Details

The monument includes a stone hut circle of Bronze Age date, situated on the
western floodplain of the College Burn at the foot of the steep eastern slope
of The Schil. The hut circle lies against an ancient river terrace which has
been used as part of its western wall and is visible as the roughly circular
foundations of a building; it measures 5.5m in diameter with walls up to 1.5m
wide and 0.5m high. There is an entrance on the south east side which measures
c.1m wide and is defined by two large boulders.

MAP EXTRACT
The site of the monument is shown on the attached map extract.
It includes a 2 metre boundary around the archaeological features,
considered to be essential for the monument's support and preservation.

Source: Historic England

Reasons for Scheduling

Stone hut circles and hut circle settlements were the dwelling places of
prehistoric farmers. Most date from the Bronze Age (c.2000-700 BC). The stone-
based round-houses consist of low walls or banks enclosing a circular floor
area; the remains of the turf, thatch or heather roofs 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 or stone. Frequently traces of their associated
field systems may be found immediately around them. These may be indicated by
areas of clearance cairns and/or the remains of field walls and other
enclosures. The longevity of use of hut circle settlements and their
relationship with other monument types provides 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 hut circle 920m SSW of Mounthooly survives well and will retain
significant archaeological deposits. It is situated within an area of
clustered archaeological sites of high quality and forms part of a wider
archaeological landscape. This is a rare example of an isolated hut circle
situated at the bottom of the College Valley and will contribute to the study
of land use in the late prehistoric period.

Source: Historic England

Sources

Books and journals
Archaeology Section, Tyne, Wear Museums, , College Valley Survey: Mounthooly, (1994), 6

Source: Historic England