See important guidance on the use of this record.

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

Summary

Remains of a prehistoric settlement on Beardown Hill. It includes at least eight stone hut circles and several lengths of enclosure walling. Four of the huts have visible doorways and one has a drainage ditch around its upper circuit.

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1021177: Two prehistoric settlements and associated field systems 810m north east of Beardown Farm

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX67NW61
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 442692
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX67NW/48
• Old SAM Ref Revised: 34474.4
• Old SAM Ref: 849
• Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division: SX67NW61

Monument Type(s) and Dates

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

Full description

Ordnance Survey, 1904 - 1906, Second Edition Ordnance Survey 25 inch Map (Cartographic). SDV325644.

Six hut circles shown on 1906 Ordnance Survey map.

Royal Air Force, 1946, RAF/CPE/UK/1890, 2469-2470 (Aerial Photograph). SDV169268.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1950, SX67NW61, SX67NW61 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV266778.

(04/09/1950) SX 609759 Enclosed Hut Group & Hut Circles.
Hut circle (OE) [Six shown: A 20/6075/8293, B 20/6075/8490, C 20/6075/8488, D 20/6075/9093, E 20/6075/9195, F 20/6075/9297].
A: Hut circle not found.
B: Double walled hut circle, small, of turf-covered stones, within entrance probably in the South-East side. Diameter 4.5m wall width 1.0m height 0.3m 1m poor condition.
C: No trace found.
D: Double-walled hut-circle, of turf-covered stones, with entrance on South-East side. Diameter 6.0m, wall width 1.25m, height 0.4m. Condition fair.
E: Small, double-walled hut-circle of turf-covered stones with entrance on South-East side. Diameter 5.5m, wall width 1.0m, height 0.4m. Fair condition.
F: Double-walled hut circle of turf-covered stone with a South-East entrance. Diameter 5.0m, wall width 1.0m height 0.3m. Condition poor.
Additional hut circles found, G-J.
G: Double-walled hut circle composed of turf-covered stones. Diameter 4.0m, height 0.25, wall-width 1.0m. Entrance on South-East side, condition poor (20/6075/8390).
H: Double-walled type composed of turf-covered stones, South-East entrance. Diameter 4.0m, height 0.25m, wall width 1.0m. Poor condition, 20/6075/8392.
I: Double-walled hut-circle of turf-covered stones with an entrance on the South-East side. Diameter 4.5m, height 0.25m, wall width 1.0m. Very poor condition. 20/6075/8492.
J: Double-walled hut circle, composed of turf-covered stones with South-East entrance. diameter 4.5m, height 0.3m, wall width 1.0m. Poor condition 20/6075/8492.
K: Enclosure. A rude wall composed of boulders and slabs of granite. Very poor in places but still traceable. Average height 0.5m and 1.0m wide. Correct as shown on 6" field sheet.
L: A very small circle at SX 60847590. A wall apparently joins this to 'M'.
M: Double walled type composed of turf-covered stones. Diameter 6.0m, height 0.3m, wall width 1.0m. SX 60877588.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1979, SX67NW61 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV266771.

(22/12/1979) (SX 609759) Enclosed Hut Group & Hut Circles (NR).
Traces of a sub circular enclosure and eight hut circles are situated on a fairly steep south east slope of Beardown Hill at 392m OD, between the Devonport Leat and the West Dart River.
The enclosure, centred at SX 60927597, measures 54.4m north west-south east by 45.6m transversely the perimeter visible as large spaced boulders up to 1.0m across and generally protruding through the turf to a height of 0.3m. An entrance could not be determined.
The huts are of Type 1 (SX 56 SE 19); two are within the enclosure, one is just outside and a group of five are centred at SX 60827590, 100m to the south west.
Three of this group are joined by a low rubble wall 1.2m wide and 0.3m high (see plan).
All the huts have levelled interiors and measure between 2.8m and 4.2m in diameter. They have rubble walling 1.0m wide and 0.3m high and, where visible, entrances to the south east.
It is difficult to correlate the surviving huts with those recorded earlier. Of the six shown on the OS 6" 1906 the four which survived in 1950 are still extant (B, D, E, F). Of the five additional huts noted in 1950 one, (M) is no longer traceable.
The remaining huts are in an area of pasture and in fair condition. There is no evidence of an associated field system.
Surveyed at 1:2500 on MSD.

Robinson, R., 1983, List of Field Monument Warden Visits 1983 (Un-published). SDV345762.

Visited 19/01/1983.

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

Only a curved bank with a hut circle within the curve are visible on the 1946 RAF aerial photograph.

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

Only one hut circle and a curved bank are visible on the aerial image.

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

(02/08/1988) Eight hut circles and enclosure walls, centred at SX 60877592 are on a steep SE slope. An area of 0.25ha centred SX 60927597 containing two hut circles E and F is enclosed by a wall about 1.0m wide and 0.4m high, constructed of small and medium sized stones interspaced with larger earthfast boulders. A short L-shaped wall of similar construction extends from the NW side of the enclosure forming a pen with 20.0m sides, open to the NE.
E: SX 60927595. The most substantial hut circle within the enclosure. It has an internal diameter of 3.6m being levelled into the hillside by 0.3m. The turf covered walls, now spread to a thickness of 2.2 m, are 0.3m high, with some external facing slabs. An entrance on the SE side is formed by 2 traverse slabs 0.8m apart apparently designed to narrow the entrance.
F: SX 60937597. An ovoid scoop 3.3m NW-SE and 2.9m NE-SW, is surrounded by a well-defined turf covered wall, 1.0m wide and 0.4m high. Some irregularly spaced facing slabs 0.4m high are visible both internally and externally. The wall is broken on the SE side, presumably the site of the entrance.
Of the five huts grouped 65m SW of the enclosure three H, I and J are linked by a crude turf-covered boulder wall 1.4m wide and 0.3m high. Its relationship to J is unclear though H and I are built on top of it. A further wall, 0.4m high, curves SW from J around the steep SE hillside above a marshy stream bed. This wall appears as a revetment for most of its length.
J. SX 60877590. A slightly ovoid hut 3.1m SE-NW and 3.7m NE-SW, consists of a shallow scoop in the hillside surrounded by walling 1.2m to 1.6m wide and 0.3mhigh, constructed of small and medium boulders. Neither facing stones nor entrance are apparent and the lower (SE) side of the circle is disturbed.
H. SX 60847592. A small hut circle, 2.5m diameter, slightly levelled into the wall running NW from J. Its walling 1.3m wide and 0.3m high has been disturbed on the SE side. No entrance or facing stones are visible.
I. SX 60857591. A turf covered wall 1.3m wide and 0.3m high surrounds a shallow scoop, 2.9m NW-SE by 2.5m NE-SW, excavated into the wall running NW from J. The hut has been much disturbed and neither entrance nor facing slabs are visible.
Two isolated huts B and G are situated South of the wall linking H, I and J.
B. SX 60857589. A slightly ovoid hut circle, 2.1m N-S and 2.4m E-W, levelled into a South slope by 0.5m. A turf covered bank is spread to 1.8m wide and 0.2m high, contains some interior facing stones. A possible entrance is visible on the SE side adjacent to a large earthfast boulder.
G. SX 60837589. A hut circle in poor condition. A shallow scoop 2.5m diameter is surrounded by a tumbled wall, 1.4m to 1.7m wide and 0.2m high, constructed of small and medium boulders. No entrance is visible. The feature has been disturbed on the south side.
Between the enclosure and the five huts are two possible walls, running NE-SW and a further hut circle D. The northern wall, c30m long, consists of irregularly spaced upright boulders 0.4m high with traces of smaller stones between. The other 40m long is represented by a low turf bank, 0.8m wide and 0.2m high. No relationship between these walls and other features is discernible.
D. SX 60917593. A hut internally 3.8m N-S and 4.1m E-W, with a turf covered spread wall, 2.3m wide and 0.3m high. The interior has been levelled into the hillside by 0.4m with the back (NW) wall surviving to a height of 0.7m internally. Some internal and external retaining slabs protrude through the turf. An entrance on the SE is marked by two transverse slabs 0.3m high and 0.7m apart. Some walling on the E side has been removed.
Two huts depicted on the OS 6", 1906, but untraced by Ridyard for the Ordnance Survey in 1950 (his A and C) still cannot be seen and one found by the large scale revisor AO 25" (DR Archer), is not currently visible. This settlement was probably linked to the extensive field system to the North, See SX 67 NW 60.

Butler, J., 1991, Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities: Volume Two - The North, 62, Map 29 (Monograph). SDV219155.

Settlements '2' and '3' included in the 'West Dart Settlements'. The southern enclosure has five hut circles, of 2.5 to 4.0 metres diameter, on an exceptionally steep slope facing south-east and partly covered by the plantation. The northern enclosure contains only two hut circles, of 3.0 metres and 4.0 metres diameter, with a third larger dwelling, of 5.0 metres diameter a few metres outside the south wall.

Ancient Monuments, 2003, Schedule notes (Schedule Document). SDV266775.

SX 60887593. Remains of a prehistoric settlement on Beardown Hill. It includes at least eight stone hut circles and several lengths of enclosure walling. Four of the huts have visible doorways and one has a drainage ditch around its upper circuit. Scheduled.

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

Remains of a prehistoric settlement on Beardown Hill. It includes at least eight stone hut circles and several lengths of enclosure walling. Four of the huts have visible doorways and one has a drainage ditch around its upper circuit.

English Heritage, 2013, National Heritage List for England, 1021177 (National Heritage List for England). SDV350785.

The two prehistoric settlements and associated field systems 810m north east of Beardown Farm survive comparatively well. These settlements lie close to one of the largest prehistoric settlements on Dartmoor and thus provide a marked contrast to their neighbour. Much of the monument is covered in dense peat deposits which will contain environmental information and provide a protective cover for the archaeological remains.
Details
The monument, which falls into four separate areas of protection, includes two prehistoric settlements and associated field systems lying on an east facing slope of Beardown Hill overlooking the valley of the West Dart River. The northern prehistoric settlement includes a cluster of at least five stone hut circles. The stone hut circles survive as circular banks surrounding an internal area which varies between 2.4m and 5.2m in diameter. The height of the surrounding walls vary between 0.3m and 0.6m and four of the huts have visible doorways. The southern settlement includes at least eight stone hut circles together with several lengths of enclosure walling. The internal diameter of these stone hut circles varies between 3m and 4.3m and the surrounding walls are up to 0.7m high. Four of the huts have visible doorways and one has a drainage ditch around its upper circuit. The field systems are situated between the two settlements and are defined by a series of sinuous low rubble banks standing 1.4m wide and up to 0.4m high. The northern field system includes at least five fields, whilst the southern one is much smaller and includes two fields.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV7431 - Woodland Survey (1989-90) at Bellever, Soussons and other woodland parcels
• EDV8643 - Beardown Farm, Duchy Farms Survey
• EDV8409 - Dartmoor Royal Forest Project
• EDV8423 - Duchy Farms Project

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