MSO6881 - Kittuck Hill Stone Setting (Monument)

A stone setting that was originally recorded as comprising about seven stones, possibly arranged in a double row and aligned on a cairn (MSO6887). Little remains of the setting, and the stones now form no coherent pattern.

SS 8203 4391. Stone setting on Kittuck Hill reported by M and P Way in 1932, when there were 7 stones seen as an approximate double row leading to "? small hut circle" at northeast end (MSO6887). In 1983 Eardley-Wilmot and E Mold saw 8 stones, and a circle thought to be a low flat barrow. There is a small cairn to the southeast in line with the 2 southernmost stones which appear to terminate the 2 rows. [1] 5 stones standing and 3 fallen in rough a northeast to southwest alignment. Remains of a barrow at the northeast end (MSO6887) and small cairn to south. [3] The remains of a probable stone setting lie at about 390 metres above sea level, on a gentle east facing rough grass covered slope below the crest of Kittuck Hill. The site overlooks Three Combes Foot, some 230 metres to the northeast, and has a clear view directly beyond it to Larkbarrow, 1 kilometre due south, the view encompasses several stone settings (MSO7903, MSO6882, MSO6886). Of the original setting little remains intact and the stones now form no coherent pattern. Only on stone (F), appears without doubt, to be in situ. The remainder are either loose (A, D, E, G & L), or the visible evidence of them is so slight (J & K) that confirmation as original stones is difficult. [2] in 1932 depicts an apparently original stone 55 feet (16.7 metres) southwest of F, and 24 feet (7.3 metres) northwest of D. In 1983 [3] shows the same stone fallen. There is now no trace of a stone here but it is possible, that it is the loose stone A. The setting may have been aligned on a probable cairn (M), (see MSO6887), which is referred to as a `small hut circle ?' by [2]. [3]'s alleged possible `small cairn directly in line with the two most southerly stones' is an irregular shaped turf covered mound (C) possibly no more than debris from hole B. A table of information on the stones appears in the archive. [4,5] Group of 7 stones marked by H. St. G Gray. [6] In 1991 only 5 stones seen (only one earthfast). Another earthfast stone seen to the north of the row. [8] Linear grouping of stones apparently aligned on a cairn. Site now ruinous, only two stones standing, 0.2 and 0.5 metres high. Four fallen stones and two possible packing stones. Two apparent mortar craters and small mound. [9] Scheduled on 28 March 1996. [10] Kittuck stone setting (SS 8207 4388) lies within an area of rough grassland on rising ground above Long Combe, at about 395 metres Ordnance Datum. The setting comprises 8 stones, 4 upright and 4 fallen, running roughly northeast to southwest and apparently aligned on a cairn (MSO6887); two of the uprights (J & K) are thought to represent packing stones. Two erosion hollows (M & N) may represent the former position of stones now missing from the group. [11] The feature was recorded at 1:2500 scale using differential GPS as part of an archaeological survey of the Larkbarrow area. The survey was undertaken by the Exeter office of English Heritage at the request of the Exmoor National Park Authority. A client report was produced as part of the survey work and is available from the NMRC, Swindon [12] The Scheduled Monument Condition Assessment of 2009 gave the site a survival score of 3. [13] The site was surveyed in May 2015 as part of the 2015 Exmoor Scheduled Monument Condition Assessment. It was given a survival score of 9. [14] In 2014 a survey by Southwest Archaeology and follow up visit of this site by the Mires HER officer identified four stones: D, F, E, and G. D is recorded as upright, F as leaning, and E and G as recumbent. The smaller uprights adjoining the cairn were also recorded, and Stone A was later found by the Mires officer. A thorough search for the other stones of the setting was not undertaken. [15-16] A roughly linear setting consisting of 8 stones and 3 hollows where stones once stood. The site is orientated directly onto a cairn, on the eastern edge of Kittuck’s Hill, southwest of the sheepfold. The majority of this site consists of recumbent stones and hollows, with only 4 upright stones, 1 of which is leaning (Stone D) and 2 of which are barely visible above the ground (Stones J and K). These stones are placed at irregular intervals until Stones J, K, and L, which are less than 1m apart. No further damage is visible since the Scheduled Monument survey. Livestock rubbing is unlikely due to the small size of the stones. [17-18] The site was surveyed as part of an academic research project by Dr Sandy Gerrard in 2018. Surveys were conducted using a prismatic compass and electronic distance device with the plan being generated in the field. [19] This record was enhanced as part of the National Record of the Historic Environment to Exmoor National Park Historic Environment Record data transfer project. [20] The site is included in a 2023 Condition Survey [21]