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Summary

A hut circle and three small adjacent rectangular enclosures 525 metres east-north-east of Rippon Tor. A small rectangular enclosure of 0.48 hectares, with three internal divisions and a single hut circle (MDV8051), is attached to the northern side of the reave, and was either contemporary with the reave or post-dated it.

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1002499: Huts and fields NE of Rippon Tor
• SHINE: Earthworks and stone walls of a Bronze Age parallel reave system on Mountsland, Halshanger and Horridge Commons, comprising the remains of a field system, hut circle settlements, enclosures and cairns, and surface remains of 19th century Hemsworthy Mine

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX77NE/9
• Old SAM County Ref: 347
• SHINE Candidate (Yes)

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• ENCLOSURE (Early Bronze Age to Late Iron Age - 2200 BC to 42 AD (Between))
• FIELD SYSTEM (Early Bronze Age to Late Iron Age - 2200 BC to 42 AD (Between))

Full description

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1953-1961, SX77NE20 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV283013.

Pound, hut circle and field system. The pound is clearly visible, its fragmentary walls are composed of large boulders. Field system associated with hut circle in rectangular pound. In vicinity of pound the bounding walls are well defined with large stones set on edge but elsewhere the banks bounding the fields are low and fragmentary.
Walls are of large stones, some set on edge, with a small, but well-defined enclosure in the south-east corner and traces of another in the south-west corner. Hut circle is attached to the northern wall of the enclosure.

Fox, A., 1954, Celtic Fields and Farms on Dartmoor in Light of Recent Excavations at Kestor, 87 (Article in Serial). SDV231175.

Gawne, E. + Somers Cockes, J. V., 1968, Parallel Reaves of Dartmoor, 286 (Article in Serial). SDV345858.

National Monuments Record, 1977, NMR SX7575, 3 (Aerial Photograph). SDV303528.

National Monuments Record, 1977, SX7573 NMR, 3 (Aerial Photograph). SDV283016.

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

Hut circles and field systems north east of Rippon Tor. Early Iron Age homestead of Dartmoor type. One hut in a yard with indications of byres, and three lynchetted stone walled fields. Hut measures 7.62 metres in diameter. Condition good, some debris inside but may be due to amateur excavation. It is inside a rifle range. St. Joseph air photo of this site. Agglomerated and partitioned enclosure of four elements visible with one hut circle incorporated into the enclosure wall. The enclosure is attached to a reave.
Rectangular pound containing hut circle. Wall of large stones some set on edge with a small but well defined enclosure in south east corner and traces of another in south west corner. Visible on National Monuments Record aerial photographs and recorded on map overlay.

Quinnell, N. V., 1986, Enclosed settlement with fields north-east of Rippon Tor (Cartographic). SDV283078.

Fields plotted in 1986.

Butler, J., 1991, Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities: Volume Two - The North, 41, Figure 5.2 (Monograph). SDV219155.

Sutton, B. R., 1993, Details of enclosure and hut / fields north-east of Rippon Tor, 19/9/1993 (Worksheet). SDV283079.

Remains of walls of hut and fields still visible. Most remain around 1 metre high. Lower walls showing sins of encroachment by plants. Those not covered by plant growth had thick layer of lichen and moss, indicting they have been undisturbed for sometime. Discovery of brass cartridge cases within walls of hut circle indicates site used for military training during war. Site no longer within rifle range, which was closed in late 1950s.

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

Area of the enclosure and associated features visible on the aerial photography with at least one hut circle clearly defined. Map object partly based on this source.

Ordnance Survey, 2012, MasterMap (Cartographic). SDV348725.

Enclosure and hut circle is depicted on the modern mapping.

White, P., 2013, Previously Unsurveyed Dartmoor Historic Farmsteads, Rippon Tor (Un-published). SDV352501.

Rippon Tor site of a farmstead.

Newman , P., 2015, Rippon Tor Premier Archaeological Landscape, Dartmoor National Park, Devon, 50, figure 19 (Report - Survey). SDV359145.

A hut circle and three small adjacent rectangular enclosures 525 metres east-north-east of Rippon Tor. A small rectangular enclosure of 0.48 hectares, with three internal divisions and a single hut circle (MDV8051), is attached to the northern side of the reave, and was either contemporary with the reave or post-dated it. Condition is stable, SX75177 75720.

Various, 2018-2019, PALs Condition Recording forms, RT9 (Worksheet). SDV362781.

Visited January 2019. Noticeable improvement in site visability due to swaling. Photos taken

Various, 2018-2019, PALs Condition Recording photographs, RT9 (Photograph). SDV363073.

Visited January 2019. Number of photos taken showing various parts of the enclosure bank

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV6836 - Rippon Tor Premier Archaeological Landscape survey

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