HeritageGateway - Home
Site Map
Text size: A A A
You are here: Home > > > > Historic England research records Result
Historic England research recordsPrintable version | About Historic England research records

Historic England Research Records

Monument Number 439169

Hob Uid: 439169
Location :
Devon
South Hams
Shaugh Prior
Grid Ref : SX5658564994
Summary :

Three adjoining enclosures and five hut circles immediately SW of Shadyback Tor. The enclosures are irregular in shape and cover areas of between 0.2 and 0.5ha with broad stony banks around 2.0m wide and 0.6m high. Two of the enclosures contain hut circles and a solitary hut lies immediately beyond the southernmost field bank. It seems most likely that these features formed a small part of an agglomerated settlement that formerly occupied most of the spur running W from Trowelsworthy Warren House. The Bronze Age settlement, recorded by previous authorities, is visible as stony structures on Environment Agency 1m Lidar data flown in 2019, 2021 Historic England orthomosaic aerial photography and visualisations of a Digital Elevation Model derived from the orthomosaic. The site was mapped from aerial sources in 2023 during the Historic England Dartmoor-Plym project.

More information :

(SX 566649) Enclosures and Hut Circles (NR). (1-2)

An enclosed settlement, consisting of 3 adjoining enclosures, lies on a moderate, well drained, north-west facing slope at 250.0m. above O.D.

(a) SX 56586496. An ovoid enclosure 70m. by 55m. and 0.3 ha., is built of double orthostatic walling, 1.1m. wide, mostly in poor condition. Coursing on the south side suggests that this section is a later re-building.

The interior, partly cleared, contains 2 type 2 hut circles, one,
internal diameter 7.5m. wall 1.3m. thick; the other, very fragmentary, terraced into the slope. A type 2 hut circle, internal diameter 7.0m., wall 1.3m. thick in poor condition, with a south facing entrance, 1.1m. wide, is set into the slope immediately to the south of the enclosure where there are, probable Medieval or later field clearance heaps.

(b) SX 56636496. This oval enclosure, 60m. by 40m. and 0.2 ha., post dates (a) and is built of orthostatic walling in poor
condition. The interior is clitter strewn and contains 2 type 2 hut circles, average internal diameter 6.5m., walls 1.3m. thick and in poor condition. Both are set into the slope. One is built onto the enclosure wall, and has a west facing entrance and an attached yard, 7.0m. by 3.5m. A third type II hut circle, internal diameter 5.0m., wall about 1.0m. thick and in poor condition, is terraced against the outside of the enclosure; where there are further field clearance heaps.

(c) SX 56586502. This oval enclosure, 90m. by 60m. and 0.5 ha., post dates (a) and is built of orthostatic walling, about 1.0m. wide and in very poor condition. The interior is clitter strewn with no evidence of hut circles. Two diverging walls, about 1.8m. wide, of double orthostat construction, run downhill from the west side and may be contemporary. (Type site: SX 56 NE 71).

1:10 000 Survey on P.F.D. (3)

Three enclosures and five hut circles depicted and described by Robertson. (4)

Three enclosures and eight hut circles depicted by Butler. (5)

Centred SX 56606501. Three adjoining enclosures and five hut circles immediately SW of Shadyback Tor. The enclosures are irregular in shape and cover areas of between 0.2 and 0.5ha with broad stony banks around 2.0m wide and 0.6m high. Two of the enclosures contain hut circles and a solitary hut lies immediately beyond the southernmost field bank. It seems most likely that these features formed a small part of an agglomerated settlement that formerly occupied most of the spur running W from Trowelsworthy Warren House. Several medieval or recent enclosures occupy part of the site as do pillow mounds and vermin traps. All the prehistoric features have been disturbed by stone gathering.
All the hut circles are terraced into the slope to provide level interiors though these and the walls are often obscured by later stone dumping. Two huts possesses identifiable entrances.
SX 56616499. This hut measures 5.1m by 5.5m internally with walls 1.2m to 2.5m wide and 0.6m high. Several low amorphous mounds adjoining the SW corner of this feature may represent annexes or additional huts.
SX 56646495.A well-built hut displaying evidence of double orthostat walls 2.0m wide and 0.6m high. It measures 6.2m N to S by 6.9m internally with an entrance in the SW margin. A small annex lies to the NW.
SX 56626498. A poorly preserved hut 5.3m in internal diameter with walls 1.0m wide and 0.4m high.
SX 56626495. Surviving as a crude circle of upright stones this hut measures 4.4m in diameter and adjoins the outer edge of the S enclosure wall.
SX 56606494. A relatively well-preserved hut beyond the S enclosure wall. It measures 6.1m N to S by 7.0m with a possible entrance in the SE. The walls remain 1.2m wide and 0.8m high. (6)

The Bronze Age settlement, recorded by previous authorities, is visible as stony structures on Environment Agency 1m Lidar data flown in 2019, 2021 Historic England orthomosaic aerial photography and visualisations of a Digital Elevation Model derived from the orthomosaic. The site was mapped from aerial sources in 2023 during the Historic England Dartmoor-Plym project. Three enclosures and at least seven hut circles are visible. Three short walling spurs lead off the northern enclosure. The southern walls of the two southern enclosures have been cut by a medieval field boundary. The northern enclosure has been adapted as part of Trowlesworthy Warren (NRHE 439294) by the insertion of a vermin trap and a pillow mound with associated drainage gullies. Scheduled (NHLE 1020323). (7-9)


Sources :
Source Number : 1
Source :
Source details : OS 6" 1954
Page(s) :
Figs. :
Plates :
Vol(s) :
Source Number : 2
Source :
Source details : AP's (RAF CPE/UK 1890 4288-4289 Dec '46)
Page(s) :
Figs. :
Plates :
Vol(s) :
Source Number : 3
Source :
Source details : F1 CC 14-JUN-77
Page(s) :
Figs. :
Plates :
Vol(s) :
Source Number : 4
Source :
Source details : Robertson J 1991 The Archaeology of the Upper Plym Valley
Page(s) :
Figs. :
Plates :
Vol(s) :
Source Number : 5
Source :
Source details : Butler J 1994 Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities Vol 3 The South West. Map 49/51
Page(s) :
Figs. :
Plates :
Vol(s) :
Source Number : 6
Source :
Source details : Probert S A J 26-FEB-2001 EH Field Investigation
Page(s) :
Figs. :
Plates :
Vol(s) :
Source Number : 7
Source :
Source details : LIDAR Environment Agency DSM 25-FEB-2019
Page(s) :
Figs. :
Plates :
Vol(s) :
Source Number : 8
Source :
Source details : Historic England SfM Orthomosaic 30-MAR-2021
Page(s) :
Figs. :
Plates :
Vol(s) :
Source Number : 9
Source :
Source details : Historic England SfM Orthomosaic 30-MAR-2021
Page(s) :
Figs. :
Plates :
Vol(s) :

Monument Types:
Monument Period Name : Bronze Age
Display Date : Bronze Age
Monument End Date : -700
Monument Start Date : -2600
Monument Type : Enclosed Settlement, Enclosure, Hut Circle
Evidence : Structure, Earthwork

Components and Objects:
Related Records from other datasets:
External Cross Reference Source : SMR Number (Devonshire)
External Cross Reference Number : SX 56 SE 48
External Cross Reference Notes :
External Cross Reference Source : National Trust Project Reference Number
External Cross Reference Number : 102173; 103522
External Cross Reference Notes :
External Cross Reference Source : National Trust Project Reference Number
External Cross Reference Number : 103523; 103524
External Cross Reference Notes :
External Cross Reference Source : National Trust Project Reference Number
External Cross Reference Number : 103525
External Cross Reference Notes :
External Cross Reference Source : National Monuments Record Number
External Cross Reference Number : SX 56 SE 22
External Cross Reference Notes :
External Cross Reference Source : OASIS ID
External Cross Reference Number : nmr1-512111
External Cross Reference Notes :
External Cross Reference Source : HER Number (Dartmoor National Park)
External Cross Reference Number : MDV131074
External Cross Reference Notes :
External Cross Reference Source : Scheduled Monument Legacy (National No.)
External Cross Reference Number : 24232
External Cross Reference Notes :

Related Warden Records :
Associated Monuments :
Relationship type : Is referred to by

Related Activities :
Associated Activities :
Activity type : FIELD OBSERVATION (VISUAL ASSESSMENT)
Start Date : 1977-06-14
End Date : 1977-06-14
Associated Activities :
Activity type : MEASURED SURVEY
Start Date : 2001-02-14
End Date : 2002-12-20