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Summary

Hut circle measures 6.7 metres in diameter (interior) with wall 2.5 metres wide (up to 1.0 metre high). Excavated by the Dartmoor Exploration Committee in 1895 which revealed a half paved floor, 6 flint flakes and a cooking pit. An entrance, possibly created on the whim of the excavator lies in the south side.

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1019876: Prehistoric settlement, three round cairns and a post-medieval rabbit warren at Legis Tor

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX 56 NE 69
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX56NE/4/7
• Old SAM Ref: 22289
• Pastscape: 438698

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• HUT CIRCLE (Constructed, Early Neolithic to Late Bronze Age - 4000 BC to 701 BC (Between))

Full description

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

Hut circle shown on 19th century map with a small rectilinear annexe to the north.

Baring Gould, S., 1896, Third Report of the Dartmoor Exploration Committee, 184-9 (Article in Serial). SDV260468.

Griffiths, W. E., 1951, Early settlement in Caernarvonshire, 60-6 (Article in Serial). SDV224028.

Fox, A., 1951, Early Settlement on Dartmoor and in North Wales, 167-8 (Article in Serial). SDV255788.

Ralegh Radford, C. A., 1953, Prehistoric Settlements on Dartmoor and the Cornish Moors, 78 (Article in Serial). SDV337080.

Gerrard, S., 1990-2002, Monument Protection Programme. Archaeological Item Dataset., MPP 130823 (Report - Survey). SDV277946.

(22/02/1993) Hut circle terraced into the hillslope, and of the simple plan and rubble bank walling type]. Interior measures 7m in diameter and is defined by a 2.5m wide wall standing up to 0.9m high. The doorway faces south and is faced with slabs on both sides. A 0.8m square pit in the centre of the hut is probably the result of relatively recent interference. This hut was excavated by the Dartmoor Exploration Committee in 1895 and this work revealed a half paved floor, 6 flint flakes and a cooking pit. Sherds of a round bottomed bowl were recovered from the cooking pit and these have been identified by Ralegh Radford as being similar to Neolithic sherds found at Hembury and Hazard Hill. Griffiths and Fox, however consider that a Bronze Age date for this material is possible and earthwork evidence to support the early date is provided by the position of this hut relative to the field bank leading from 130822.

Butler, J., 1994, Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities: Volume Three - The South-West, 111-4, Map 49, Figure 49.1 (Monograph). SDV137656.

Hut Circle '4' of 6.5 metres diameter opens into the core of Settlement 'A' at Legis Tor. Excavation in 1895-6 revealed doorposts a metre apart flanking the entrance paved like the interior, which was first levelled before the slabs were put down. Six flints were found and the cooking hole contained charcoal and ash as well as the remains of a pot.

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

(15/02/2005) One of 13 hut circles within a field system on the lower south and south-west flanks of Legis Tor. All but one of the huts are contained within five irregular, adjoining enclosures to the south of the settlement. The hut circles are largely integral with the enclosure banks though several are free-standing. All the huts have level interiors unless otherwise stated. Few display obvious entrances. All diameters are internal. Described separately; see related records.
SX 5697 6521. Another excavated hut 6.7m in diameter with walls 2.5m wide and 1.0m high. An entrance, possibly created on the whim of the excavator lies in the south side.

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

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

Visible on aerial photograph.

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

Depicted on the GIS 2018 Survey layers.

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

Hut circle shown on modern mapping.

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

Within Scheduled area.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments: none recorded

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV7443 - Condition survey of archaeological sites in Ringmoor Training Area
• EDV7569 - Condition survey of Ringmoor Down training area
• EDV8227 - Ringmoor Training Area: Monument Baseline Condition Survey

Search results generated by the HBSMR Gateway from exeGesIS SDM Ltd.