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Summary

Hut circle situated in tough pasture on sloping ground, formed from a fragmentary ring of medium-large stones and boulders (internal diameter c.5.8m). A stone set transversely to the wall on the southern possibly indicates entrance. Fragments of field or enclosure wall lie to the east and south of the hut.

Location

Protected Status

• SHINE: Central western section of the Bronze Age Venford Reave at Swincombe, with a number of attached hut circle settlements and enclosures, as well as an extensive Bronze Age field system, a cairn and a post-Medieval blowing house on Down Ridge

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX67SW179
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 908614
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX67SW/418
• SHINE Candidate (Yes)

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• FIELD BOUNDARY (Constructed, Bronze Age - 2200 BC (Between) to 701 BC (Between))
• HUT CIRCLE (Constructed, Bronze Age - 2200 BC (Between) to 701 BC (Between))

Full description

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

Banks visible on aerial photograph.

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

(25/07/1988) Hut circle situated in tough pasture on sloping ground at SX 64347220 overlooking Swincombe to the NW.
This hut circle, in only poor condition, is formed from a fragmentary ring of medium-large stones and boulders most of them earth-fast and same, on the E arc are probably the remains of original, in situ facing. The internal diameter is c.5.8m with a wall width of between 1 and 1.7m. A stone set transversely to the wall on the S possibly indicates the position of an entrance.
The interior slopes gently and has been terraced into the slope by cutting into 0.35m on the E and there is a build up of the same height on the W, downhill side. A few stones are scattered about the interior.
A fragment of field or enclosure wall joins the S arc of the hut circle and can be traced as intermittent, earth-fast stones for c.50m, curving consistently S and E.
70m ESE of the hut circle is another wall, a slightly curving feature 0.8m wide x 0.4m high, composed of medium and large size stones and boulders. It runs through medium clitter NW-SE and may be a fragment of parallel reave leaving the "Venford Reave" (SX 67 SE 96), it does not quite join the terminal today. Wall features shown attached to the NW end of this feature on the RCHME APP (1) are not visible on the ground. The visible wall runs from SX 6446 7212 to SX 6441 7218 and is the only feature of the group visible on APs.
(See SX 67 SW45 illu card for details).

Butler, J., 1993, Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities: Volume Four - The South-East, 207, Map 62, Figure 62.2 (Monograph). SDV337765.

Hut Circle '3' of circa 6.5 metres diameter possibly associated with prehistoric 'Deep Swicombe East 2' settlement and is also associated with more extensive remains downhill.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV8146 - Royal Commission Survey at Down Ridge and Swincombe
• EDV8632 - Sherberton Farm, Duchy Farms Survey
• EDV8409 - Dartmoor Royal Forest Project

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