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Summary

A hut circle was alleged at this location (one of a pair, the other of which may be an actual hut), but this is now thought to be a natural feature. Site is still scheduled.

Location

Protected Status

• SHINE: Earthwork and walling remains of an unenclosed Bronze Age hut circle settlement north-east of Conies Down Tor, comprising eight hut circles, a Bronze Age cairn and fragmentary enclosure and a post Medieval Tinner's cache
• Scheduled Monument 1012575: Two stone hut circles 675m south-west of Beardown Man forming the southern limit of a dispersed settlement on the eastern slopes of Conies Down Tor

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX57NE103
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 1065379
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX57NE/122/9
• Old SAM Ref: 22260

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• NATURAL FEATURE (Unknown date)
• (Former Type) HUT CIRCLE (Bronze Age - 2200 BC to 701 BC (Between))

Full description

Gerrard, S., 1990-2002, Monument Protection Programme. Archaeological Item Dataset., 21/4/1992 (Report - Survey). SDV277946.

(SX59147915) Hut circle with internal diameter of 3.5 metres. Coursed wall 1.0 metre wide, 0.5 metres high. An ephemeral bank leading east may be part of a field system.

Royal Commission for the Historical Monuments of England, 1993-1998, Dartmoor Royal Forest Project (Report - Survey). SDV346608.

(19/09/1994) SX 59157911. A possible hut circle (SMR No SX57NE/122/9) lies on a stony outcrop on the steep east flank of Conies Down, 250 metres east of Conies Down Tor. The feature is marked by a sub-circular stony platform, 3.0 metres in diameter, comprised of loosely packed boulders. This is partially enclosed by a crescent of turf-covered boulders 0.4 metres high on the west which may be part of the outcrop. The east (downslope) side remains open and there is no obvious entrance. Whilst resembling a hut circle it seems more likely that this feature is a natural arrangement of surface stone.
Immediately north-east, and slightly downslope of this platform, is another similar and even less convincing feature (SMR No SX57NE/122/8).
The bank recorded by the Sites and Monuments Record as leading east (thought to be part of a field system) is also a natural feature.

Newman, P., 2004, Merrivale Range Baseline Condition Survey (Report - Survey). SDV346874.

(30/11/2004) Merrivale Range Baseline Survey visit. As described in 1994.

Probert, S. A. J., 2010, A Condition Survey of the Archaeological Sites of Merrivale Range, Dartmoor Training Area (Report - Survey). SDV360515.

The site of an alleged hut circle; natural feature.

GetMapping, 2010, GetMapping 2010 aerial photographs (Aerial Photograph). SDV351585.

Small hut visible on the aerial photography; one of a pair (see MDV48273).

Newman, P., 2018, Archaeological Sites within Merrivale Training Area, Dartmoor National Park, Devon: A condition survey on behalf of Defence Infrastructure Organisation (Report - Survey). SDV361635.

This is not referred to specifically; Newman only mentions one hut here, so assumed that this feature is not referred to in the report.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV7441 - Condition survey of the archaeological sites of Merrivale Training Area
• EDV7570 - Condition survey of Merrivale Range training area
• EDV8409 - Dartmoor Royal Forest Project
• EDV8713 - Merrivale Range: Monument Baseline Condition Survey

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