The Glamorgan-Gwent Archaeological Trust
Historic Environment Record
 

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Prehistoric Hut, Mount Pleasant, Newton Down

Primary Reference Number (PRN) : 06398m
Trust : Glamorgan Gwent
Community : Porthcawl
Unitary authority : Bridgend
NGR : SS83357959
Site Type (preferred type first) : Neolithic hut

Summary :
An oval or rounded oblong hut of Neolithic date with drystone walls and stone-lined postholes, the walls possibly supported by a clay bank with timber revetment, found during excavation under a Bronze Age barrow at Mount Pleasant, Newton Down. The construction of the barrow had resulted in the partial demolition of the hut.

Description :
A Neolithic hut found during the excavation of a Bronze Age cairn at Mount Pleasant, Newton Nottage. It occupied a slight hollow. It had been damaged at the west end, so that the length in particular was uncertain. As restored, the internal dimensions were 6x3m, and the plan a somewhat rounded oblong. The walls, which survived best to the east and south, were built not of the local limestone, but of sandstone slabs ( the nearest outcrop of sandstone is approx. 3 miles away).

They were of drystone construction surviving to a maximum height of 8 courses (0.2-0.3m high), and were backed on the best-preserved southwestern side by a clay bank; there were three postholes on the outer side of this bank. Two other postholes on the north-western side were assumed to mark the position of the door. Another pair of postholes, with stone packing, were situated inside the hut, on the long axis, and are assumed to have been to support a ridge-beam. There were few finds (Grimes 1984, 127-8, fig 21a-b)

Underneath the cairn that formed the inner structure of the Bronze Age barrow at Newton Down (PRN 00214m) were the remains of a rectangular hut of sandstone slabs. The walling was dry built and stood in places three, four, or even six courses high. The hut measured at least 5.5x2.5m internally, but most of its W end had been destroyed when the stone ring of the cairn was built.

Postholes indicated a gabled roof, and others parallel with the S wall suggested either a veranda or the revetment of a bank protecting this side of the house. The entrance appeared to be near the NW corner. In and around the hut were found many fragments of late forms of western Neolithic pottery, together with transitional sherds that would seem to date the structure to the early BA (RCAHMW 1976, 82 no.256). Lynch prefers a Middle Neolithic date for the associated pottery (Lynch eyt al 200, 51, 61).

Sources :
Grimes, W F , 1984 , The Neolithic period
Lynch, F, Aldhouse-Green, S and Davies, J L , 2000 , Prehistoric Wales
RCAHMW , 1976 , An inventory of the ancient monuments in Glamorgan Volume 1: Pre-Norman part1 The stone and bronze ages
Savory, H N , 1952 , The excavation of a Neolithic dwelling and Bronze Age cairn at Mount Pleasant Farm, Nottage, Glamorgan , Trans Cardiff Naturalists’ Soc : 81 : 75-89

Events :
E001818 : Mount Pleasant, Newton Down Excavation (year : 1952)

Related records
GGAT Historic Environment Record (HER) 00214m

Compiled date : 16-11-2012


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