MONUMENT NO. 438837

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The remains of a small medieval farmstead lie on the lower SE slope of Gutter Tor. Five rectangular buildings and several associated enclosures lie within the remains of a large field system.

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SX 578667. A deserted Medieval site known possibly
as Gutter Tor consisting of five buildings and enclosures. (1)

Not visible. (2)

The Medieval farmstead on the south slope of Gutter Tor is centred
at SX 57896677. It comprises one building of longhouse type
19.0m by 4.0m, with a subdivision and outshut, and three
subsidiary buildings from 8.0m to 13.0m long, set at right angles
to the contours. All the walls are of tumbled drystone rubble and
are up to 0.6m high. A fifth minor building is to the north
west of the subdivided walled structure which may have been two
yards. (see illustration). There are two or three small plots
near the buildings. Heavy drystone walling up to 1.0m high
extends to the south and west of the settlement and appears to be
associated. It forms four or five squarish fields in an area
of 8ha centred at SS 57806670, with evidence of rig and furrow
ploughing.

Settlement surveyed at 1:10 000 on PFD. (3)

Depicted by Butler (1993, Map 49). (4)

Centred SX 57896677. A small medieval settlement is situated in a slight declivity in the E facing slope of Gutter Tor overlooking Gutter Mire. Five rectangular buildings and several attached enclosures lie within the remains of a large field system.
The principal structure appears to be a longhouse-type building centred at SX 57916679. It lies across the contours, as do all these structures, and possesses a long, sloping interior measuring 21.5m by an average of 3.2m wide. A small rubble pile may mark the former site of an internal wall cutting off the W third of the building. An entrance, possibly with a porch lies centrally in the S wall and traces of rubble-filled outshots lie adjacent to the SE corner.
Some 15m to the S, centred SX 57906678, are the remains of a cross-passage type building measuring 10.5m by 4.0m wide again with a porch on the S side. There are no discernible internal features. A similar structure, 7.0m by 3.5m internally lies 50m to the E at SX 57956678.
At SX 57896674 are the remains of another rectangular building 10.0m by 3.5m internally with a possible entrance near the SE corner. This building is adjoined by a small enclosure on its N side while two well-constructed, partially terraced yards lie to the W across a narrow hollow way.
A fifth structure at SX 57876676 adjoins a massive boulder and measures 5.0m by 2.1m. There is no obvious entrance.
This settlement is one of perhaps 10 or 12 that lie within extensive field systems either side of the River Plym most of which appear to have failed to thrive and were abandoned by the Post medieval period when the warrens were established. At the Gutter Tor settlement the hollow way between the fourth structure and the yards was blocked by a vermin trap and a large pillow mound encroaches on the largest building which may have been partially stripped to provide constructional material.
(5)

These features remain in good condition and as described by Authority 5. (6)

SOURCE TEXT

( 1) Medieval archaeology : journal of the Society for Medieval Archaeology

(C D Linehan) 10, 1966 Page(s)124-5

( 2) Aerial photograph

(OS/75/369/ 219-20 28 August 1975)

( 3) Field Investigators Comments

F1 NVQ 28-JUN-77

(4) General reference

Butler J 1993 DARTMOOR ATLAS OF ANTIQUITIES Vol 3 - The South-West

(5) General reference

Probert SAJ 03-AUG-1999 EH Field Investigation

(6) Field Investigators Comments

Probert SAJ 11-MAR-2005 EH Field Investigation

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