1976, NMR SX5866, 1/5 (Aerial Photograph). SDV217387.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1977, SX56NE51 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV217383.

(29/06/1977) On the south slope of Eastern Tor an enclosure of irregular form but measuring some 120.0m north-east by south-west and about 60.0m transversely (enclosing about 1/2 hectares) is centred at SX 58566639. It comprises a well defined part-single and part-double wall of orthostats and rubble stones still standing up to 1.3m high. In places it has been repaired and added to in recent times in connection with vermin traps outside the perimeter.
The hillslope of about 1 in 15 is littered with boulders and would seem an unsatisfactory site for settlement. Nevertheless it incorporates eight hut circles with internal diameters of 4.5m to 5.5m, one of type 2, one of single slab walling, the others of type 3. The walls average 1.2m thick and are up to 0.6m high; the entrances are all to the south-east. One hut, integral with the west side of the enclosure, appears to have its own walled plot 25m by 15m and the double-walled hut is associated with a cleared platform. Most other huts have plots of irregular shape about 10.0m across, usually on the uphill side of the hut, cleared with considerable effort and subsequently levelled (see illustration).
The enclosure and the area outside it are subject to bracken but no other fields or plots were discerned. (Hut type sites: 2, SSX 56 NE 71 : 3, SX 67 SE 56). Surveyed at 1:10 000 on PFD.

Robinson, R., 1983, Untitled Source (Site Visit). SDV346264.

Department of Environment Field Monument Warden visit.

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

Agglomerated enclosure, with a number of parts indistinct. Two main, three subsidiary enclosures possibly more. Three hut circles freestanding within enclosure, five hut circles attached to enclosure walls. Area approx 0.5 hectares.

Department of Environment, 1992, Enclosure with hut circles south-east of Eastern Tor (Schedule Document). SDV217381.

This enclosure lies on a south-east facing slope above the north bank of the River Plym and below Eastern Tor. It is sub-oval in shape, approximately 130 meters in length and 65 meters in width and is in an area of outcropping rock and heavy clitter on the side of the tor; this combined with high bracken makes observation difficult. The enclosure bank incorporates large natural boulders along the north side and is up to 2.0 meters in width and on average 0.5 meters to 1.0 meter in height, though the boulders are up to 2.0 meters in height. There are the remains of a subdivision at the western end, with a hut 10.0 meters in diameter in the junction between the main bank and that of the subdivision. There are at least seven other hut circles in the enclosure, all of them freestanding and up to 10.0 meters in diameter with walls up to 1.0 meter in thickness and 0.5 meters in height. The north bank has been incorporated in later intake walling.

Butler, J., 1994, Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities: Volume Three - The South-West, 125, Map 49, Figure 49.10 (Monograph). SDV137656.

Enclosure 'B' at Eastern Tor prehistoric settlement close to Ditsworthy Warren House, which is in poor condition and has been disturbed by later rebuilding. There is one hut circle in this enclosure which relies on natural boulders for its southern boundary.

Fletcher, M. + Newman, P. + Probert, S., 1999, Drizzlecombe, Eylesbarrow, Ditsworthy and Hartor areas in the Plym Valley, West Devon (Report - Survey). SDV346268.

(20/02/2000) A well preserved enclosed settlement situated on the crest of a south-east facing, clitter covered slope centred at SX 58566630. A total of eight hut-circles lie within a strong enclosure wall. Hut details:
SX58516636 - 6.0m internal diameter with large internal facing slabs some external facing slabs with small stone infill- average height of wall 0.4m. The position of the entrance is not obvious and the hut is linked to the enclosure wall.
SX58536637 - 4.6m internal diameter; robbed wall with some large boulders up to 0.8m high. No visible entrance.
SX58546638 - Internally 5.7m by 4.7m with a robbed wall, including some large boulders up to 0.7m high. No visible entrance. Set in a clitter spread which has been partially cleared.
SX58556639 - 5.5m internal diameter; walling of irregular and spread boulders on average 0.4m high. No visible entrance.
SX58556641 - 5.8m internal diameter; in a poor condition and visible primarily as an incomplete ring of large natural boulders - much robbed.
SX58556642 - An ill-defined circular stance with an incomplete ring of 0.4m high boulders defining its edge. Probably a robbed hut circle.
SX58586642 - Internally 7.2m by 6.7m; a squarish hut on a level stance. The walling of large boulders and piled stones is up to 0.8m high. No visible entrance.
SX58606641 - A probable hut visible as a 5.0m diameter level stance bounded by an irregular line of boulders and stones.
To the west of this enclosed settlement within a linked enclosure at SX58486637 is a circular depression which may mark the site of a hut circle. No walling is visible.
(Source unconfirmed: NRHE cities Fletcher, M. J., 20/02/2000, English Heritage Field Investigation).

Whitbourn, A., 2001, An Archaeological Investigation into features comprising, and associated with, Ditsworthy Warren, 13-15, 79, Photographs 3-5 (Report - Assessment). SDV360381.

Bronze Age settlement on the south-eastern slope of Eastern Tor. Several hut circles can be seen in the lower enclosures.

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

Newman, P. + Probert, S., 2005, Ringmoor Training Area: Monument Baseline Condition Survey (Report - Survey). SDV363484.

(11/03/2005) These features remain in a stable condition and are as described by English Heritage (2000).

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

Enclosure shown on survey.

Probert, S. A. J., 2010, A Condition Survey of the Archaeological Sites of Ringmoor, Dartmoor Training Area (Report - Survey). SDV360517.

Newman, P., 2018, Archaeological Sites within Ringmoor Training Area, Dartmoor National Park, Devon: A condition survey on behalf of Defence Infrastructure Organisation, Extent of enclosure shown on survey. (Report - Survey). SDV361636.

(01/12/2017) An irregular enclosure on the east slope of Eastern Tor, with well defined boundary walls containing eight hut circles. Condition fair, site stable.

Various, 2018-2020, PALs Condition Recording forms, UP-DZ 15 (Worksheet). SDV362781.

Visited 01/02/2020. Overall condition good. Photo x2 taken.

Various, 2018-2020, PALs Condition Recording photographs, UP-DZ 15 (Photograph). SDV363073.

Photo 1: View of central part of enclosure looking 080° showing grass cover with a litle bracken. Photo 2: View of W part of enclosure looking 080° showing grass and bracken cover with a few outcrops of reeds.

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

Enclosure and three hut circles shown on modern mapping.

Historic England, 2021, National Heritage List for England, 1010652 (National Heritage List for England). SDV364016.

Within scheduled area.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV4966 - Survey of Drizzlecombe, Eylesbarrow, Ditsworthy and Hartor. The Eylesbarrow archaeological landscape
• EDV7443 - Condition survey of archaeological sites in Ringmoor Training Area
• EDV7551 - Ditsworthy Warren: An archaeological investigation
• EDV7569 - Condition survey of Ringmoor Down training area
• EDV8155 - Plym Valley Survey
• EDV8227 - Ringmoor Training Area: Monument Baseline Condition Survey

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