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Summary

Settlement to the south-west of Littaford Tors comprising twelve hut circles, parts of at least seven associated enclosures, the platform of a possible longhouse and a damaged cairn

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1020876: Prehistoric settlement, field system and rabbit warren south of Longaford Tor

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX67NW58
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 442683
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX67NW/46
• Old SAM County Ref: 922
• Old SAM Ref: 34551
• Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division: SX67NW58

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• FIELD SYSTEM (Constructed, Bronze Age - 2200 BC (Between) to 701 BC (Between))
• HUT CIRCLE SETTLEMENT (Constructed, Bronze Age - 2200 BC (Between) to 701 BC (Between))

Full description

Ormerod, G. W., 1864, On the Hut Circles on the Eastern Side of Dartmoor, 307 (Article in Serial). SDV304174.

Ormerod notes occurrence of hut circles between Wistman's Wood and Two Bridges.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1950/1989, SX67NW58, Sketch plan (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV266699.

(16/6/1950) SX 61357661 Enclosures and hut circles.
Hut circle A: Diameter 9.5m, probably of double-walled type. The walling is of large stones reaching a height of 0.7m on the Eastern half and 0.4m on the Western. Positioned at west end of enclosure.
Hut circle B: Diameter 5.5m, probably of double-walled type. Walling of large stones averaging 0.5m high. Entrance to the south.
Enclosure: A small enclosure 34.0m N-S and 34.5m East-West. The walling is well preserved consisting of large stones averaging 0.6m high. No obvious entrance [ area centred SX 6134 7663].
(12/09/1989) Centred at SX 613766 on the lower west-facing slopes of Littaford Tors, are four enclosures, one incorporating a hut, and five free standing hut circles. Two squarish enclosures are of 0.25 ha. and two of much less area. All are formed by a mixture of piled and Orthostatic stones, the resulting banks being from 1.5m.to 2.5m. wide and up to 0.7m. high.
One hut of Type 2, at SX 61357662, is in better condition and larger than the others, being 6.6m. internal diameter with double walling 1.5m. thick. The other huts have an average diameter of 3.5m. with walls 0.8m. thick, and are in very poor condition.
There is no evidence of cultivation in the vicinity of the huts, though the field system on the lower slopes of Littaford Tors would seem to be associated (see SX 67 NW 91).
Surveyed at 1:10 000 on P.F.D.

National Monuments Record, 1969, SX6176, 1/37-41 (Aerial Photograph). SDV249653.

Photograph taken on 12th April 1969.

National Monuments Record, 1979, SF1509, 293-296 (Aerial Photograph). SDV262885.

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

Enclosure with one incorporated hut circle and a house circle outside the enclosure. There are banks north and south-west of this enclosure which may be further enclosures. These enclosures are possibly contemporary with or related to those of SX67NW/63. Visible on 1969 NMR aerial photograph.

Royal Commission for the Historical Monuments of England, 1987-1993, Duchy Farms Project Survey Visit, P. Pattison (Report - Survey). SDV350839.

(15/05/1989) A settlement comprising twelve hut circles and parts of at least seven associated enclosures/fields. It is situated on a moderate, W slope in the West Dart Valley, under coarse pasture and light clitter and centred at SX 61357661. The Newtake wall at SX 61337670 has provided a convenient division for NAR recording, but in fact this `site' should be viewed as part of extensive settlement spread, continuing N up the valley (see SX 67 NW 81).
At SX 61367660 is a sub square enclosure A measuring 32m internally (just under 0.1 ha). It has a massive wall of medium and large stones faced internally and externally for three-quarters if its circuit with large, upright slabs, the whole on average 1.5m wide by 0.5m high. The W side is partially robbed and is now a stoney scarp 2.5m long by 0.6m high. Hut circles 4 and 5 lie on the perimeter of this W side and huts 11 and 12 just outside. Hut 4 is much larger than the others and is of identical construction to the enclosure; together they may represent a later, consolidated unit within the settlement.
To N and S of the enclosure A are several more enclosures/fields. Two are subcircular B and F and parts of three others are subcircular C, D, and E. Apart from D all have been largely cleared of clitter. They have rubble banks 1-2.5m wide by 0.3-0.6m high of medium and large stones and in several cases are now lynchetted on the downhill side. The grand plan of the enclosures suggests piecemeal development but the contour-following bank forming the E side of enclosures A, D and F might suggest a formal limit of settlement.
The majority of the hut circles have internal diameters of c 3m with three larger examples of between 5.5 and 7.2m. Walling typically, is of piled medium and large stones forming low, partially vegetation covered banks averaging 1.2m wide and 0.4m high. Hut circle 4 is an exception, being faced internally and externally with large slabs though hut circle 7 also retains similar traces. Only hut circle 4 has a visible entrance, in the S arc. Most are placed on or close to enclosure perimeters; in the case of hut circles 8 and 9 it looks as though the fragmentary extant walling links them as a secondary construction. Only huts 2 and 3 lie clearly within an enclosure.
G centred at SX 61427651 may be a prehistoric field proper, as apposed to an enclosure more associated with the settlement. It is integrated with the other enclosures but may have been adapted in historic times for small scale cultivation of a clearish area on the hillside; a rectangular building platform (SX 67 NW 145) is associated. AP's suggest another field or cleared area immediately N of G and attached to it, though it is not traceable on the ground (RAF / NMR) Several of the enclosures and some of the hut circles are visible on additional AP's and the site is partially depicted by source (RCHME APP, 1985) (see also SX 67 NW 58).
A further table of information on the individual parts of the settlement is held in the NRHE archive.

Butler, J., 1991, Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities: Volume Two - The North, 60-62, Map 29, Figure 29.1 (Monograph). SDV219155.

The southern group of enclosures and hut circles within 'Littaford Tors West' settlement. The largest hut in the settlement, Hut '1' of 6.8 metres diameter, is located in the centre of this group and opens into its own private enclosure. To the south-east is a rectangular platform of a small longhouse of 9.5 metres by 4.2 metres and the remains of a badly damaged cairn. The northern section of this part of the settlement has been destroyed by a newtake wall.

English Heritage, 2005-2008, Prehistoric Survey Information (Cartographic). SDV345521.

Enclosures and hut circles shown on survey

Cartographic Engineering, 2006, Dartmoor 2006 1:1250 Aerial Photography (digital) (Aerial Photograph). SDV345590.

Some features visible on aerial photographs.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV8642 - Crockern Newtake, Duchy Farms Survey
• EDV8409 - Dartmoor Royal Forest Project
• EDV8423 - Duchy Farms Project

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