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Summary

Complex hut circle settlement on Buckland Common. This enclosed settlement on the west-facing slope of Buckland Common, above Ruddycleave Water, comprises a cluster of five attached enclosures, containing four hut circles. The settlement appears to be associated with two reaves, though the chronology is not clear. Surveyed at 1:1000 scale May 2015. Densely covered with bracken. Much erosion caused by footpaths traversing the walls.

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1004589: Hut circles and fields on Buckland Common
• SHINE: Earthwork remains of a Bronze Age parallel reave system on Buckland Common and Blackslade Down, including prehistoric hut circle settlements and cairns, medieval and later remains

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX77SW41
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 445343
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX77SW/23
• Old SAM County Ref: 511

Monument Type(s) and Dates

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

Full description

Gawne, E. + Somers Cockes, J. V., 1968, Parallel Reaves of Dartmoor, 287-8 (Article in Serial). SDV345858.

SX734738. A complicated pound with subdivisions and several huts, and with one or two of the internal walls seemingly based on the line of a late Bronze Age to Early Iron Age reave or a cross-wall (SX 77 SW). The main lay-out is an irregular oblong or circle, quite unlike the 'Celtic' fields as on Halsanger or Horridge Commons (SX 77 SW; SX 77 NE).

National Monuments Record, 1977, SX7373, 8 (Aerial Photograph). SDV293318.

Settlements and field system. Hut circles and fields on Buckland Common. Four huts with four fields and three paddocks situated on the west side of the common above Ruddycleave Water. Fields lynchetted and divided by stone uprights. The edge of the settlement is roughly walled with signs of more cultivation patches above the fields. There is a second settlement with one hut and field to the north of this. The condition is good although bracken-covered. The huts are 6.1m - 9.1m in diameter.

Belsey, P. M., 1983 - 1987, Buckland In The Moor Parish Checklist (Un-published). SDV345904.

Settlements and field system. Hut circles and fields on Buckland Common. Four huts with four fields and three paddocks situated on the west side of the common above the Ruddycleave Water. Fields lynchetted and divided by stone uprights. The edge of the settlements is roughly walled signs of more cultivation patches above the main fields. There is a second settlement with one hut and a field north of this. Condition of both good but bracken covered (citing Quinnell, N. V.).
A complicated pound with subdivisions and several huts and with one or two of the internal walls seemingly based on the line of the Bronze Age to early Iron Age reave or a cross wall. The main layout is an irregular oblong or circle, quite unlike the 'Celtic' fields as on Halsanger or Horridge Commons.
The sites lies facing north-west on the sheltered flank of Buckland Common, well below the ridge and above the marshes which border Ruddycleave Water. The soil is peaty, with a gravelly subsoil and there are extensive areas of clitter. Structures are thickly covered with bracken which also covers the surrounding area to a distance of about 60 metres before giving way to heather and gorse to the south and marsh and bog to the north.
The larger of the two settlements is a complex, multi-period structure consisting of a main enclosure with rounded corners and partially bisected by internal walls aligned on reaves. A hut circle lies in the north-east quadrant and one with connecting walls in south-east quadrant. A northern extension contains a free standing house and a fourth circular house is sited in the angle formed by the junction of a south extending wall near the south-west corner of the main enclosure. The wall of this extension is slighter in construction and ill-defined to the south-east. There is a further rounded extension on the east side. The enclosure is cut by several animal tracks which have obscured the existence of an original entrance, but there is a possible remains of a ramp in the south-east corner. The junctions of the reaves with the similarly aligned internal walls are staggered.

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

This is an agglomerated and partitioned enclosure with eight elements and containing seven hut circles. Three hut circles are attached to, or are incorporated into, the walls of the enclosure. At least two reaves are visible running into (and meeting inside) the enclosure from the parallel reave system to the north and west. Two hut circles visible on the aerial photographs, at SX73327391 and SX73307378.

Griffith, F. M., 1985, DAP/EN, 10 (Aerial Photograph). SDV346962.

Belsey, P. M., 1986, The Enclosed Settlements on Buckland Common (Article in Serial). SDV282758.

The enclosure is a complex site of irregular shape, with maximum dimensions of 140 metres by 195 metres. It consists of a main, rounded enclosure partially bisected by a wall. It contains four houses see article for full description.

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

Visible on the aerial photography. (The Scheduled area does not sufficiently cover this site).

Newman, P., 2015, Rippon Tor Premier Archaeological Landscape, Dartmoor National Park, Devon, 49, figure 18 (Report - Survey). SDV359145.

Complex hut circle settlement on Buckland Common. This enclosed settlement on the west-facing slope of Buckland Common, above Ruddycleave Water, comprises a cluster of five attached enclosures, containing four hut circles. The settlement appears to be associated with two reaves, though the chronology is not clear. The site has been previously investigated by Belsey (1986). Surveyed at 1:1000 scale May 2015. Densely covered with bracken. Much erosion caused by footpaths traversing the walls. SX73430 73811.

Historic England, 2016, National Heritage List for England (National Heritage List for England). SDV359353.

The monument includes an agglomerated enclosed stone hut circle settlement within the Rippon Tor coaxial field system, situated near the crest of a low ridge surrounding Ruddycleave Water on the edge of Buckland Common. The settlement survives as a series of 8 conjoined enclosures of varying size and shape, divided by a reave and cross reave and containing four stone hut circles. The enclosure walls are substantial and measure up to 1.2m high. The interior of the enclosures is relatively stone free and there are lynchets indicating past cultivation. The four surviving stone hut circles have substantially built walls of coursed rubble and orthostats measuring up to 1.5m wide and 1m high. The internal diameters of these huts range in size from 6.7m to 9.5m. Two are built into enclosure walls the others are freestanding.
Further archaeological remains survive within the vicinity of the monument, but these are not included within the scheduling because they have not been formally assessed.

Various, 2018-2020, PALs Condition Recording forms (Worksheet). SDV362781.

(01/10/2020) Condition assessed as bad; bracken and bramble covering entire site. Path through site not causing any erosion. Some damage on hut 1 caused from burrowing animals.

Various, 2018-2020, PALs Condition Recording photographs (Photograph). SDV363073.

Photographs taken of site during September 2020 visit.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV6836 - Rippon Tor Premier Archaeological Landscape survey

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