See important guidance on the use of this record.

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

Summary

South-west of White Tor is an enclosed settlement of 0.8 hectares recorded first by the Ordnance Survey in 1978. The north-western part, with two enclosures and two hut circles, lies on a terrace, the remainder is on the slope below. The rubble walling utilizes the natural rocks found in this area of clitter. The huts are linked by the walling of small yards. On the southern side are two large enclosures, 35m x 35m and 35m x 60m. Fourteen huts were recorded in 1978; a site survey by the Royal Commission recorded 8 definite huts, with some additional structures.

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1011450: Hut circle settlement, fields and enclosures 270m south-west of White Tor
• Scheduled Monument 1011450: Hut circle settlement, fields and enclosures 270m south-west of White Tor
• SHINE: Stone walls of a Bronze Age settlement, comprising hut circles and enclosures on west side of White Tor

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX57NW64
• National Monuments Record: SX57NW64
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 439901
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 439901
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX57NW/117
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX57NW/83
• Old SAM Ref: 22207

Monument Type(s) and Dates

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

Full description

National Monument Record, 1977, SX5478, 2/232-3 (Aerial Photograph). SDV228382.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1978, SX57NW64 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV245787.

(23/10/1978) To the south-west of White Tor at SX 5405 7850 and at approximately 440.0m OD is an enclosed settlement of 0.8 hectares. (For the site to the north-west see SX 57 NW 4) The settlement is linked by a 1.5m wide, 0.5m high rubble wall to a reave (SX 57 NW 14).
The north-west part, with two enclosures and two hut circles, lies on a terrace; the remainder is on the slope below. The rubble walling of the enclosures averages 2.3m thick and 0.5m high and utilizes the natural rocks found in this area of clitter. The huts are mainly linked by the walling of small 'yards' though on the southern side are two large enclosures, 35.0m by 35.0m and 35.0m by 60.0m. This last has a clearly defined entrance on the south side.
Of the fourteen type 1 huts (eleven shown at 1:10 000) the average internal diameter is 2.4m with mostly levelled interiors, while the few visible entrances are to the south. The piled rubble walling averages 1.3m thick and 0.7m high and the condition is fair. Only the hut at SX 54077845 is outside the enclosures, though it is in very poor condition (See also SX 57 NW, 2,3 and 8) (Type site: SX 56 SE 19)
Surveyed at 1:10 000 on PFD.

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

Probable small agglomerated enclosure with incomplete remains of three elements. One hut circle to the north-east. Two hut circles adjacent to each other, to south-east of enclosure.

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

(24/04/1988) SX 5401 7853: A settlement comprising 8 hut circles (two with annexes), two more possible huts and associated enclosures. The site lies on sloping ground in thick clitter and outcrop on the W side of White Tor.
For descriptive purposes the site can be divided into four elements:
(1) The main cluster of hut circles and small enclosures forming a tight, intricate group.
(2) Two larger enclosures on the S and E sides of (1).
(3) Two hut circles and remains of more enclosures detached to the N of (1).
(4) A sinuous, linear bank running NE from the settlement towards White Tor itself.
(1) 5 hut circles situated among a complex arrangement of enclosures. These enclosures vary in size from between c.30 by 10m to c.8m by 2m. All are now rubble banks 2 to 3m wide and 0.5m to 0.9m high composed mainly of small and medium size stones. Several are terraced with prominent scarps defining their downhill sides. Some are so small that it is difficult to imagine a useful function, except perhaps as pens for individual animals. Others are the normal "yard" or "garden" size.
The hut circles are all now defined by rubble banks, usually incorporating stones of medium size (c. 0.10-0.30m diameter) but occasionally smaller or even very large boulders. Hut circles "J" and "K" are built of small size stones.
HUT CIRCLE "A" SX 5402 7853. An unusual structure constructed from short lengths of walling set between 5 very large, immovable boulders. The walls are c.1.5m wide by 0.2m high. The interior is flat and featureless and approximately circular at 2.4m to 2.8m diameter. It is cut in on the uphill side to c.0.35m. The entrance possibly was in the W arc but this is not clear. It is situated close to the foot of a natural outcrop and stands within an enclosure, unconnected by any perimeter walling.
HUT CIRCLE "B" SX 5402 7852. A subcircular hut circle 2.1m N-S by 2.6m internally. The walls are 1.7m to 2m wide and 0.3m high. The interior is levelled into the slope by cutting in on the N to 0.55m and building up on the S to 0.5m. There is no clear entrance in this well-preserved structure.
FEATURE "C" SX 5402 7852. This is not clearly an independent hut as illustrated by the Ordnance Survey (1978). It is however immediately adjacent to hut circle 'B' on the SE and is regarded possibly more accurately as an annexe to "B". Its rubble wall is considerably spread to the S but is generally 1.3m to 2m wide enclosing an area of c.17m diameter; not circular as the NW wall is in fact the SE arc of hut circle "B". The interior has been Levelled by cutting in upslope to 0.5m depth and building up downslope to 0.65m
Hut circles "B" and feature "C" are located on perimeter walling between two enclosures.
HUT CIRLCE "D" SX 5406 7854. Well-preserved with walling 1.2m to 2.1m wide and 0.4m to 0.7m high with a narrow gap in the S arc, possibly the site of an entrance. The interior has a diameter between 2 and 2.8m and is terraced by cutting into the slope 0.7m and building up downslope to 0.55m. Enclosure walls adjoin the hut circle on the NW and SE.
A hut circle illustrated by authority 3 immediately NW of hut circle "D" is an arc of enclosure walling only.
HUT CIRCLE "E" SX 5401 7854. This is really only a ring of stones 1.2m wide by 0.25m high defining an internal area of 1.5m diameter. No entrance is visible and no terracing is apparent. Enclosure walls adjoin on the NE, SE, S and SW.
FEATURE "F" SX 5401 7854. Probably not a hut circle as illustrated by authority 3. It is possibly one of the small enclosures, measuring 1.5m to 2m internally and defined by rubble walls 2m wide by 0.55m high.
HUT CIRCLE "G" SX 5399 7853. This survives as a terraced platform with good walling on the S side only, 1.4m wide by 0.25m high. The internal diameter is 1.7m to 2.4m. The interior is flat, formed by cutting into the slope to 0.55m. It sits on the junction between two enclosures, with an entrance to the one on the SE , 0.5m wide.
FEATURE "H" SX 5399 7853. An incomplete arc of walling 1.2m wide by 0.25m high, with no W side visible. It has an internal diameter of c.2.5m and is terraced into the slope by cutting in upslope to 0.5m and building up downslope to 0.4m. The feature is possibly a damaged hut circle or possibly an annexe to hut circle "G".
(2) Two larger enclosures S and E of (1) occupy sloping ground still covered by light to medium clitter.
ENCLOSURE "L" SX 5401 7851. It measures c.60 by 35m and is defined by sinuous rubble walling up to 2.2m wide by 0.5m high but partly spread and damaged towards the SW. There are occasional large edging stones on the S side. A gap in the centre of the S wall is not certainly an original entrance; at present a small stream which rises within the enclosure flows through it.
There are three hut circles on the perimeter of the enclosure, G and H (see above and: I).
HUT CIRCLE "I" SX 5398 7851. 1.1 to 2m diameter internally, defined by walls 2 to 2.5m wide and 0.6m high. There is a clear entrance 0.75m wide on the E arc. The interior is very small and appears to be sunken slightly in comparison to the external ground surface; it is terraced in upslope to c.0.25m.
ENCLOSURE "M" SX 5406 7852. The N and E sides of this squarish enclosure (with sides of c.40m) are formed by the steep slopes of a natural rock outcrop, with traces of walling along the N side only (contra authority 3). The S and W sides are clearly visible, the rubble wall averaging 2m wide and 0.4m high, but gapped and intermittent at the entrance E and substantially higher around the SW corner where there is an external scarp 1m high. At this point the scarp has been revetted by stonework, now very patchy. This scarping has the effect of raising the interior of the enclosure so that it overlooks enclosure "L". A hut circle illustrated by authority 3 at SX 5408 7850 on the enclosure perimeter could not be found; only a scatter of small-size, cleared stone could be seen immediately E of its position and outside the enclosure.
To the S of enclosure "M" at SX 5406 7849 is feature "N". This is a loose ring of medium-size stones with an overall diameter of 3.5m. It is not certainly a hut circle, but the possibility remains.
(3) Two hut circles situated to the N of (1) are loosely associated with remains of three more enclosures, though not physically linked. A wall illustrated by authority 3 connecting these enclosures with group (1) could not be identified in the present survey. This group is situated among light-medium clitter, with enclosures of similar wall type and size to those elsewhere on the site, but of areas intermediate between those of groups (1) and (2). The two hut circles are as follows:
HUT CIRCLE "J" SX 5402 7859. Measures 2.2m N-S by 1.6m E-W with walling 1.7m to 2m wide and 0.35m to 0.45m high, giving a plan form which is "rectangular" with rounded corners. The interior is terraced in to 0.2m upslope.
HUT CIRCLE "K" SX 5403 7859. Measures 3.1m N-S by 2.3m E-W internally with walling 1.7m to 2.2m wide and 0.45m high. There is an entrance gap (possible) in the S arc, 0.4m wide. A large boulder is incorporated into the NW arc.
(4) A sinuous, intermittent stony bank 1.5m to 2.5m wide and 0.2m to 0.5m high leads NE from the outcrop edge above the NE corner of enclosure "M". It heads towards the Great Western Reave, through thick clitter, but stops 10m short. (see SX 57 NW 14).

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

(1992) Enclosure and fields associated with small settlement of at least ten hut circles. Four large fields and seven small enclosures identified. Two large fields to north and south of settle focus. Boundaries of rubble walls surviving as lynchets 0.7m high. Field boundaries 2m wide on average. No identifiable link between these fields and a reave leading towards White Tor (SX57NW/116), but probably contemporary and once linked. Small triangular stone structure, 6m by 5m by 5m, lies 30m west of the north-west field. The area between these fields and White Tor summit appears to contain traces of slight earthworks.

Butler, J., 1991, Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities: Volume Two - The North, 91-92, Map 31, Figure 31.7 (Monograph). SDV219155.

Five huts and connecting walls are shown at Site '10' to the south-west of 'White Tor Fort'.

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

Some boundaries visible on aerial photograph.

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

Outline of enclosures and hut circles shown on modern mapping.

Historic England, 2022, National Heritage List for England, 1011450 (National Heritage List for England). SDV364675.

This monument includes a stone hut circle settlement, fields and enclosures situated on a terrace sheltered below a rock outcrop on the south-west facing slope of White Tor overlooking the valley of the Colly Brook. Ten stone hut circles can be identified within the settlement. Six of the huts are circular in plan and measure between 2.2 metres and 2.8 metres in diameter. The remaining huts are oval and measure less than 3.1 metres by 2.3 metres wide. The walls of all the huts are composed of stone and earth and measure between 0.2 metres and 0.7 metres high. Two of the huts consist of two rooms attached to each other. Six of the huts are attached to boundary banks and four have visible doorways. The stone hut circles lie within a field system including four fields defined by rubble wall boundaries which are 2 metres wide on average and stand up to 0.7 metres high. Seven small enclosures situated around the focus of the settlement are defined by rubble walls which are 1.5 metres wide on average and stand up to 0.5 metres high.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV8423 - Duchy Farms Project

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