Summary

Stone hut circle within the Dartmeet coaxial field system, 550m north-west of Sharp Tor.

Source: Historic England

Details

This record was the subject of a minor enhancement on 5 November 2015. This record has been generated from an "old county number" (OCN) scheduling record. These are monuments that were not reviewed under the Monuments Protection Programme and are some of our oldest designation records.

south to the River Dart. The stone hut circle stands within the Bronze Age Dartmeet coaxial field system, which extends over 3000 hectares and is recognised as the best preserved example in England. The building is terraced into the hillslope and survives as a substantial double orthostatic wall surrounding a circular internal area. The interior of the hut measures 12m in diameter and is denoted by a wall standing up to 3.4m wide and 2m high. The doorway faces south-east. A small circular rubble built structure with a 3m diameter internal diameter is attached to the inner face of the northern wall. The hut is attached to a length of reave and another length of boundary wall leads for a short distance south-eastwards.

Further archaeological remains survive within the immediate vicinity of the monument, some are scheduled, but others are not currently protected and these are not included within the scheduling because they have not been formally assessed.

Source: Historic England

Reasons for Scheduling

Dartmoor is the largest expanse of open moorland in southern Britain and, because of exceptional conditions of preservation; it is also one of the most complete examples of an upland relict landscape in the whole country. The great wealth and diversity of archaeological remains provide direct evidence for human exploitation of the Moor from the early prehistoric period onwards. The well-preserved and often visible relationship between settlement sites, major land boundaries, trackways, ceremonial and funerary monuments as well as later industrial remains, gives significant insights into successive changes in the pattern of land use through time. Stone hut circles and hut settlements were the dwelling places of prehistoric farmers on Dartmoor. They mostly date from the Bronze Age, with the earliest examples on the Moor in this building tradition dating to about 1700 BC. The stone-based round houses consist of low walls or banks enclosing a circular floor area; remains of the turf or thatch roof are not preserved. The huts may occur singly or in small or large groups and may lie in the open or be enclosed by a bank of earth and stone. Although they are common on the Moor, their longevity and their relationship with other monument types provide important information on the diversity of social organisation and farming practices amongst prehistoric communities. They are particularly representative of their period and a substantial proportion of surviving examples are considered worthy of protection.

The stone hut circle within the Dartmeet coaxial field system, 550m north-west of Sharp represents a very well preserved and exceptionally large example situated within the best preserved Bronze Age coaxial field system in England.

Source: Historic England

Sources

Books and journals
Butler, J, Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities, Volume One - The East , (1991), Map 12
Other
PastScape Monument No:- 442892

Source: Historic England