See important guidance on the use of this record.

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

Summary

A sub-circular enclosure which probably represents a hut circle with an annex on the south-east side lies on a level stance. It measures internally 10.1m by 5.0m with a disturbed boulder/stone wall incorporating some upright slabs of 0.4m average height. There is no obvious entrance. A sub-circular stony spread probably the remains of a disturbed hut circle c 7.6 x 6.7m with a c 3.4m square hollow at its centre. There is a pronounced gap in the slope side which may be a possible entrance - an upright slab c 0.5m high and 1.1m long set in the down-slope side. There is evidence of a stony bank submerged under peat on E side.

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1016145: A prehistoric settlement with cairns and a historic tin mill, streamwork and buildings lying adjacent to the Langcombe Brook

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX66NW40
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 441676
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX66NW/205
• Old SAM Ref: 28787
• Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division: SX66NW40

Monument Type(s) and Dates

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

Full description

Worth, R. H., 1900, 19th Report of the Barrow Committee (Article in Serial). SDV231259.

Two circles at Deadman's Bottom, much resembling small huts but with less material in the walls and no trace of entrances. The south east circle (SX 60806687 - A) with an internal diameter of 12 feet 6 inches was opened and the interior found to be paved with flat stones. Under the paving and up to a depth of 10 inches in some places was a layer of decomposed granite, bright red in colour showing that at some time a considerable fire must have been maintained within this circle. The north west circle (SX 6076689 - B) with an internal diameter of 15 feet was also opened and found to be paved in a similar fashion to circle A. The pavement had been laid straight on the earth thus shielding the subsoil but slight patches of red baked clay were visible.
Neither in dimension nor construction do these circles resemble the so called "sacred circles" which essentially consist of a series of upstanding stones set at some distance from each other.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1978, SX66NW40 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV152667.

(09/09/1978) Both features appear to be type 1 hut circles. levelled into a slight south west slope at 390m above OD. The hut to the north west has an internal diameter of 2.6m with on the south east, a semi circular annex 2.0m across. The hut to the south east is 3.0m internal diameter with an entrance gap on the south side. In both cases the walling is 0.6m thick and 0.4m high, with turf covering what is probably piled stones. (Type site: SX 56 SE 19).
There is no properly defined field system in the area but over some 5.0ha there are widely spaced and fragmentary rickles of stone. These are seldom more than 10.0m long, are contour following, and seem never to have been longer than at present as if they represent clearance which never developed into recognisable fields or plots. Hut circles surveyed at 1:10000 on PFD.

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

Nothing visible on air photographs.

Gerrard, S., 1990-2002, Monument Protection Programme. Archaeological Item Dataset., MPP 140550 (Report - Survey). SDV277946.

(09/05/1996) SX 6073 6687 Simple, sub-circular enclosure 80 metres north-west of Deadman’s Bottom. Measures 100 metres by 76 metres. Rubble bank wall 1 metre wide.

Butler, J., 1994, Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities: Volume Three - The South-West, 148, Map 50, Site 3 (Monograph). SDV137656.

Site '3' at Langcombe valley includes fragments of a boundary bank which curve to the north of Hut Circle '2' for a short distance and to the south of Hut Circle '1' for about 40 metres. If ever complete the rest of the circuit is probably buried beneath the turf.

Probert, S. A. J. + Fletcher, M. J., 2002, Plym Valley survey (Report - Survey). SDV350782.

(28/02/2002) SX 60796689 A sub-circular stony spread probably the remains of a disturbed hut circle c 7.6 x 6.7m with a c 3.4m square hollow at its centre. There is a pronounced gap in the slope side which may be a possible entrance - an upright slab c 0.5m high and 1.1m long set in the down-slope side. There is evidence of a stony bank submerged under peat on E side.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV8148 - The Upper Plym Valley: The Management of an Historic Landscape

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