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Summary

Hut circle in the centre of Wigford Down, in an area of later medieval field enclosures. Previously described as a kerbed cairn or cairn circle, and the scheduled description describes it as a cairn, whilst the title calls it a hut circle. The location of the feature suggests it is more likely to be a hut, rather than funerary site, as the others in this area are clustered to the east, mostly near the summit of the Down.

Location

Protected Status

• SHINE: Earthworks and walling of Bronze age parallel reave field system with hut circle settlements and cairns, plus deserted Medieval settlements with long houses and pillow mounds, on Wigford Down
• Scheduled Monument 1002551: Hut circle on Wigford Down

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX56NW16
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 439074
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX56NW/3
• Old SAM County Ref: 564

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• (Former Type) CAIRN (Bronze Age - 2200 BC to 701 BC (Between))
• HUT CIRCLE (Constructed, Bronze Age - 2200 BC to 701 BC (Between))

Full description

Worth, R. H., 1932, 51st Report of the Barrow Committee, 117-8 (Article in Serial). SDV251255.

There is a retaining circle on the north-western slope of Wigford Down. It lies a little to the north of a track which leads from the salient point of the enclosure wall between Urgles and Higher Belliver to the highroad near Durance. The circle is about 1540 feet east from the salient point of the enclosure. The southern circumference of the circle has been robbed and the stones of the cairn have been removed. The stones of the circle are small, only one exceeding 1.22 metres. Plan of circle given. Two hundred yards away, lies a pound with two fine hut circles associated.

Royal Air Force, 1946, RAF/106G/UK/1190, 3239-40 (Aerial Photograph). SDV340833.

Worth, R. H., 1948, 53rd report of scientific memoranda: stone supplement, Braunton (Article in Serial). SDV81893.

This is a hut circle (National Monuments Record, citing Worth, 1948).

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1950-1952, SX56NW16 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV251254.

(26/06/1950) Stone circle (citing Breton, H.)
(10/12/1948) Cairn Circle - this is the one noted and sketched by Breton, sited incorrectly at SX5423 6532 (citing Worth, R. H., TDA, Vol 64, page 118).
(12/06/1952) Visited and surveyed by Ordnance Survey.

Grinsell, L. V., 1978, Dartmoor Barrows, 157 (Article in Serial). SDV273224.

27/7/1972 Retaining circle of cairn robbed from south, if not ruined hut circle. Diameter 8 metres, height 0.6 metres.

Price, D. G., 1978, Settlement and ancient fields on Wigford Down, 69-75 (Article in Serial). SDV220620.

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

Visible on 1946 Royal Air Force aerial photographs and recorded on map overlay.

Butler, J., 1994, Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities: Volume Three - The South-West, 78, Map 48, Figure 48.1 (Monograph). SDV137656.

Hut circle shown at Wigford Down field system within an area of later medieval fields to the north-west of Settlement 'C'.

GetMapping, 1999 - 2000, Dartmoor 1999-2000 1:1250 Aerial Photography (digital) (Aerial Photograph). SDV345751.

Visible on the aerial photography.

Ordnance Survey, 2017, MasterMap (Cartographic). SDV359962.

Marked on the modern mapping as a 'Cairn Circle'.

Historic England, 2017, National Heritage List for England, 1002551 (National Heritage List for England). SDV359963.

This monument includes a kerbed cairn situated on the northern side of Wigford Down on a west facing slope within a coaxial field system. The kerbed cairn survives as a ring of single stones with a diameter of up to 9m and stands up to 0.5m high. The central cairn has been subject to early excavation or robbing.

Various, 2018-2020, PALs Condition Recording forms, WD-10 (Worksheet). SDV362781.

(24/03/2020) Hut is covered in grass/moss and bracken cover with multiple gorse outcrops. Otherwise the condition is moderate.

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

Site recorded during condition visit.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV8316 - Wigford Down PAL survey

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