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Summary

Foundations of a rectangular building of 6.0 metres by 3.7 metres between Leather Tor and Sharpitor with walls 0.6 metres wide by up to 0.2 metres high

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1011167: Two stone hut circles, a reave, round cairn and shelter south east of Sharpitor

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX57SE122
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 440378
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX57SE/277/1
• Old SAM Ref: 22282

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• BUILDING (Built, Early Medieval to Post Medieval - 1066 AD (Between) to 1750 AD (Between))

Full description

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1980, SX57SE122, SX57SE122 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV251801.

(28/05/1980) At SX 56167023, 7.0 metres from a reave between Leather Tor and Sharpitor (SX 67 SE 119) are the foundations of a rectangular building (see plan and ground photograph). Internally it measures 6.0 metres by 3.7 metres, with rubble walling 0.6 metres wide and at most 0.2 metres high. The western corner is rounded, the others angular, and in the long southwest side there is a centrally placed entrance gap 1.1 metres wide. Within the building there is some scattered stone but centrally placed towards the south-east end some earthfast stones form a patch about 1.0 metres across (a hearth ?).
The plan suggests a Medieval building but it is in an unusually high (375 metres OD) exposed situation and the lack of any surface rubble is curious. Even if it had been cleared to form the cairn 5.0 metres to the south (SX 57 SE 120) the amount of stone therein would make the walling barely 0.4 metres high. The house may indicate transhumance but otherwise its purpose is obscure.
Surveyed at 1:10000 on M.S.D.

Ordnance Survey, 1982, Ordnance Survey Drawing (Cartographic). SDV270058.

Six hut circles north of reave from Sharpitor to Leather Tor shown on survey drawing at SX56077036, SX56137032, SX56137029, SX56177024, SX56227020, SX56237019.

Gerrard, S., 1990-2002, Monument Protection Programme. Archaeological Item Dataset., MPP 123192 (Report - Survey). SDV277946.

Stone shelter on a gentle east-facing slope of Sharpitor. Interior of building is rectangular in shape, 6m by 3.7m and is defined by a 1m wide rubble wall standing up to 0.3m high. Doorway faces south-west. The plan suggests that it is of Medieval date, but the Ordnance Survey recorder felt that it was unusually high at 370m above sea level.
NB Gerrard gives erroneous ngr SX 53937713, but attaches site to SX58SE/277.

Department of Environment, 1993, Schedule notes (Schedule Document). SDV251800.

(23/09/1993) The northern hut is oval in shape, measures 3.6m long by 2.4m wide and is defined by a 1.2m wide wall standing to 0.2m high. A doorway is in the southern wall Scheduled

Butler, J., 1994, Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities: Volume Three - The South-West, 40, Map 45 (Monograph). SDV137656.

A rectangular foundation of small stones 5.0 metres by 4.0 metres close to the reave at '4' Sharpitor South-east which was possibly once a pen.

Fletcher, M. J., 2007-2008, Walkhampton Premier Archaeological Landscape; Field Investigation Project (Report - Survey). SDV359195.

(30/05/2007) An oval structure of uncertain origin and function but possiblty a shelter. It is 5.5m long, 4.1m wide and up to 0.3m high with spread rubble walling and an entrance in the southern side. Surveyed and investigated at 1:2500 scale.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV8351 - Walkhampton Premier Archaeological Landscape; Field Investigation Project

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