MSO8739 - Alleged prehistoric hut circles on Withypool Hill (Monument)

Alleged prehistoric hut circles on Withypool Hill could not be found during field investigation in 1995. It is possible that features dating to the Second World War may have been mistaken for much earlier features.

SS 837346. Hut circles in this position on H St G Gray map sheet. [1] No further information. [2] No trace of the alleged hut circles could be found at the NGR cited. [3] Very dense heather covered the area. There were a series of three depressions in the hill side between 10 and 20 metres across, at SS 83693 34580, which had the superficial appearance of platforms though very blurred and tenuous. These could be natural or artifical features. [4] No evidence of hut circles in the vicinity of Withypool Hill can be seen on the aerial photographs available to the Exmoor National Mapping programme survey. However a number of roughly circular and possibly embanked earthworks associated with Second World War military training activities can be seen on aerial photographs of the 1940s and it is possible these were mistaken for much earlier features. It is not clear which features in particular may have been noted. These appear to have been levelled in the years following the war. [5-7] The site was visited as part of a desk based assessment of Withypool Hill. Hut circles recorded by St George Gray in 1905. No trace of these have subsequently been identified either from inspection of aerial photographs or field visits. Earthwork features associated with World War Two training activity have been noted in the vicinity, and appear to have been levelled after the war. The features were not identified during the 2017 field survey. [8] This record was enhanced as part of the National Record of the Historic Environment to Exmoor National Park Historic Environment Record data transfer project. [9]