| Summary : Houndtor deserted medieval settlement lies on a southeast-facing slope between Hound Tor and Greator Rock, overlooking the valley of the Becka Brook. It is situated on land that was originally farmed during the Bronze Age. The settlement comprises eleven ruined buildings, all oriented southwest to northeast. It includes four longhouses, four other buildings, possibly lower status dwellings or outbuildings, and three barns with grain driers. Three of the longhouses have an adjacent croft consisting of a small plot enclosed by ruined boundary walls. The site is thought to have originated as a temporary settlement used for the summering of cattle on the tor before a permanent settlement was established. It was excavated during the 1960s and this work confirmed that the hamlet was abandoned in the mid 14th century. A medieval farmstead lies to the north west of the hamlet and survives as a single longhouse, together with a barn and corn drier. The walls of all the buildings are constructed from moorstone and stand to a maximum height of approximately 1.2m, though many are lower, with wall thickness varying between 0.4m and 0.7m. Excavation revealed several interior features. Pottery was found in quantity in three houses and dated to the 12th or 13th century. The site is thought to be the Domesday village of Hundatora, held by Tavistock Abbey. Many of the fields nearby contain lynchets and after the settlement was abandoned the fields may have continued in cultivation. Activity in the post-medieval period is evident from extensive areas of ridge and furrow. It is in the care of the English Heritage Trust. The deserted medieval settlement is visible as earthworks and structures on 2021 Next Perspectives APGB vertical aerial photography and visualisations of Environment Agency 1m Lidar data flown in 2021. The site was mapped from aerial sources in 2023 during the Historic England Dartmoor-Plym project.
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| More information : (SX 746788) Deserted Medieval Village (site of)
(NAT). (1)
On the east facing slope of Hound Tor are the remains of shielings constructed in the 10th century for use during the summering of cattle on the tor. These small huts, dug into the ground along the contour, were 12 feet long and rounded at the south end where the greatest width was 7 feet 6 inches. The seasonal use of the site appeared to be of short duration, and soon after abandonment, the establishment of a permanent settlement followed. Under the stone-walled remains of the 13th century village was an earlier period of occupation of turf-walled buildings. These buildings passed through three phases, until in the last decade of the 12th century they were replaced by stone-wall buildings, which varied from 25 to 59 feet in length and 12 to 14 feet in width. On the east side of the village was the manor house, a large two-roomed building. In addition there were three small single-roomed houses and four two-roomed houses. On the north side of the village were corn-drying barns. Pottery was found in quantity in three houses and was of 12/13th century date. There is little doubt that this site is the Domesday village of Hundatora, held by Tavistock Abbey (Devon Domesday 244.) (See also Houndtor II, SX 77 NW 63). (2-3)
Houndtor settlement, centred SX 746788, lies on a southeast-facing slope between Hound Tor and Greator Rock, at a height of some 330m OD. The settlement comprises eleven ruined buildings, all oriented southwest to northeast. It includes four longhouses, four other buildings, possibly lower status dwellings or outbuildings, and three barns with grain driers. Three of the longhouses have an adjacent croft consisting of a small plot enclosed by ruined boundary walls. All the buildings were archaeologically excavated in the early 1960s (Beresford 1979, 98-158), though not systematically backfilled. As a result most of the walls are visible to floor level, and many turf-covered spoil heaps remain in place around the site.
The walls of all the buildings are constructed from moorstone and stand to a maximum height of approximately 1.2m, though many are lower, with wall thickness varying between 0.4m and 0.7m. Several of the interior features exposed during excavation and described by Beresford (1979) are still visible. (For further details see archive) (4-6)
Houdtor is a Scheduled monument. (7)
Additional source, including some plans and artists reconstructions. (8)
Source 9 includes a brief accessible overview of Houndtor deserted Medieval village for visitors. (9)
The deserted medieval settlement is visible as earthworks and structures on 2021 Next Perspectives APGB vertical aerial photography and visualisations of Environment Agency 1m Lidar data flown in 2021. The site was mapped from aerial sources in 2023 during the Historic England Dartmoor-Plym project. It is scheduled monument NHLE 1016255 and an English Heritage Trust Guardianship site managed by Dartmoor National Park Authority. (10-11)
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