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Summary

Western of two adjoining prehistoric enclosures, with associated hut circles to the 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: SX66SE9
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 441764
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX66SE/77

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, 1950, SX66SE9 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV145618.

(02/05/1950) Walls composed of turf and gorse covered stones. Hut A; no obvious entrance. Hut B; possible entrance to the south east. Hut C; no obvious entrance. Hut D; entrance to the south-east. These four hut circles are in fair condition.

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.

This group of antiquities lies 200 - 300 meters south of Ryder’s Rings on the shoulder of the hill above the west bank of the River Avon, on sloping ground facing east. The area is turf-covered with dense bracken and bilberry in places. It seems to be a complex area with newer enclosures superimposed on either older or heavily robbed ones. One feature is a series of low walls or reaves running east from the enclosure to fade out where the gradient of the hill becomes steeper. These pounds would merit a careful investigation as to sequences of building. The main outline of the pounds, and the hut circles show on the 1948 Royal Air Force aerial photograph.
The western of two adjoining enclosures with associated hut circles. The enclosure walls are more slight than usual; measuring only 1.0 meter wide and 0.25 meters 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.

Western of four enclosures with two hut circles associated with it. The enclosure is sub-rectangular and has square south-western and north-western corners and one hut circle in the north-western corner. A track cuts through this enclosure.

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.

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.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

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