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Summary

A prehistoric settlement of at least nineteen scattered round huts occupies a steep NE-facing valley slope between 421m and 456m OD. The area, under moorland pasture and heather, is covered by a thick layer of peat and scattered clitter. The site overlooks the broad silted valley of the Lade Hill Brook and also a settlement of similar type (SX 68 SW 18) which is situated to the NE. A group of three huts 170m to the S (SX 68 SW 115) may be part of the settlement.

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1019071: Two prehistoric settlements 1280m SSW of The Grey Wethers

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX68SW3
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 443918
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX68SW/136
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX68SW/27
• Old SAM County Ref: 978
• Old SAM Ref: 28691

Monument Type(s) and Dates

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

Full description

Royal Air Force, 1947, RAF/CPE/UK/1995, 3365-6, 4365 (Aerial Photograph). SDV224714.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1950, SX68SW3 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV245311.

(19/06/1950) Site of hut circles, no trace could be found.

Department of Environment, 1976, Report Form (Schedule Document). SDV245302.

(21/01/1976) Hut circles south-south-east of Sittaford Tor. Hut A: SX 63758178, diameter 4.57m. Hut B: SX 63778180, diameter 6.40m. Hut C: SX 63818181, diameter 9.14m. Hut D: SX 63808177, diameter 4.877m. Hut E: SX 63798174, diameter 3.47m.
Group of five hut circles: walls consist of loose small boulders overgrown with bracken and grass. All five, especially C are well preserved.

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

'Hut circles' shown on transcription by RCHM APP - no photo reference given.
It is possible that these are the same as SX68SW/136, but otherwise they are not visible on RAF 1947 aerial.

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

(07/09/1990) Centred at SX 63568193. A prehistoric settlement of at least nineteen scattered round huts occupies a steep NE-facing valley slope between 421m and 456m OD. The area, under moorland pasture and heather, is covered by a thick layer of peat and scattered clitter. The site overlooks the broad silted valley of the Lade Hill Brook and also a settlement of similar type (SX 68 SW 18) which is situated to the NE. A group of three huts 170m to the S (SX 68 SW 115) may be part of the settlement.
The huts are now covered by the peat layer so consequently much of their detail including the type of wall construction and the position of most of the entrances is obscured. The internal diameter of the huts vary from 1.8m to 4.6m and the visible walling on average 1.1m wide and 0.4m high is of rubble with boulders, some earthfast, and a few upright slabs. Many are scooped/levelled into the slope. Two small conjoined enclosures or pounds, each with a hut circle built into its N wall, a sheltered natural gulley. The plot walls, of boulders and stones, are 0.8m wide and 0.4m high. Elsewhere short fragmentary lengths of boulder-rubble walling, often linked to huts, protrude through the turf; this evidence suggests that a contemporary field system may exist under the peat layer.
A turf-covered cairn 3m SW of hut 'F' (at SX 63628181) measures 3m in diameter and 0.4m high. Composed of portable stones it is probably a contemporary stone clearance heap.
Part of this settlement is scheduled however none of the stated grid references (1965 OS map) (together with at least two of the given diameters) accord with the surveyed huts.
Tabulated list in the NRHE archive.

Gerrard, S., 1990-2002, Monument Protection Programme. Archaeological Item Dataset., MPP 148895-919 (Report - Survey). SDV277946.

Vis=est -/-/1997 (gerrard, s. ) same as sx68sw/27 (mpp). mpp/148895-919.

Greeves, T. A. P., 1995, Field visit (Worksheet). SDV268366.

(01/09/1995) At least 6 hut circles with associated enclosure walls. On east-facing slope on western side of Lade Hill brook. Grid reference given as SX 63588200.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV8650 - Great Stannon Newtake, Duchy Farms Survey
• EDV8409 - Dartmoor Royal Forest Project
• EDV8423 - Duchy Farms Project

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