See important guidance on the use of this record.

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

Summary

Dispersed group of five ruined hut circles in an area 130 metres by 40 metres . The huts survive as circular earthworks in a large forest clearing. All but one of the group has been damaged by former overplanting

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1017985: Unenclosed stone hut circle settlement on Tom's Hill, 870m north west of Sandeman Bridge

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX68SW25
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 443950
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX68SW/5
• Old SAM County Ref: 961
• Old SAM Ref: 28673
• Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division: SX68SW25

Monument Type(s) and Dates

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

Full description

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

'Hut Circles' marked. Four hut circles are depicted.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1950/1951, SX68SW25 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV245127.

(22/08/1950) No trace of these hut circles could be found, the area being under dense afforestation.
(21/06/1951) Group of four hut circles. Only one has been destroyed at SX64978410. The others are quite prominent.

Dartmoor National Park Authority + Forestry Commission + Dartmoor Preservation Association, 1976, Conservation of Ancient Monuments. The Report of a Working Party (Report - non-specific). SDV248248.

Four Hut Circles recorded at :-
SX 64967411. 4.8m diameter. SX 64978415. 6.5m diameter.
SX 64998410. 5.5m diameter. SX 64988403. 4.5m diameter.

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

Department of Environment Site Monument Warden site visit 11th October 1983.

Butler, J., 1991, Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities: Volume Two - The North, 157, Map 35, Site 6 (Monograph). SDV219155.

Fernworthy West settlement where trees had recently been felled around the settlement. Only the largest hut of 7.0 metres diameter, at the northern end of the group was not overplanted. The other huts have been much damaged. Diameters of the latter range between 4.0 and 5.0 metres diameter.

Royal Commission for the Historical Monuments of England, 1993-1998, Dartmoor Royal Forest Project, S. Probert (Report - Survey). SDV346608.

(02/08/1995) Centred at SX 64978408. A cluster of five hut circles (one of which is also recorded as SX 68 SE 92) in a forestry clearing 600m NNE of Hemstone Rocks. The huts (detailed below) have all been damaged by forestry activities and are relatively small with internal diameters in the range 3.8m to 6.6m. There are no obvious entrances nor any traces of a contemporary field system. Within this clearing are the foundations of a rectangular structure (SX 68 SW 61) which may represent a further damaged hut.
Details of the individual huts as follows; the information for each is presented in the order NGR, internal diameter, wall width, wall height, and remarks; all measurements in metres:
SX 64968402, 4.6, 1.4, 0.4.
SX 64948411, 4.9, 1.0, 0.5, very disturbed though some interior facing survives.
SX 64968414, 6.6, 1.0, 0.4, terraced into hillside.
SX 64978410, 4.5, 1.3, 0.5, terraced into slope.
SX 65008407, 3.8, 1.3, 0.35, = SX 68 SE 92.
SX 64948406 = 8.0 x 3.1, a rectangular structure, possibly a disturbed hut circle = SX 68 SW 61.

GeoInformation Group Ltd, 2010, 1:625 2010 Colour aerial photography for Dartmoor (12.5cm resolution) (Aerial Photograph). SDV346026.

Hut circles visible in clearing in forest.

Newman, P., 2013, The Archaeology of Fernworthy Forest, Dartmoor, Devon, 36-7, Fig. 31 (Report - Survey). SDV351784.

Five ruined hut circles in a large clearing just above and to the north of the forestry track. The huts survive as circular earthworks; very little stone is visible and there is no evidence of any large slabs.

English Heritage, 2014, National Heritage List for England, 1017985 (National Heritage List for England). SDV355683.

The monument includes six stone hut circles situated on a gentle east facing slope overlooking the valley of the South Teign River. The hut circles survive as banks each surrounding an internal circular area which varies from 8 to 28.26 square metres. The height of the surrounding walls vary between 0.3 metres and 0.6 metres. Two of the huts have visible doorways and the walls are of orthostatic or rubble bank construction.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV6216 - Condition Surveys of Ancient Monuments on Forestry Commission Land
• EDV6203 - Archaeological Survey of Fernworthy Forest
• EDV7389 - Fernworthy Forest condition survey 1996
• EDV7410 - Fernworthy Forest condition survey 1992
• EDV8409 - Dartmoor Royal Forest Project

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