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Summary

Hut circle north-west of Shavercombe Tor of 4.8 meters diameter later used as a mortar emplacement with a bank 1.7 metres wide and 0.6 metres high surrounding a flat bottomed circular hollow

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1019082: Multi-period remains at Hentor Warren

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX56NE315
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 1405454
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX56NE/55/2
• Old SAM Ref: 24230(P)
• Pastscape: 438776

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• HUT CIRCLE (Constructed, Bronze Age - 2200 BC to 701 BC (Between))
• GUN EMPLACEMENT (Altered, XIX to Late 20th Century - 1900 AD to 1975 AD (Between))

Full description

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1979, SX56NE97, SX56NE97 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV148977.

Greeves, T. A. P., 1985, The Archaeology of Dartmoor from the Air, Plate 3 (Monograph). SDV337812.

Gerrard, S., 1990-2002, Monument Protection Programme. Archaeological Item Dataset., MPP 140466, 03/05/1995 (Report - Survey). SDV277946.

(SX 5933 6619) Mortar emplacement lying within Hentor Warren. Survives as a 1.7m wide and 0.6m high bank of earth and stone surrounding a flat bottomed circular hollow measuring 4.8m in diameter and 0.5m deep.
This structure has previously been described as a stone hut circle and is shown on the Ordnance Survey 1:10,000 map as such. The National Trust Upper Plym inventory describes this building as possibly a hut circle but does not give any further interpretative details beyond noting that the English Heritage central excavation unit suggested that it might have been associated with mining.
This structure is very similar in character to a large number visible on Mis Tor and Cox Tor. These have been identified as mortar emplacements in which a mortar was protected from incoming fire. It therefore seems likely that this structure may have served a similar function. At least three other similar structures survive within the vicinity of this example and it would therefore appear that this area was used for military training at some date. This is confirmed by the presence of large numbers of barbed wire entanglement stanchions scattered over the hillside. These would have been used to support barbed wire entanglements for training purposes.

Gerrard, S., 1993, Military mortar emplacements on Dartmoor?
Military mortar emplacements on Dartmoor?., 10 (Article in Serial). SDV154601.

Butler, J., 1994, Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities: Volume Three - The South-West, 123-4; Map 49, Figure 49.9 (Monograph). SDV137656.

Hut circle '3' at 'Shavercombe Tor enclosures' on the south side of the later field bank has been dug out completely.

Thackray, C., 1994, The Upper Plym Valley: the management of an historic landscape, 264/102.690. (Report - non-specific). SDV143510.

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

Outline of hut circle shown on survey.

Bluesky International Ltd/Getmapping PLC, 2015-2017, 2015-2017 Aerial Photographs (Aerial Photograph). SDV361462.

Visible on aerial photograph.

Ordnance Survey, 2021, MasterMap 2021 (Cartographic). SDV364015.

Hut circle shown on modern mapping.

Historic England, 2021, National Heritage List for England, 1019082 (National Heritage List for England). SDV364016.

SX 594661. A number of structures associated with military training have been identified in the area around Shavercombe Tor, including trenches and a large number of barbed wire entanglement stanchions. A total of four mortar emplacements survive immediately west of the tor, visible as earth and stone banks surrounding a flat-bottomed circular hollow. Scheduled (09/05/2001).

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV8148 - The Upper Plym Valley: The Management of an Historic Landscape
• EDV8155 - Plym Valley Survey: EH Project (Feb 2001 - Dec 2002)

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