See important guidance on the use of this record.

If you have any comments or new information about this record, please email us.

Summary

An oval platform, probably a hut circle, on gently sloping ground on Merripit Hill, with associated fields.

Location

Protected Status

• SHINE: Earthwork remains on Stannon Hill comprising fragments of potentially prehistoric enclosures and field system

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX68SE126
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 917493
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX68SE/117

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

NMR, SX68SE126 (National Monuments Record Database). SDV276490.

Greeves, T. A. P., 1983, Middle Merripit Survey Drawing (Plan - measured). SDV321106.

SX 6542 8012. Reeves, enclosures and a hut circle shown on Middle Merripit Farm sketch plan.

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

(15/06/1989) SX 6542 8014. An oval platform is on gently sloping ground at 425m, on the SW shoulder of Merripit Hill, in an area of partly improved rough pasture. The platform is about 7m. in diameter, turf covered, and levelled into the S. slope, and enclosed by wall footings 1m to 1.3m wide and of 0.2m maximum height. It appears as a slight inner facing scarp around the E. and S. and our outer facing scarp revetted by occasional facing stones around the W. A slab 0.8m long set transversely in the W may indicate the S. side of an entrance about 1m wide. The platform, probably a hut circle, is cut by a post medieval field wall and ditch which has destroyed its N. side.
Attached to the S. wall of the hut are the barely perceptible remains of a field some 30m NE/SW defined on the NE by a slight turf covered lynchet, about 1.5m wide and up to 0.5m high. On the W. is a similar curving scarp. Both peter out about 30m S. of the hut on the prolongation of a reave (SX 68 SE 77) suggesting it may have been utilised as the S. side of the field. Aligned with this field and 75m to the SW of the hut is a gently curving field wall running from the reave at SX 6537 8007 and extending 90m NNW to SX 6534 8015, where it turns to the NE before becoming lost in the peat. It is seen mainly as a turf covered stony scarp about 1.5m wide and 0.5m high.
Centred at SX 6538 8016 between the NE end of this field wall and the hut platform are the faint remains of the S. side of a subcircular enclosure or field. It is visible as a curving line of intermittent turf covered stones and a line of drier, lighter coloured, turf about 1m wide and 0.1m high. This feature is cut by the same post medieval wall as the hut and any continuation to the N. is obscured by a heavier cover of peat and rough grass, apart from a few scattered stones.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV8648 - Middle Merripit Farm, Duchy Farms Survey
• EDV8409 - Dartmoor Royal Forest Project
• EDV8423 - Duchy Farms Project

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