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Summary

On the moderately sloping west side of Yar Tor is a series of conjoined prehistoric enclosures with two hut circles. The largest enclosure is lozenge shaped and contains no huts. The walls have been refurbished during the medieval or post medieval period. A second small enclosure to the south-east and a series of walls to the south of the site appear not to have been refurbished. Two huts survive.

Location

Protected Status

• SHINE: Dartmeet Parallel Reave System. Earthworks of an extensive area of prehistoric remains including complex field system, numerous hut circles, enclosures and cairns, overlain by medieval remains including Vaghill Warren, farmsteads and a large field syste

Other References/Statuses

• Dartmoor Non-designated Heritage Asset (Evidential): NI Site
• National Monuments Record: SX67SE68
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 443055
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX67SE/97
• Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division: SX67SE68

Monument Type(s) and Dates

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

Full description

Beeson, M. M. R. + Masterman, M. C. H., 1979, An Archaeological Survey of Enclosed Land in Widecombe-In-The-Moor Parish, 1013 (Report - Survey). SDV337078.

Ordnance Survey, 1980, 72/066, 45-6 (Aerial Photograph). SDV346023.

National Monuments Record, 1980, SF1748, 397-410 (Aerial Photograph). SDV279663.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1980, SX67SE68 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV363085.

(Visited 03/06/1980) Centred at SX 675741 at 333 metres OD on the west slope of Yar Tor, are two hut circles of Type 2. Both have levelled interiors measuring 7.8 metres in diameter and walling 1.6 metres wide and 0.7 metres high. There are no visible entrances.
The huts are within the extensive parallel reave system (SX 67 SE 94) but appear to have their own system of a few curvilinear fields extending over about 1.0 hectare. These, visible on the ground and on aerial photographs, have boundaries of rubble banks and lynchets just visible through the turf and averaging 1.1 metres wide and 0.3 metres high. In places they have been utilized as a base for Medieval or later walling which reaches a height of 0.9 metres and measures 1.5 metres wide with an outer ditch. In one instance the walling has been extended across a hut. Huts surveyed at 1:2500 on MSD.

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

Hut circles and enclosures visible in aerial photograph. Two huts, one crossed by a later wall. An almost D-shaped enclosure with banks extending from it in the south to form a second possible element to this enclosure. A hut circle lies within this element at SX67477408 next to a small area of ridge and furrow, a second hut circle is apparently crossed by the wall of the second element at SX67477406. The second element could have been partially destroyed by a footpath.

Butler, J., 1991, Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities: Volume One - The East, 125-6 (Monograph). SDV299725.

Prehistoric settlement overbuilt at a later date, though it appears that the rebuilding was never completed.The neatly coursed stones distinguish the later work. Part of this was carried straight across the centre of a substantial hut of 7 metres diameter. The foundations of a second hut with a diameter of circa 7. 5 metres has about a third of the circumference buried. Uphill a bank connects these with an unaltered pound on a natuarl shelf in the hillside. A hut of very small dimensions probably existed within, though only a few scattered stones remain. Other details: Map 14, Site 6.

Gerrard, S., 2004, List of Sites Remaining to be Considered for Designation on Dartmoor (Un-published). SDV345444.

Enclosed settlement on Yartor Down was considered for designation as a Scheduled Ancient Monument in 2004. Other details: Site 50.

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

Shown on survey.

Newman, P., 2008, Dartmeet Premier Archaeological Landscape (PAL) Field Investigation Project (Report - Survey). SDV347061.

(Visited 14/03/2008) On the moderately sloping west side of Yar Tor is a series of conjoined prehistoric enclosures with two hut circles. The largest enclosure (SX 6748 7413) is lozenge shaped and covers an area of 0.35 hectares but contains no huts. The walls have been refurbished during the medieval or post medieval period, in places using dry stone techniques, although the south-west wall remains as an earthen bank. A stone wall which branches off the enclosure to the south, also of medieval character, cuts through one of the hut circles. A second small enclosure of 0.05 hectares to the south-east (SX 6754 7406) and a series of walls to the south of the site appear not to have been refurbished (see MDV26333).
SX67477407 is a hut circle with robust granite walls with elements of both internal and external walls surviving and cuts into a moderate slope. The internal diameter (ie across the internal wall) is 6 metres and the bank is 1.8 metre wide and an external height of 1.2 metres and an internal height of 0.8 metres. There is a level interior with minimum tumble and no definable entrance. The hut is transacted by a post Prehistoric field boundary and appears to have been refurbished.
SX67477409 This hut circle survives as a stony bank with a diameter of 8.5 metres the banks are 1.5 metres wide and 0.5 metres high. It has a level interior with no definable entrance and built into a slope.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV8296 - Dartmeet Premier Archaeological Landscape (PAL) Field Investigation Project

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