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Summary

Eastern of two adjoining prehistoric enclosures, with two associated hut circles south of Rider's Rings. This site is on the local list of Nationally Important Dartmoor sites.

Location

Protected Status

• SHINE: Walling remains of a Bronze Age settlement consisting of three enclosures with associated hut circles south of the Rider’s Rings settlement on Zeal Plain, South Brent

Other References/Statuses

• Dartmoor Non-designated Heritage Asset (Evidential): NI Site
• National Monuments Record: 441764
• National Monuments Record: SX66SE9

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• ENCLOSURE (Constructed, Bronze Age - 2200 BC (Between) to 701 BC (Between))

Full description

Crossing, W., 1912 (1965), Crossing's Guide to Dartmoor (Monograph). SDV320981.

Royal Air Force, 1946, CPE/UK 1890, 2279 (Aerial Photograph). SDV140289.

Royal Air Force, 1948, RAF/CPE/UK/2494, 3114-3115 (Aerial Photograph). SDV147533.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1977, SX66SE9 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV346068.

(18/07/1977) At SX67756400. Situated on the east-facing slopes of Zeal Plains at 340-350 metres OD are two contiguous enclosures with three huts incorporated in the walling, another enclosure containing one hut and a further hut between the two enclosures. The enclosure walls are low (0.3 metres) and discontinuous, consisting of turf-covered stones with an average thickness of 1.4 metres. The average internal diameter of the huts is 5.6 metres, the largest 6.5 metres and the smallest 4.5 metres. Their walls vary in thickness from 1.0 to 2.0 metres. Three have recognisable entrances on the south, and all the huts are of Type 2. They are generally very ruinous and overgrown, and are terraced into the hillside.
East of the enclosures are about six apparently associated fields on a steep slope, each approximately 40.0 metres north-south and 15.0 metres east-west, rectilinear and formed by low banks of stones. The fields are centred at SX67836400. Surveyed at 1:10 000 on PFD and at 1:1000 for AO Records.

Robinson, R., 1978, Settlement south of Rider's Rings (Worksheet). SDV145620.

The eastern of two adjoining enclosures with associated hut circles. The enclosure walls are more slight than usual; measuring only 1.0m wide and 0.25m high. Three huts are integral to the pair of enclosures.

National Monuments Record, 1982, NMR SF2112, 1248-1249 (Aerial Photograph). SDV345548.

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

Visible on Royal Air Force 1946 and National Monuments Record 1982 aerial photographs. The associated fields seen by the Ordnance Survey are not visible on aerial photographs.

Butler, J., 1993, Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities: Volume Four - The South-East, 143, Map 57, Figure 57.13 (Monograph). SDV337765.

South-eastern of four enclosures at 'Zeal Hill East'. This enclosure is a long oval with two hut circles on the north-western boundary with the enclosure to the west.

Gerrard, S., 2004, List of Sites Remaining to be Considered for Designation on Dartmoor (Un-published). SDV345444.

This site was considered for designation as a Scheduled Ancient Monument during the Monument Protection Programme. The programme ended before the entire list of sites was successfully scheduled so this is included on a local list of Nationally Important Sites.

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

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

Visible on aerial photograph.

Ordnance Survey, 2020, MasterMap 2020 (Cartographic). SDV363413.

Enclosure shown on modern mapping.

National Monuments Record, 2020, Pastscape, 441764, SX66SE9 (Website). SDV363416.

Field Investigation on 18th July 1977. At SX 67756400 situated on the east-facing slopes of Zeal Plains at 340-350 metres OD are two contiguous enclosures with three huts incorporated in the walling. The enclosure walls are low (0.3 metres) consisting of turf-covered stones with an average thickness of 1.4 metres.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

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