MMO321 - Possible late prehistoric circular enclosure south of Beacon Castle (Monument)

A circular enclosure is visible on aerial photographs from the 1940s. Hut circles were alleged within this enclosure but these are not visible on the aerial photographs and could not be identified during field survey.

Low bank forming a small circular enclosure noted by McDonnell on an aerial photograph at SS 6645 4596, south of Beacon Castle. [1,2] On another aerial photograph some 50 metres south of Beacon Castle, at SS 6643 4593, is what appears to be a cropmark of a small enclosed settlement, about 30 metres east to west by 20 metres internally, containing three or four hut circles with a single hut outside the enclosure to the southeast. [3] The area to the south of Beacon Castle, a fairly steep south facing slope, has been ploughed and is at present under pasture. No evidence of any of these features was identified on the ground. [4] A roughly circular enclosure is visible as a cropmark on aerial photographs fom the 1940s approximately 50 metres to the south of Beacon Castle. The enclosure, aligned aproximately east to west, measures approximately 29 metres across and is situated on a steep south facing slope. Previous authorities have stated that the enclosure contains three or four hut circles, but these were not visible on the photographs consulted as part of the Exmoor National Park National Mapping Programme in 2007. Since 1950 the area has been improved and is now under pasture, and it is possible that this activity has destroyed any trace of the enclosure. [5,6] This record was enhanced as part of the National Record of the Historic Environment to Exmoor National Park Historic Environment Record data transfer project. [7]