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Summary

Enclosure with hut circle on south-east slope of Arch Tor. The enclosure consists of a low bank of 1.3 to 2 metres wide by 0.4 metres high surrounding an area 0.1 hectare. The Powder Mills leat has destroyed the north-east corner.

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1016635: Gunpowder factory at Powder Mills, a partially enclosed stone hut circle settlement and round cairn

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX67NW171
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 875448
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX67NW/277
• Old SAM Ref: 28718

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• ENCLOSURE (Constructed, Bronze Age - 2200 BC (Between) to 701 BC (Between))

Full description

Royal Commission for the Historical Monuments of England, 1987-1993, Duchy Farms Project Survey Visit, P. Pattison (Report - Survey). SDV350839.

(20/07/1989) Near D-shaped enclosure with one hut circle at SX 63337785 on a gentle SE slope of Arch Tor.
The enclosure consists of a low, stoney bank or stoney lynchet 1.3-2m wide and 0.4m high, surrounding an area 0.1ha of approximate D shaped plan, although the Powder Mills leat has destroyed the NE corner. The area within is clear and slightly raised above the land around.
A single hut circle is incorporated on the NE corner; half in, half out. In only fair condition, it has an internal diameter of 3.9m and walling 0.9m wide and 0.3m high, composed largely of turf-covered, medium size stones forming a low bank. No entrance is visible. Immediately SE of the hut is a gap in the enclosure wall 5m wide; it is unclear whether this is an entrance site.
This site should be viewed in conjunction with other sites (see SX 67 NW 112,121,173) forming a settlement string along the hillside.

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

See subsheets.

Butler, J., 1991, Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities: Volume Two - The North, 43, Map 27 (Monograph). SDV219155.

One of a series of at least five small enclosures laid out along the south-east slope of Arch Tor. The Powder Mills leat cuts through several huts and most of the enclosures.

English Heritage, 2005-2008, Prehistoric Survey Information (Cartographic). SDV345521.

Enclosure shown on survey with a hut circle on the north-east side.

Historic England, 2022, National Heritage List for England, 1016635 (National Heritage List for England). SDV364675.

A partially enclosed stone hut circle settlement lies adjacent to the leat carrying water from the East Dart and survives as a series of four enclosures associated with at least 13 stone hut circles. The enclosure walls are of rubble bank construction standing up to 0.4 metres high. The stone hut circles survive as circular or oval walls surrounding an internal area varying between 4 and 50 square metres.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV8645 - Powder Mills and Gawler Newtake, Duchy Farms Survey
• EDV8409 - Dartmoor Royal Forest Project
• EDV8423 - Duchy Farms Project

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