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Summary

The remains of a Bronze Age agglomerated enclosure containing stone hut circles lying on White Ridge within Great Stannon Newtake. The enclosure is attached to a reave belonging to the Stannon block system (SX 68 SW 108) and includes at least eight irregular shaped areas each defined by boulder and rubble walling. Seven stone hut circles survive within the enclosure and five of these are butted by enclosure walling.

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1018710: Three agglomerated enclosures, a round cairn and part of the Stannon block field system lying within Great Stannon Newtake

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX68SW4
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 443919
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX68SW/11
• Old SAM County Ref: 979
• Old SAM Ref: 28683

Monument Type(s) and Dates

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

Full description

Burnard, R., 1894, Exploration of the Hut Circles in Broadun Ring and Broadun, 187-188 (Article in Serial). SDV246116.

One of a group of five hut circles on the south slope was examined. No pound, but attached to some huts are enclosures of rectangular shape, with others partly made up with curved lines of walls. Probably folds for animals, patches of cultivated ground or gardens. The circle examined was fairly perfect, the foundation stones, some of which are inserted on edge in the ground with others laid on their flat, are of good size. On the south-east circumference the remains of the wall are five feet thick. There is a ruined entrance facing south, which from the remains of the doorway must have been four feet square. The interior is paved with irregular stones laid on the flat. No fireplace or evidence of fire. May have been a storehouse.

Baring Gould, S., 1895, Second Report of the Dartmoor Exploration Committee, 91 (Article in Serial). SDV271711.

Baring Gould, S., 1896, Third Report of the Dartmoor Exploration Committee, 183 (Article in Serial). SDV260468.

Curwen, E. C., 1927, Prehistoric Agriculture in Britain, 277, 281-5 (Article in Serial). SDV173835.

Royal Air Force, 1947, RAF/CPE/UK/1995, 3365-3366, 4364-5 (Aerial Photograph). SDV224714.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1950, SX68SW4, SX68SW4 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV243893.

[Scale plan and map] Hut circles and related enclosures on White Ridge.
(28/02/1950) hut A has a wall of turf and small stones, with a probable entrance to the south. Hut B has a probable entrance to the south. Hut C is a double walled type, with a well defined entrance to the south and one door jamb stone still standing. Hut D has walls of turf and large stones, with an entrance to the south. Hut E is a double walled type of large stones, with entrance to the south. Hut F has a fragmentary wall, entrance not obvious.
There is a large enclosure of a compound type, walls vague and fragmentary. It would appear to consist of about 5 closes, but one can only be certain of three. Internal diameters vary 5.5m-8.0m and height 0.2m-0.5m. Enclosure wall 0.25m high.

Ralegh Radford, C. A., 1952 /1953, Prehistoric Settlements on Dartmoor and the Cornish Moors, 68, 70, 82, fig.7, 10 (Article in Serial). SDV337080.

A group of six huts and five fields. The huts, ranging from 13ft to 21ft diameter, were excavated in 1895 and 1896. Finds included pottery which Ralegh Radford considers to be Middle Bronze Age, pot boilers, charcoal, flint flakes, a muller and two "rudely worked" circular or near circular stones; one 17" diameter x 3" and the other 16" x 19" x 2 1/2".

Fox, A., 1954, Celtic Fields and Farms on Dartmoor in Light of Recent Excavations at Kestor, 100 (Article in Serial). SDV231175.

Ancient Monuments, 1976, Scheduling report (Schedule Document). SDV245146.

(22/01/1976) Hut circles and enclosures south east of Sittaford Tor. Series of hut circles and enclosures, probably not all contemporary. The three northernmost hut circles are a) 6.40m b) 7.32m c) 9.14m, with the latter of especial interest as it appears to have been reduced in size at some stage, with the old external wall left in situ. A complex series of enclosures surround the hut circles.

National Monuments Record, 1977, SX6481/4, 257-263 (Aerial Photograph). SDV245149.

Fleming, A., 1978, Dartmoor Reaves, a nineteenth century fiasco, 17 (Article in Serial). SDV301196.

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

Large enclosure with seven probable elements and 6 hut circles, 2 of which are incorporated and 2 attached to the enclosure walls. The southern edge of the enclosure is practically straight with a bank possibly extending from it southwards. Visible on RAF 1947 and NMR 1977 aerial photographs.

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

(02/09/1990) Centred at SX 64298187. This compact "quadrant" settlement and field system is set into the angle between two straight reaves (SX 68 SW 108). At least six huts ae identifiable within the eight or nine traceable fields. It occupies approximately 4 hectares of a fairly steep SW-facing hillslope between 450m and 485m OD. The site is under a thick peat layer and moorland pasture with scattered clitter spreads.
The ruined huts, some covered by peat and others exposed by excavations, have internal diameters ranging from 3.5m to 7.1m. The walling, substantial in places, comprises boulders, stone rubble and some upright slabs; entrances where visible are in the S or SW sides. All are linked to one or more of the field walls but none are connected to the reaves.
The walling of the field system is constructed of boulders and stones with some upright slabs and on-line earthfast boulders; it is, at best 1.4m wide and 0.5m high although much is almost completely buried under the peat.
The relationship between this settlement and its neighbours (SX 68 SW 7, 21) and also the extensive reave system on the slopes of White Ridge cannot be deducted from the surviving visible field evidence. Some elements of this settlement ae almost certainly hidden under the peat layer.
A table of further information on the site is held in the NRHE archive.

Gerrard, S., 1990-2002, Monument Protection Programme. Archaeological Item Dataset., MPP 144228 (Report - Survey). SDV277946.

(24/10/1997) SX 6427 8186. Agglomerated enclosure forming part of an enclosed stone hut circle settlement in Great Stannon Newtake. Agglomerated enclosure attached to a reave. There are at least 8 elements and there are defined by walls composed of boulders and rubble. In places substantial rocks have been used and set on edge next to each other.

Butler, J., 1991, Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities: Volume Two - The North, 160-161, Map 35, Figure 35.5 (Monograph). SDV219155.

'White Ridge South-west 3' settlement with six hut circles and is separated from the settlement to the south by a reave which continues downhill to the edge of the soft ground around Lade Hill Brook. Four of the huts were excavated by the Dartmoor Exploration Committee in 1896 though few details were given.

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

Visible on aerial photograph

Ordnance Survey, 2023, Mastermap 2023 (Cartographic). SDV365227.

'Settlement' shown on modern mapping.

Historic England, 2023, National Heritage List for England, 1018710 (National Heritage List for England). SDV365228.

The monument, which falls into seven areas, includes three agglomerated enclosures containing stone hut circles, a round cairn and part of the Stannon block field system lying on White Ridge within Great Stannon Newtake. The northern agglomerated enclosure is attached to a reave belonging to the Stannon block system and includes at least eight irregular shaped areas each defined by boulder and rubble walling. Seven stone hut circles survive within the enclosure and five of these are butted by enclosure walling.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds

• FDV5910 - FLAKE (Early Neolithic to Late Bronze Age - 4000 BC to 701 BC?)
• FDV5911 - MULLER (Bronze Age - 2200 BC to 701 BC?)
• FDV5912 - POT BOILER (Bronze Age - 2200 BC to 701 BC?)
• FDV5909 - SHERD (Middle Bronze Age - 1500 BC to 1001 BC)

Associated Events

• EDV8531 - Excavation at Whiten Ridge
• EDV8532 - Excavation at White Ridge
• EDV8650 - Great Stannon Newtake, Duchy Farms Survey
• EDV8409 - Dartmoor Royal Forest Project
• EDV8423 - Duchy Farms Project

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