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Summary

Enclosed hut circle settlement of 115 metres by 90 metres to the south of the summit of Kennon Hill with at least fourteen huts connected by a network of banks which form paddocks between them.

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1017479: A partly enclosed stone hut circle settlement on Kennon Hill

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX68NW4
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 443698
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX68NW/21
• Old SAM Ref: 28656

Monument Type(s) and Dates

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

Full description

Royal Air Force, 1947, RAF/CPE/UK/2082, 4382-3 (Aerial Photograph). SDV221887.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1950, SX68NW4 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV242684.

(16/08/1950) Hut circles and enclosures, in position as shown on field sheet, [area centred at SX64208900].
Enclosures: The walls of the enclosures are very fragmentary, only a few stones remain. The average height of the walls is 0.3m.
Hut circles:
A: Diameter 5.0m. Wall is circa 0.4m high and is composed of heather-covered stones. Possible entrance on the SW.
B: Diameter 4.0m. Remains of hut circle, possible entrance to north.
C: The same condition as A. 5.0m diameter.
D: Diameter 4.0m. Wall composed of large stones. No obvious entrance.
E: Diameter 4.5m. Very fragmentary walling consisting of few stones. No visible entrance.
F: Remains of 2 hut circles, diameter of each being 4.0m. Stone walling and no obvious entrance.
G: Diameter 4.0m. In fragmentary condition with no obvious entrance.
H: Diameter 4.5m. Wall is composed of heather-covered stones. In poor condition and no entrance visible.
I: Same as H, but with 4.0m diameter.
J: Diameter 4.5m. Wall is composed of usual turf-covered stones and is circa 0.3m high. Possible entrance at north.
K: Diameter 5.5m, otherwise same as J, except that entrance is to the SE.

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

Visible in 1947 RAF aerial photograph. Agglomerate enclosure with three hut circles incorporated into its walls, another three attached to the internal wall and one attached to the external wall. There are a further two discreet hut circles within the enclosure and one outside at SX 64208902.

Price, D. G., 1985, Changing Perceptions of Prehistoric Tinning on Dartmoor, 129-138 (Article in Serial). SDV215975.

Butler, J., 1991, Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities: Volume Two - The North, 211, Map 41, Site '1' (Monograph). SDV219155.

'Kennon Hill settlement'. A multiple enclosure settlement lies south of the summit of Kennon Hill on an even slope facing down the Ruelake valley. The settlement is very overgrown but the boundary walls are continuous and do not appear to have been robbed. At least fourteen hut circles are visible each 3 to 4 metres across connected together by a network of banks which form paddocks between them.

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

Some boundaries and hut circles visible on aerial photograph.

Ordnance Survey, 2023, Mastermap 2023 (Cartographic). SDV365227.

'Settlement' shown on modern mapping with a group of adjoining enclosures and eleven hut circles with an isolated hut circle 20 metres to the east.

Historic England, 2023, National Heritage List for England, 1017479 (National Heritage List for England). SDV365228.

Partly enclosed hut settlement on Kennon Hill. Western part includes agglomerated enclosure containing at least 13 irregular areas each defined by lengths of rubble wall. At least 22 huts lie within the agglomerated enclosure and of these, 3 are free standing, 3 are butted to the walling and the remainder are linked by lengths of enclosure wall. Those linked to the enclosure wall are clearly earlier than the enclosure, whilst those butted to it are later. The enclosure shows obvious signs of having developed over time and was added to a previously unenclosed settlement. In the area east and south of the agglomerated enclosures are 3 unenclosed hut circles and further to east are 2 further huts linked by a length of rubble wall. A small oval enclosure denoting the eastern edge of the settlement measures 12 metrres by 10 metres and is defined by a 1.4 metres wide, 0.7 etresm high rubble bank containing occasional orthostats.
The hut circles within the settlement all survive as banks surrounding circular or oval areas varying from 3 to 4 metres diameter. Walls vary 0.3 metres to 1.3 metres high. Eleven huts have visible doorways and the orthostatic rubble bank and coursed walling traditions are all represented.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

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