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Summary

Hut circle settlement between the River Mardle and Snowdon Brook. Remains of an enclosure with associated banks and three hut circles. This site is on the local list of Nationally Important Dartmoor sites.

Location

Protected Status

• SHINE: Walling remains of a Bronze Age settlement consisting of two joined enclosures with associated internal hut circles and a number of unenclosed huts to the east of the enclosures north of Snowdon Brook

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX66NE7
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX66NE/36
• Pastscape: 441369

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• UNENCLOSED HUT CIRCLE SETTLEMENT (Bronze Age - 2200 BC to 701 BC (Between))

Full description

National Monuments Record, NMR SX1747, 403 (Aerial Photograph). SDV345913.

National Monuments Record, NMR SX6562, 2 (Aerial Photograph). SDV345908.

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

'Hut Circles' shown on 19th century map.

Royal Air Force, 1946, RAF/3G/TUD/UK/223, 5035-6 (Aerial Photograph). SDV147275.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1950 - 1970, SX66NE7, SX66NE7 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV147274.

Group of seven or more hut circles situated on the site of a Services battle-course and have suffered considerably as a consequence.
Hut A measures 8.0 meters in diameter and has no obvious entrance. The walls of this hut are fragmentary, and consist of large fallen stones.
Hut B measures 8.5 meters in diameter and is constructed of turf-covered stones, which have disappeared in the southern quadrant, probably taking the entrance with them.
Hut C and D – no trace was found of these circles (may not exist).
Hut E measures 9.0 meters in diameter and its walls are constructed of large stones and turf, with an entrance to the south-east. Hut F – no trace was found of this hut.
Several mounds within the settlement are likely to be clearance cairns, not prehistoric cairns. Evidence was provided by examining one of the mounds that had been cut into, which proved to contain very small stones, rather than the large stones that normally compose a prehistoric cairn. (21/10/1950)

National Monuments Record, 1979, NMR SF1457, 441 (Aerial Photograph). SDV172921.

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

None of these features were visible on the National Monuments Record or Royal Air Force aerial photographs but see hut circle SX66NE/228 and enclosures SX66NE/240,230.

Butler, J., 1993, Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities: Volume Four - The South-East, 167, Map 58, Figure 58.4 (Monograph). SDV337765.

The two settlements between the Rover Mardle and the Snowdon Brook are both fairly overgrown although this settlement, including roughly rectangular enclosure is easily located at the upper end of four large tinner’s pits. A curved bank runs south from the enclosure towards Snowdon Brook and some sections of bank (part of which may represent the remains of a circular enclosure) are located north of the rectangular enclosure towards to River Mardle. Two hut circles are located in close proximity to the enclosure and a third isolated circle noted to the north-east of the tinner’s pits. Other details: Map 58, 5.

Gerrard, S., 2004, List of Sites Remaining to be Considered for Designation on Dartmoor (Un-published). SDV345444.

This site was considered for designation as a Scheduled Ancient Monument during the Monument Protection Programme. The programme ended before the entire list of sites was successfully scheduled so this is included on a local list of Nationally Important Sites.

Ordnance Survey, 2020, MasterMap 2020 (Cartographic). SDV363413.

'Hut Circles' shown on modern mapping

National Monuments Record, 2020, Pastscape, 441369, SX66NE7 (Website). SDV363416.

At SX 67876825 seven hut-circles were shown on an early 20th century map.
Field Investigation on 28th June 1977. These huts have been destroyed with the exception of two.
At SX 67936827 are the fragmentary remains of a Type II hut circle. The internal diameter is about 6 metres, the walls 1.2 metre wide, and it is on a small, level spur at 305 metres above OD.
At SX 67786827 a Type II hut circle with an internal diameter of 8 metres and walls 1.2 metres wide. It is in fair condition, situated on a steep, well drained, clitter-strewn slope at 325 metres above OD.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV8290 - Survey of tinworks along the River Mardle

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