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Summary

Medieval strip field system lying within hut circle settlement. Survives as two elongated field-plots defined by three parallel rubble banks. These are roughly faced, 1.2m wide by 0.3m high and overlie the prehistoric system. The north and south edges of the fields no longer visible as earthworks. Surviving fields cover 2 hectares. One, possibly two longhouses identified in immediate vicinity.

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1011170: Stone hut circle settlement, irregular aggregate field system, two long houses and a medieval and post-medieval field system 700m SSW of Black Tor

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX 57 SE 89
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX57SE/150/1
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX57SE/41/34
• Old SAM Ref: 22288
• Pastscape: 440279

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• FIELD SYSTEM (Constructed, Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD (Between))

Full description

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

Not visible on Royal Air Force / National Monuments Record aerial photographs.

Gerrard, S., 1990-2002, Monument Protection Programme. Archaeological Item Dataset., MPP 130785, 14/5/1992 (Report - Survey). SDV277946.

Medieval strip field system lying within hut circle settlement. Survives as two elongated field-plots defined by three parallel rubble banks. These are roughly faced, 1.2m wide by 0.3m high and overlie the prehistoric system (subsheet 33). The north and south edges of the fields no longer visible as earthworks. Surviving fields cover 2 hectares. One, possibly two longhouses identified in immediate vicinity.

Gerrard, S., 1997, Stanlake Farmstead (Article in Serial). SDV257268.

Gerrard, S., 1997, Stanlake Prehistoric Settlement, 21 (Article in Serial). SDV345536.

Two field lying east of the longhouse are denoted by three parallel rubble banks, which ignore the earlier walls and make no use of any pre-existing features. This lack of regard for existing layout is unusual and is more reminiscent of 19th century enclosure systems. Furthermore no attempt appears to have been made to clear stone from the fields, suggesting that they were never completed. Further walls of similar character lie to the north of this area and whilst they have been damaged by later activity it seems likely that the field systems associated with the longhouse were once much more extensive. The full extent and character of the field system could not be established from field survey alone, but it may have been similar in size to the later field system. There is certainly no evidence of the Medieval fields extending beyond the limits of the post-Medieval fields. The relationship between this longhouse and the nearby farmstead at Stanlake (see SX57SE/200) is unknown, though it is likely that both co-existed during the longhouse's relatively short life.
This land may have been assimilated by Stanlake farmstead following failure of a short lived expansion represented by the longhouse.

Environment Agency WMS, 1998-2016, LiDAR DTM data JPEG image (1m resolution) (Cartographic). SDV360208.

Visible.

Gerrard, S., 1999, Meavy Valley Archaeology. Interim Report for 1997, 6 (Article in Serial). SDV225919.

Fletcher, M. J., 2007, Survey of the Stanlake Settlement (Report - Survey). SDV271993.

(30/10/2007) Fragments of linear banks of the associated field system and clearance cairns are now under dense bracken cover. Surveyed at 1:2500 scale.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV7518 - Survey of the Stanlake Prehistoric Settlement
• EDV8195 - Field Investigation Survey of the Stanlake settlement

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