MSO7946 - Prehistoric hut circle or ring cairn on Porlock Common (Monument)

A probable prehistoric hut circle at SS 8446 4429. The feature consists of a U-shaped bank 7.4 metres in diameter, partly obscured by vegetation. Its proximity to the hut circle MSO7945, makes the interpretation of this feature as a hut circle, probable. Found during field reconnaissance and surveyed with GPS, August 1996. [1] The site was subject to magnetometry and resistivity survey in April 2013. The resistivity survey showed that within the smaller earthwork was a very well defined, circular, high resistance anomaly some 7 metres in diameter indicative of the presence of a stone structure. The magnetometry survey was dominated by iron / shrapnel and gave no convincing structural evidence for the platform; there was also no evidence to suggest the structure encloses any enhanced magnetic anomaly commensurate with a hearth. The clarity of the response suggests that there has been little spread or disturbance of the structure's fabric and given the likelihood of good levels of preservation, this feature may well benefit from targeted excavation. Whether a house structure or ring cairn is uncertain, the lack of any evidence of a hearth perhaps indicates the latter.[2] This was surveyed during a measured field survey in 2013, undertaken as part of the Dig Porlock project, run by the Exmoor Moorland Landscape Partnership Scheme. [3] This record was enhanced as part of the National Record of the Historic Environment to Exmoor National Park Historic Environment Record data transfer project. [4]