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HER Number:MDV62537
Name:Enclosure 'A' in settlement at Willings Walls Warren, Shaugh Prior

Summary

Enclosure 'A' (Butler) a sub-circular enclosure, internal diameters 110 metres by 96 metres and 0.8 hectares in area. It is in poor condition but is one of two possible primary enclosures. The walling comprises a double line of orthostats 1.2 metres apart with some infill. The interior, which has been cleared, contains a D-shaped yard or hut 3.5 metres by 2.0 metres, built against the south-west extremity of the enclosure wall and five huts.

Location

Grid Reference:SX 579 658
Map Sheet:SX56NE
Admin AreaDartmoor National Park
Civil ParishShaugh Prior
DistrictSouth Hams
Ecclesiastical ParishSHAUGH PRIOR

Protected Status

Other References/Statuses

  • National Monuments Record: SX56NE71
  • Old DCC SMR Ref: SX56NE/53/2

Monument Type(s) and Dates

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

Full description

Royal Air Force, 1946, RAF/106G/UK/1190, 4259 (Aerial Photograph). SDV340833.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1977, SX56NE71, SX56NE71 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV151920.

Visited on 31st May 1950. The walls are composed of partly turf covered stones, average width of walls 3.0 metres, height 0.8 metres. Eleven hut circles are visible with diameters varying between 3.7 - 7.5 metres.
Visted on 21st June 1977. A settlement of six integrated enclosures, situated at the end of a ridge on a gentle well drained slope at 265 metres OD.
Enclosure 'A' at SX 5794 6580. A sub-circular enclosure, internal diameters 110.0 metres by 96 metres and 0.8 hectares in area. It is in poor condition but is one of two possible primary enclosures. The walling comprises a double line of orthostats 1.2 metres apart with some infill. The interior, which has been cleared, contains a D-shaped yard or hut 3.5 metres by 2.0 metres, built against the south-west extremity of the enclosure wall and five huts. These have average internal diameters of 5.5 metres with walling 1.2 metres wide, and are in poor condition; two have entrances to the south and south-east, marked by jambs 0.7 metres apart. One hut is built on the line of the wall and another is built against the wall; all are terraced into the slope.

National Monuments Record, 1983, NMR SF2134, 55-56 (Aerial Photograph). SDV238551.

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

Ten element agglomerated enclosure, six free standing hut circles within enclosure. Ten hut circles attached to enclosure walls. Area approximately 2 hectares. Enclosure is cut by Lee Moor China Clay Works Leat . Building and associated features overlying centre of enclosure. Rectangular building to north-west of enclosure.

Pye, A., 1992, Archaeological Watching Brief on the ECC Lee Moor works leat corridor in the Upper Plym Valley, 7 (Report - Watching Brief). SDV165953.

Butler, J., 1994, Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities: Volume Three - The South-West, 115-16, Map 49, fig 49.4 (Monograph). SDV137656.

Enclosure 'A' at 'Willings Walls Warren North' is roughly circular and has been rebuilt on slightly different foundations three or four metres inside the earlier structure creating a corridor between. As the settlement expanded with extra buildings, so further enclosures were added around the outside Four hut circles are shown within the enclosure as well as three small circles on the perimeter. Entrances are shown into three adjoining enclosures and another between Enclosures 'B' and 'C'.

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

Visited on 4th April 2002. Centred SX 5792 6580. A settlement consisting of at least seven irregular enclosures containing the remains of 12 hut circles lies at the end of the short ridge between Spanish Lake and Hentor Brook. The enclosures vary in size from 0.1 to 0.8 hectares and are bounded by a variety of walling types as described by the Ordnance Survey in 1977. The hut circles are all terraced into the slope.

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

Enclosure shown on survey.

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

Visible on aerial photograph.

Various, 2018-2020, PALs Condition Recording forms, UPHT-22 (Worksheet). SDV362781.

(16/12/2019) Condition assessed as good to moderate, although vegetation encroachment is threatening site. HER description is good; clearly defined enclosures and hut circles were identified on the ground. However, MDV126880 is described as a small hut / clearance cairn but when visited appeared to be no more than a semi-circle of a low cairn against the boundary wall. Also the west side boundary wall of enclosure MDV62537 has a break in it not shown on map (see photographs and annotated map on worksheet).

Various, 2018-2020, PALs Condition Recording photographs (Photograph). SDV363073.

Photographs taken during December 2019 visit.

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

Enclosure shown on modern mapping.

Historic England, 2021, National Heritage List for England, 1009573 (National Heritage List for England). SDV364016.

This agglomerated settlement lies on a spur above the south bank of the River Plym, south-west of Ditsworthy Clam. It consists of five conjoined enclosures with hut circles and a later longhouse built in the middle. The agglomeration covers an area of circa 2.7 hectares, defined by enclosure banks of earth and stone up to 2.0 metres in width and 0.5 metres in height. Within the enclosures there are fourteen huts ranging from 4 metres to 11 metres in diameter with walls up to 2.5 metres in width and 0.6 metres in height. Entrances to the huts vary from the north-west to the south-east. The agglomeration appears to have developed from the largest circular enclosure on the north- east side, with four smaller enclosures having been added to the south and west of it. There is a longhouse with associated courts within the complex.

Sources / Further Reading

SDV137656Monograph: Butler, J.. 1994. Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities: Volume Three - The South-West. Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities: Volume Three - The South-West. Three. Paperback Volume. 115-16, Map 49, fig 49.4.
SDV151920Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card: Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division. 1977. SX56NE71. Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card. Card Index. SX56NE71.
SDV165953Report - Watching Brief: Pye, A.. 1992. Archaeological Watching Brief on the ECC Lee Moor works leat corridor in the Upper Plym Valley. Exeter Museums Archaeological Field Unit Report. 92.60. A4 Comb Bound + Digital. 7.
SDV238551Aerial Photograph: National Monuments Record. 1983. NMR SF2134. National Monuments Record Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). 55-56.
SDV319854Cartographic: Royal Commission on the Historical Monuments of England. 1985. Aerial Photograph Project (Dartmoor) - Dartmoor Pre-NMP. Royal Commission on the Historical Monuments of England Aerial Photograph P. Cartographic.
SDV340833Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1946. RAF/106G/UK/1190. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). 4259.
SDV345521Cartographic: English Heritage. 2005-2008. Prehistoric Survey Information. English Heritage. Digital.
SDV350782Report - Survey: Probert, S. A. J. + Fletcher, M. J.. 2002. Plym Valley survey. English Heritage Archaeological Investigation Report. Unknown. [Mapped feature: #122780 ]
SDV361462Aerial Photograph: Bluesky International Ltd/Getmapping PLC. 2015-2017. 2015-2017 Aerial Photographs. Bluesky International Ltd/Getmapping PLC. Photograph (Digital).
SDV362781Worksheet: Various. 2018-2020. PALs Condition Recording forms. PALs Condition Assessment Project Forms. Digital. UPHT-22.
SDV363073Photograph: Various. 2018-2020. PALs Condition Recording photographs. PALs Condition Assessment Project Forms. Digital.
SDV364015Cartographic: Ordnance Survey. 2021. MasterMap 2021. Ordnance Survey Digital Mapping. Digital.
SDV364016National Heritage List for England: Historic England. 2021. National Heritage List for England. Digital. 1009573.

Associated Monuments

MDV3343Part of: Settlement (Monument)
MDV62539Related to: Enclosure 'B' in settlement at Willings Walls Warren, Shaugh Prior (Monument)
MDV62541Related to: Enclosure 'D' in settlement at Willings Walls Warren, Shaugh Prior (Monument)
MDV62542Related to: Enclosure F in settlement at Willings Walls Warren (Monument)
MDV126877Related to: Hut circle within enclosure 'A' at settlement at Willings Walls Warren, Shaugh Prior (Monument)
MDV126878Related to: Hut within enclosure A in settlement at Willings Walls Warren (Monument)
MDV3431Related to: Willings Walls deserted medieval settlement (Building)

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

  • EDV8155 - Plym Valley Survey

Date Last Edited:Apr 26 2021 12:04PM