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Summary

Southern of two settlement to the south-west of Cosdon Hill of 86 metres by 56 metres with at least three enclosed areas and at least eleven hut circles

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1010791: Agglomerate enclosure and 15 stone hut circles 560m west of Cawsand Beacon

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX69SW/295
• Old SAM Ref: 24141

Monument Type(s) and Dates

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

Full description

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1950, SX69SW13, SX69SW13 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV271240.

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

Settlement shown on aerial photograph.

Greeves, T. A. P., 1985, The Archaeology of Dartmoor from the Air, plate 16. (Monograph). SDV337812.

Gerrard, S., 1990-2002, Monument Protection Programme. Archaeological Item Dataset., MPP 133327 (Report - Survey). SDV277946.

(17/01/1994) Agglomerate enclosure containing 11 hut circles. Includes at least three separate enclosed areas, although a short length of boundary bank within the largest enclosure may suggest that it was once subdivided. The earliest enclosure is the small irregular shaped south-west one, which includes a 1.7 metres wide and 0.5 metres high rubble bank surrounding an area measuring 44 metres north-east by south-west by 28 metres north-west by south-east. The relative dates of the two remaining enclosures could not be established by earthwork evidence alone. The north-western enclosure is defined by a rubble wall lyncheted in places, surrounding an area measuring 60 metres north-south by 36 metres east-west. The boundary wall links four hut circles and this strongly suggests that the huts were built before the enclosure. The eastern enclosure is the largest within the settlement and measures internally 82 metres north-south by 67 metres east-west. Gaps in the north and south circuits of this enclosure may be original entrances.
A published aerial photograph transcription of this monument shows a further enclosure extending west (see Greeves, 1985). There is no trace of this feature on the ground and it seems very unlikely that it ever existed.

Butler, J., 1991, Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities: Volume Two - The North, 200-203, Map 40, Figure 40.4 (Monograph). SDV219155.

Southern enclosure at 'Cosdon Hill West' with thirteen associated hut circles with the larger ones built into the circuit wall and the smaller ones inside connected by banks. The largest of all at 7.0 metres diameter with a massive wall 0.5 metres high lies on flat ground to the west of the settlement.

Cartographic Engineering, 2006, Dartmoor 2006 1:1250 Aerial Photography (digital) (Aerial Photograph). SDV345590.

Some boundaries aand hut circles visible on aerial photograph.

Environment Agency WMS, 2022, Environment Agency LIDAR Composite DSM 2022 - 1m Last return (Cartographic). SDV365448.

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

Southern of two 'Settlements' shown on modern mapping.

Historic England, 2023, National Heritage List for England, 101791 (National Heritage List for England). SDV365228.

This monument includes 15 stone hut circles and an agglomerate enclosure lying on a north west facing slope of Cawsand Hill (also known as Cosdon Hill) overlooking the valley of the River Taw. The monument forms part of a discrete group of settlements lying on the lower slopes of Cawsand and White Hill. The agglomerate enclosure includes at least three separate enclosed areas, although a short length of boundary bank within the largest enclosure may suggest that it was once further subdivided. The earliest enclosure is the small irregular shaped south western one, which includes a 1.7 metres wide and 0.5 metres high rubble bank surrounding an area measuring 44 metres north east to south west by 28 metres north west to south east. The relative dates of the two remaining enclosures could not be established by earthwork evidence alone. The north western enclosure is defined by a rubble wall, lynchetted in places, surrounding an area measuring 60 metres north to south by 36 metres east to west. The boundary wall links four stone hut circles and this strongly suggests that the huts were built before the enclosure. The eastern enclosure is the largest within the settlement and measures internally 82 metres north to south by 67 metres east to west. Gaps in the northern and southern circuits of this enclosure may be original entrances. Thirteen stone hut circles survive within the agglomerate enclosure and a further two lie a short distance to the west. These huts are composed of stone and earth banks surrounding circular internal areas. The internal diameters of these buildings vary from 3 metres to 7.3 metres. The heights of the surrounding walls vary from 0.4 metres to 0.8 metres. Seven of the huts have visible doorways, eight huts are linked to the enclosure boundary walls and two are attached to the enclosure.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

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