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Hound Tor in LiDAR

Hound Tor is a medieval deserted village in Devon. Here it is in the Environment Agency's 1 m LiDAR, shaded so the shape of the ground stands out. Look for a small cluster of longhouse and barn footings among irregular field banks on the upper slopes of Hound Tor, with round hut circles of the older settlement nearby.

What you can see

• The medieval hamlet of Houndtor has four longhouses, three corn driers and four barns. (Historic England)
• Historic England says excavations in the 1960s confirmed it was abandoned in the mid-14th century. (Historic England)
• The fields around it are irregular and appear to result from several phases of unplanned expansion and contraction. (Historic England)
• An older stone hut circle settlement on the slope has at least eight huts and two enclosures. (Historic England)

Visiting

English Heritage says entry is free and it is open any reasonable time during daylight hours; the walk from the car park is half a mile over Hound Tor. (English Heritage)

Official record: Historic England list entry 1016255: Prehistoric and medieval settlements and their field systems at Hound Tor.

Look, don't detect or dig

Hound Tor is a Scheduled Monument, protected by law because it's of national importance. In England it's a criminal offence to use a metal detector on a Scheduled Monument without Historic England's written consent, and to remove any object of archaeological or historical interest found with one. Damaging a scheduled monument is an offence too, and works on one, including digging, need Scheduled Monument Consent first. More on Scheduled Monuments and the rules.

Keep to paths and open access land, and follow the Countryside Code.

More sites in LiDAR

Grimspound · Eggardon Hill · Ham Hill · Maiden Castle · all sites