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Summary

Hut circle settlement and field system to the south-east of Wedlake with seventy one hut circles of between 2 to 7 metres diameter with walls between 0.8 to 2 metres wide by 1.5 metres high and several small enclosures

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1003195: Hut circles SW of Wedlake

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX57NW18
• National Monuments Record: SX57NW82
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 439774
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 439955
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX57NW/2
• Old SAM County Ref: 870
• Old SAM Ref: 20386(PART)
• Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division: SX57NW58

Monument Type(s) and Dates

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

Full description

Dick, A. M., Note on scheduling (SMR record). SDV228454.

N.B.: Four hut circles (subsheets 1-4) included in scheduled area 20386. The remaining 49 hut circles, and enclosures, have been de facto descheduled (undated source).

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

Large group of 'Hut Circles' shown on 19th century map.

Brent, F., 1885, 10th Report of the Committee on Scientific Memoranda, 71 (Article in Serial). SDV250005.

Baring Gould, S., 1905, Tenth Report of the Dartmoor Exploration Committee, 141-145 (Article in Serial). SDV64587.

Anderson, I. K., 1906, 11th Report of the Dartmoor Exploration Committee (Article in Serial). SDV337055.

Royal Air Force, 1964, RAF/F64/58/6399, 0043-44 (Aerial Photograph). SDV255307.

Ancient Monuments, 1971, Hut circles south of Wedlake (Schedule Document). SDV228435.

(04/02/1971). Hut circles south of wedlake. Unenclosed group of 53 hut circles and a small enclosure, 18.29m in diameter. The hut circles are mainly very ruinous but where visible the entrances are on the south west side. The hut circles range in diameter from 4.572 - 7.32m.

National Monuments Record, 1977, NMR SX5377, 4/252 (Aerial Photograph). SDV228503.

National Monument Record, 1977, SX5376, 4/256 (Aerial Photograph). SDV271138.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1978, SX57NW82 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV228444.

(13/10/1978) On the lower north west facing slopes of Roos Tor at SX 54107730 is a group of 36 hut circles. Their condition is mostly poor to fair, only one being in good preservation. Their internal diameters range from 2.0m to 7.0m with an average of 3.8m, and the thickness of their walls ranges from 0.8m to 2.0m with an average of 1.5m. Entrances are visible in 13 of the huts, mostly on the south and south-west. Six of the huts appear to be of Type 2 with remains of double walling; the rest of Type 1. Some cultivation seems to have been carried out in the vicinity with large areas of rock-free hillside. (Type sites 1, SX 56 SE 19; 2, SX 56 NW 71).
Surveyed at 1:10 000 on PFD.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1980, SX57NW18, SX57NW18 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV228455.

(17/11/1980) On a NW slope and bounded on the W and NW by an apparently later reave (SX 57 NW 30) is a settlement covering about 3.8 ha. Forty-two huts can be identified (thirty seven within the 1:2500 plan area; see also SX 57 NW 82). If a further detached group (SX 57 NW 19), 70m. To the S is included there are 63 huts spread over some 5.3ha., comparable to settlement in the Plym and Erme valleys.
The majority of the huts are between 5.5m. and 8.8m. internal diameter and appear to by of Type 2 (SX 56 NE 71) the interiors being levelled. There has been considerable robbing, some perhaps in antiquity, and particularly to the lesser huts with internal diameters down to 2.6m. These seem to be of Type 1 (SX 56 SE 19).
Walling averages 1.4m. wide, exceptionally 2.0m., and is from 0.3m to 0.8m. high, being lower within the area of modern enclosure. Where visible, entrances are usually to the S. One hut at SX 53907729 is sub-divided, and another large one at SX 53937714 seems to have been repossessed by the intrusion of a smaller hut.
A number of huts are linked by boulder and rubble walling 1.4m. wide and from 0.2m. to 0.6m. high, forming small irregular plots (see plan). It is the linking wall at SX 53867727 which obtrudes the normal direction of the reave; it would seem to be earlier, since there appears little benefit in clearing 16.0m. of reave to obtain about 48 sq. metres of ground.
Settlement surveyed at 1:2500 on MSD.

Robinson, R., 1982, List of Field Monument Warden Visits 1982 (Un-published). SDV342809.

(Visited 01/12/1982) There is a cairnfield to the east of the settlement with about 15 cairns. Not located accurately (see SX57NW-199).

Robinson, R., 1983, List of Field Monument Warden Visits 1983 (Un-published). SDV345762.

(Visited 19/01/1983)

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

Open settlement in four distinct groups:
(1) SX53937717. Agglomerated enclosure of three elements. Two hut circles attached to exterior walls of enclosure. Six hut circles freestanding to southwest of enclosure, four hut circles freestanding to northeast, one with short length of walling attached.
(2) SX54057727. Group of eight freestanding hut circles, one with short length of walling attached.
(3) SX54157730. Group of eleven freestanding hut circles.
(4) SX53937729. Group of seven freestanding hut circles.
(5) two freestanding hut circles equidistant between groups 1 and 2. Total forty hut circles.

Griffith, F. M., 1986, Settlement south-east of Wedlake (Site Visit). SDV228466.

Visited on 24th August 1986. A charming group of hut circles on open possibly cleared hillside.

Royal Commission for the Historical Monuments of England, 1987-1993, Duchy Farms Project Survey Visit (Report - Survey). SDV350839.

(23/08/1991) An unenclosed settlement and an associated field system situated on the north west slopes of Roos Tor.
Dominating this westward projection of Dartmoor, Roos Tor rises to a summit of 454m OD on Peter Tavy Great Common. The settlement and field system covers gently sloping hillside below the main area of the clitter scree eroded from the granite tor. Lying between the 325m and 370m contours it extends about 400m east-west by 250m, an area of approximately 10 hectares. In the northwest of the settlement nineteen huts fall within once cultivated enclosed pastureland whilst the remainder of the huts are on rough grassland outside the modern enclosure wall to the southeast. Scrub, furze and hawthorn are spread across the area. The western side of the settlement is bounded by the "Great Western Reave" (Fleming 1988 44) (8) which curves around to the northeast to cross it in the northwest. (See Lin 150).
SETTLEMENT. The settlement consists of seventy one hut circles (1-33 and 35-72), which are invariably formed by circular platforms built up, levelled and cut into the slope. They are edged with turf-covered walls constructed of rubble. Their internal diameters range from 2.2m to 9m, (averaging 4.9m) and the walls, 0.2m to 1m high, are 0.8m to 1.6m wide spread to 2m or more in places. Though most of the huts have been heavily robbed there are fifty-four identifiable entrances still evident, predominantly in the southwest. (See tabulation for individual hut details).
FIELD SYSTEM. The remains of the field system are now only fragmentary. Several of the huts, mainly in the southwest of the area around huts (18) and (24), are attached to small irregular shaped enclosures or possible plots. Remains of probable field walls are evident running east-west up and down the slope from huts (20), (25), (27), (55) and (64). There are also short lengths of walling visible near huts (41) and (58). Inside the angle of the modern enclosure wall, near hut (10), are the turf-covered remains of a stony lynchet about 120m long which has been much reduced by ploughing. Another, 75m long, is evident to the southeast of hut (69). There are also about twenty stone clearance heaps, some oval but mainly circular, scattered around hut (70). They are turf-covered mounds predominantly of small stones and average 4.2m in diameter and 0.7m in height.
Due to the collapsed, ploughed down and overgrown nature of the wall to the southwest of hut (4) its exact relationship to the reave is now difficult to ascertain. Build up of soil, and field clearance on the east of this wall appear to have encroached on it and the hut combining the reave and wall into one feature.
Huts (1) to (3) also lie outside the reave giving the impression that the reave is cutting across an already extant settlement. (According to local information this area inside the modern enclosure wall was last ploughed for potato cultivation during the Napoleonic Wars. Huts (1) and (2) are in a much reduced fragmentary condition and it is possible that there were more huts in the area to their east, north of the reave, which have been destroyed by ploughing).
See 1/2500 survey "Wedlake" in RCHME Archive.
A further table of information on the settlement is held in the archive.

Fleming, A., 1988, The Dartmoor Reaves: Investigating Prehistoric Land Divisions, 43-4 (Monograph). SDV229071.

Butler, J., 1991, Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities: Volume Two - The North, 86-87, Map 31, Figure 31.3 (Monograph). SDV219155.

Large hut circle settlement at 'Roos Tor North-west' with 73 hut circles. The settlement is bounded on the south-west by a reave and the huts are grouped closely together. Some are joined by short lengths of walling to form small enclosures. A group of cairns are located to the east of the settlement.

Newman, P., 2003, The Langstone Moor Stone Circle, Peter Tavy, Devon and its Prehistoric Environs (Report - Survey). SDV255420.

(10/10/2003) Resurveyed at 1:2500 using GPS September 2003. These huts [439955: SX57NW82] now absorbed into SX57NW18.

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

Many hut circles visible on aerial photograph.

Historic England, 2022, National Heritage List for England, 1003195 (National Heritage List for England). SDV364675.

This monument includes part of a partially enclosed stone hut circle settlement situated on the lower north western slopes of Roos Tor. The settlement survives as a scattering of stone hut circles, some enclosed or linked by boundaries with a few small irregular shaped paddocks defined by boundary walls, although the majority of the buildings are free standing and unenclosed. To the south west the settlement is defined by a territorial reave and part of the settlement including approximately 10 stone hut circles and some small paddocks have been included within later enclosed fields. The later field boundaries are excluded from the scheduling, although the ground beneath is included. On the open moor approximately 42 further stone hut circles survive, some are linked to paddocks, two pairs are conjoined but the majority are freestanding. One shows clear internal divisions. The stone hut circles range in size from 2 metres to 7 metres in diameter internally and are generally defined by stony walls, some double faced, measuring between 0.8 metres and 2 metres wide and on average 1.5 metres high. The entrances are generally to the south or south west where they are visible. The settlement is also cut by a series of tracks, any modern surfaces of which are excluded from the scheduling but the ground beneath these features is included.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card, unknown, SX57NW58, SX57NW58 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV228459.

Enclosure and hut circles south-east of Wedlake. Remains of 53 hut circles. 'A'. Remains of 10 hut circles in modern enclosure. Covered by ferns and brambles, so accurate measurement impossible. 'B'-'C'. No entrance visible. 'D'. Walls composed of large stones at base with turf covered stones surmounting them. Entrance to south-west. 'E'. Ruinous condition. 'F'. Entrance to south-east. 'G'. No entrance visible. 'H'. Possible entrance to south-west. 'I'. Remains only. 'J'. Entrance to south-west. 'K'. Remains of two hut circles. 'L'. Remains only. 'M'. Remains. 'N'. Small circular enclosure. 'P'-'U'. Possible entrance to south-east. 'V'. Two hut circles, no entrances visible. 'W'. Possible entrance to south-east. 'X'. No entrance. 'Y'. Remains. 'Z'. No entrance visible. 'a'. Remains of two hut circles. 'b'. Entrance to south-west. 'c'. Remains. 'd'. No entrance visible. 'e'. Remains. 'f'. Entrance to south-west. 'g'. Double wall type. 'h'. Remains of six hut circles. 'I'. Very fragmentary remains of two hut circles. 'j'. Remains only. 'k'. In poor condition. 'l'. A well made hut circle, no definite entrance. 'm' - 'p'. Entrance to south-west. 'q'. Remains only. 'r'. Entrance to south-west. Fragments of flint and scrapers reported here.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV8423 - Duchy Farms Project
• EDV7275 - Survey of the Langstone Moor stone circle and other prehistoric monuments nearby

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