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Summary

Settlement on Chagford Common 50 metres east of Frenchbeer Rock with a cluster of three hut circles and several fragmentary enclosures

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1017483: Two stone hut circles and part of a coaxial field system at Frenchbeer Rock

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX68NE36
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 443586
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX68NE/87
• Old SAM County Ref: 982
• Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division: SX68NE36

Monument Type(s) and Dates

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

Full description

Ormerod, G. W., 1864, On the Hut Circles on the Eastern Side of Dartmoor, 303 (Article in Serial). SDV304174.

Ormerod notes presence of hut-circles at Frenchbere.

Ordnance Survey, 1880-1899, First Edition Ordnance Survey 25 inch map (Cartographic). SDV336179.

Two 'Hut Circles' shown on 19th century map.

Royal Air Force, 1947, RAF/CPE/UK/2082, 3287-8 (Aerial Photograph). SDV221887.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1974, SX68NE36, plan (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV237877.

(22/07/1974) Three hut circles in settlement. At SX67198548 a hut circle 6.0 metres internal diameter with a single wall of orthostats up to 1.0 metre high, but some evidence that it was originally double walled. The entrance is in the south-west. At SX67208546 a rather robbed double-walled hut up to 1.0 metre high. The entrance is in the south-west. At SX67228542 four stones on the perimeter of a slight platform approximately 6.0 metres internal diameter indicate the site of a robbed hut.
Slight remains of field walls associated with the huts can be seen in the vicinity but not enough for description of the former extent. Both huts and the site surveyed at 1:2500.

Ancient Monuments, 1976, Schedule Note (Schedule Document). SDV237876.

(22/01/1976) Two hut circles north-east of Frenchbeer Rock. Two hut circles both 10.97 metres in diameter with walls of large upright boulders lining tumble outer walls.

National Monument Record, 1977, NMR SX6785, 1 (Aerial Photograph). SDV227539.

Two hut circles visible on aerial photograph.

Robinson, R., 1982, List of Field Monument Warden Visits 1982 (Un-published). SDV342809.

Visited 10/02/1982.

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

Two hut circles visible and recorded.

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

(06/01/1992) Centred SX 67218544. A cluster of three hut circles and several fragmentary enclosures on the gentle SE slope of Chagford Common 50m E of Frenchbeer Rock. Two of the huts 1 and 2 are well preserved, while the third has been extensively robbed. Internal diameters vary from around 5.2m to 0.8m and entrances, where visible, are to the SW.
These features lie within a poorly developed parallel reave system (SX 68 NE 146). For detailed 1:2500 plan see RCHME Thornworthy Down survey.

Butler, J., 1991, Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities: Volume Two - The North, 175, 230, Map 36, Site 3 (Monograph). SDV219155.

Frenchbeer Rock settlement at SX672854 with two hut circles. Ditched banks cross the spur beyond Frenchbeer Rock showing that the moor was enclosed. Only those stones too large to move or of no use elsewhere have been left along the ancient field boundaries or around the two remaining huts on the summit.

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

Hut circles and field boundaries shown on survey.

Historic England, 2023, National Heritage List for England, 1017483 (National Heritage List for England). SDV365228.

The monument includes two stone hut circles and part of a coaxial field system situated on a gentle spur overlooking the valley of the South Teign River. The stone hut circles survive as walls surrounding circular internal areas and both have well defined south facing doorways. The internal diameter of the southern hut measures 8.5 metres and is defined by a 3.4 metres wide double faced orthostatic wall standing up to 1.8 metres high. The northern hut's interior measures 6.4 metres in diameter and is defined by a 2 metres wide and 1.2 metres high orthostatic wall. The coaxial field system includes at least four distinctive lengths of rubble walling forming part of the Kestor parallel reave system. The north western and south eastern lengths of walling are parallel reaves. The remaining two are cross reaves and they lead off from the south eastern length of parallel reave.

Google, 2024, Google Streetview (Website). SDV365836.

Two 'Hut Circles' shown on modern mapping.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV8423 - Duchy Farms Project

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