Details

This monument includes a stone hut circle settlement situated within
Crockern Newtake on a gentle south west-facing slope overlooking the West
Dart River.
The stone hut circle settlement includes five stone hut circles, which
survive as rubble banks each surrounding a circular internal area which
varies from 4.9 sq m to 36.3 sq m, with the average being 15.2 sq m. The
surrounding walls measure up to 0.7m high and two have visible doorways.
Associated with the stone hut circles are several lengths of field walling
formed by large slabs, some of which are edge set, although most are laid
horizontally.

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

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 settlement 320m north east of Crockern survives
comparatively well and will contain information relating to the monument and
the surrounding landscape. This settlement lies close to one of the largest
prehistoric settlements on Dartmoor and thus provides a marked contrast to its
neighbour. One of the stone hut circles within the settlement is very unusual
in shape and may therefore contain information not usually available within
Dartmoor settlements.

Source: Historic England

Sources

Other
Title: Crockern Survey
Source Date: 1989
Author:
Publisher:
Surveyor:
1:10000 plan

Source: Historic England