| Summary : A sub-circular enclosure which probably represents a hut circle with an annex on the SE side lies on a level stance. It measures internally 10.1m by 5.0m with a disturbed boulder/stone wall incorporating some upright slabs of 0.4m average height. There is no obvious entrance. A sub-circular stony spread probably the remains of a disturbed hut circle c 7.6 x 6.7m with a c 3.4m square hollow at its centre. There is a pronounced gap in the slope side which may be a possible entrance - an upright slab c 0.5m high and 1.1m long set in the down-slope side. There is evidence of a stony bank submerged under peat on E side. The Bronze Age settlement site, recorded by previous authorities, is visible as stony structures on Environment Agency 1m Lidar data flown in 2019 and 2021 Historic England orthomosaic aerial photography. The site was mapped from aerial sources in 2023 during the Historic England Dartmoor-Plym project.
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| More information : (SX 60766689, SX 60806687) Hut Circles (NR) (1)
Two circles at Deadman's Bottom, much resembling small huts but
with less material in the walls and no trace of entrances. The
south east circle (SX 60806687 - A) with an internal diameter of
12 feet 6 inches was opened and the interior found to be paved
with flat stones. Under the paving and up to a depth of 10 inches
in some places was a layer of decomposed granite, bright red
in colour showing that at some time a considerable fire must have
been maintained within this circle. The north west circle
(SX 6076689 - B) with an internal diameter of 15 feet was also
opened and found to be paved in a similar fashion to circle
A. The pavement had been laid straight on the earth thus shielding
the subsoil but slight patches of red baked clay were visible.
Neither in dimension nor construction do these circles resemble the so called "sacred circles" which essentially consist of a series of upstanding stones set at some distance from each other. (2)
Nothing visible on air photographs. (3)
Both features appear to be type 1 hut circles. levelled into
a slight south west slope at 390m above OD. The hut to the north
west has an internal diameter of 2.6m with on the south east, a semi
circular annex 2.0m across. The hut to the south east is 3.0m
internal diameter with an entrance gap on the south side. In both
cases the walling is 0.6m thick and 0.4m high, with turf covering
what is probably piled stones. (Type site: SX 56 SE 19).
There is no properly defined field system in the area but over
some 5.0ha there are widely spaced and fragmentary rickles of stone.
These are seldom more than 10.0m long, are contour following, and
seem never to have been longer than at present as if they represent
clearance which never developed into recognisable fields or plots.
Hut circles surveyed at 1:10000 on PFD. (4)
Two Bronze Age hut circles at Deadman's Bottom, levelled into a slight south west slope. The hut to the north west has an internal diameter of 2.6 metres in width with a semi-circular annex measuring 2 metres across on the south east side. The hut to the south east has an internal diameter of 3 metres with an entrance on the south side. In the case of both huts the walling is 0.6 metres thick and 0.4 metres high. Scheduled. (5)
Described by Butler (6)
SX60776690 A sub-circular enclosure which probably represents a hut circle with an annex on the Se side lies on a level stance. It measures internally 10.1m by 5.0m with a disturbed boulder/stone wall incorporating some upright slabs of 0.4m average height. There is no obvious entrance. A stony mound about 4.5m across and up to 0.4m high which lies to the SE may be spoil from the excavation.
SX 60796689 A sub-circular stony spread probably the remains of a disturbed hut circle c 7.6 x 6.7m with a c 3.4m square hollow at its centre. There is a pronounced gap in the slope side which may be a possible entrance - an upright slab c 0.5m high and 1.1m long set in the down-slope side. There is evidence of a stony bank submerged under peat on E side. (7)
The Bronze Age settlement site, recorded by previous authorities, is visible as stony structures on Environment Agency 1m Lidar data flown in 2019 and 2021 Historic England orthomosaic aerial photography. The site was mapped from aerial sources in 2023 during the Historic England Dartmoor-Plym project. It comprises two hut circles flanking cairns NRHE 441673 and NRHE 441697 and short fragments of enclosure wall centred on SX 60800 66873 and SX 60716 66887. Scheduled monument NHLE 1016145. (8-9)
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