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Summary

Remains of a curvilinear prehistoric enclosed settlement and several hut circles situated on a moderate west slope just outside the north east corner of Soussons Plantation.

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1021340: Tinworks, field systems, settlements, warren, cairns and a stone alignment at Headland Warren

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX68SE27
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 443815
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX68SE/85
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX68SE/85/7
• Old SAM Ref Revised: 34499

Monument Type(s) and Dates

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

Full description

Royal Air Force, 13/04/1947, CPE/UK/1995, 2359-2361, 4358-9 (Aerial Photograph). SDV217286.

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

Five 'Hut Circles' shown on the north side of the settlement on 19th century map.

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

Five 'Hut Circles' shown on early 20th century map.

Ordnance Survey, 1972, OS/720/66, 014-15 (Aerial Photograph). SDV306437.

National Monuments Record, 1977, SX6880, 3, /1/50-2 (Aerial Photograph). SDV281707.

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

A roughly circular enclosure centred here contains some of the hut-circles. The south-western part of this enclosure is visible and recorded. Group of five hut circles. Two hut circles are visible and recorded.

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

(23/05/1990) SX 6851 8045: Remains of a prehistoric enclosed settlement, the "roughly circular pound" recorded by the Royal Commission [1985] and several hut circles situated on a moderate west slope just outside the north east corner of Soussons Plantation. It is not entirely clear whether the enclosure was originally semi-circular and attached to the south side of the North Hamel Down reave [see SX 78 SW 62] or circular and cut by the reave. Today the reave line is followed by a maintained drystone field wall running east to west. Of the six hut circles recorded to the north of the enclosure in [1985] F was confirmed; J is a possible while K is very doubtful. One, possibly two unrecorded hut circles H and G were located.
1] South of the modern wall: the line of the enclosure is clear, describing a semi-circular form of circa 0.4 hectares internally. The southern arc is especially well preserved, a rubble wall 3-4 metres wide and 0.6 - 1 metre high. Occasionally internal facing stones survive. The east side is a prominent stony scarp up to 1.6 metres high with slight disturbance on its outer margins caused by two tin pits [SX 68 SE 145]. The north east end turns abruptly into C [see below-this is probably not an original feature] but there is a slight stony line which leaves C and continues north of the modern wall. The western arc has been dug into and partially spread into irregular stoney heaps and scatters but there is no evidence that it ever continued north of the modern wall. A wall from a later field system [SX 67 NE 111] approaches from the south to join and partly overlie the western arc.
The enclosed area is uneven and not thoroughly cleared: groups of earth-fast boulders remain.
A: A building platform situated on the east internal face. Spoil from a tin pit has spilled into the interior, obscuring the true shape but it was almost certainly an oval hut with internal diameter of north west by south east by circa 6 metres terraced sharply into the enclosure wall and built up on the west as a stony scarp 0.8 metres high. A break in the west may be the site of an entrance.
B: To the south west of A, a short length of stony scarp 0.6 metres high runs north west from the enclosure wall, its slightly curved course echoing the line of A and ending in a prominent clearance pile. It was possibly part of a small yard.
C: A south-facing scarp/stony bank up to 2 metres wide and 0.4 metres high, possibly the other side of the putative yard but maybe also spoil from clearing a way through the enclosure wall when the modern wall was built. The unusually abrupt turn makes it unlikely to be the line of the main enclosure.
D: A subcircular setting of small, deliberately placed stones forming a low line or wall and measuring 2.2 metres north to south by 3 metres. A small hole has been dug into the centre. It is situated in the corner of a length of wall [see below] but is of uncertain origin.
Also inside are short intermittent stony lines possibly former walls up to 1 metres wide and 0.5 metres high. One seems to continue north of the modern wall, possibly part of a small rectangular enclosure.
North of the modern wall short scarps or stony lines convey the impression that the enclosure may have continued as a full circle: at east a 2 metre long and 0.8 metre high scarp is particularly convincing.
F: SX 6848 8049: Hut circle with internal diameter of 3.5 metres defined by rubble walls. 1.2 metres wide and 0.5 metres high, of medium and large stones with traces of external facing on the south west. It is terraced into the slope. Fragmentary walling, possibly forming the north west corner of a small rectangular enclosure, joins the south and east sides of the hut in a way which suggests that the hut is primary.
G: SX 6846 8050: A possible hut circle defined by a fragmentary ring circa 5 metres diameter of medium and large stones. It is probably disturbed by a field wall of SX 67 NE 111.
H: SX 6847 8052: A hut circle 5.5 metres internal diameter defined by a wall 1 metre wide of medium size stones including some internal facing. It is terraced in on the east and built up on the west to 0.6 metres. There is a possible entrance site on the southern arc.
J: SX 6846 8062: On the northern edge of a tinners openwork is an approximately circular patch 9.5 metres to 11 metres in diameter, of heather-covered medium and large stones. There is a slight scarp defining the uphill side. It is possibly a damaged hut circle.
K: SX 6852 8052: An approximate circular patch of medium and large stones, almost certainly not a hut circle.
Hut circles shown on the O.S. 25" 1952 at: SX 6846 8057, SX 6850 8059 and SX 6850 8051 [a point immediately west of F] were not located.
Visible on A.P's. Surveyed at 1:2500 with SX 67 NE 111.

Butler, J., 1991, Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities: Volume Two - The North, 16-8, Figure 24.1 (Monograph). SDV219155.

Settlement 'B' at Challacombe Down West is now a single enclosure of 57 metres by 75 metres, cut through by the present boundary wall which appears to have claimed at least some of its stones. Its wall is badly damaged next to the plantation but elsewhere is in fair condition. A circular setting of slabs of circa 3.0 metres diameter may be a rebuilt hut near the centre of the settlement. A pair of cross walls and a rectangular pen of 8 metres by 9 metres lie against the eastern perimeter. Further hut circles associated with this settlement are shown to the north.

Griffith, F. M., 20/01/1988, DAP/JR, 7 (Aerial Photograph). SDV245001.

Newman, P., 2002, Headland Warren and the Birch Tor and Vitifer Mines (Report - Survey). SDV363213.

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

Some features recorded on survey.

Ordnance Survey, 2022, Mastermap 2022 (Cartographic). SDV364674.

'Settlement' shown on modern mapping.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV7139 - Headland Warren and the Birch Tor and Vitifer Mines Survey (Ref: A1/20/2001, A1/34/2002)
• EDV8658 - Challacombe, Duchy Farms Survey

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