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Summary

Stretch of metalled Roman road exposed during excavations at Fern Ridge.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX59SW/37/1

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• ROAD (Constructed, Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD (Between))

Full description

Dyer, M. J. + Manning, P. T., 1988 - 1998, Objective 5B: Okehampton to Polson Bridge Recreation and Land Management Initiative: Cultural Heritage Appraisal, 20 (Report - Assessment). SDV266287.

Reed, S. J., 1994, Archaeological Evaluation at East Linnacombe Farm, Sourton Down (Report - Evaluation). SDV346233.

Trench excavated across alignment of raised area to north-west of modern trackway to farm buildings. Metalled surfaces exposed just below turf, at a depth of 0.03 metres. The upper surface, which was of small to medium angular quartzite rock, had a rough compacted surface. No wheel ruts were observed. It was approximately 10.0 metres wide (approximate, because trench was at 45 degrees to alignment). The edge of this metalling was 4.0 metres from the northern end of the trench. A finer metalled surface was located beneath, extending to the north end of the trench. Its northern limit was not exposed. At this point the later surface was set into a clay/loam mixture which had been spread directly onto the earlier surface.
A second trench 9.0 metres to the east, revealed the apparent southern edge of a later surface. Here the make-up lay directly on the clay subsoil, and was more disturbed than in trench 1, possibly by plough damage.
Observation of topsoil stripping around the buildings to the north did not expose any ditches associated with the road excavated in 1991. This appears to confirm the deviation of the Roman road from the presumed alignment which follows the hedgebank to the north.

Horner, B., 1994, Roman road at Fern Ridge (Ground Photograph). SDV249197.

Slide of excavated Roman road.

Horner, B., 1994, Roman road on Sourton Down (Site Visit). SDV249196.

Site visits 12th and 14th April 1994. A stretch of metalled Roman road has been exposed in an evaluation trench. Both the camber and flanking ditch are visible. This would continue the alignment of road straight north-west from Sourton Down rather than following the field boundary to the north.

Weddell, P. J. + Reed, S. J., 1997, Excavations at Sourton Down 1986-1991: Roman Road, Deserted Medieval Hamlet and other Landscape Features, 39-147 (Article in Serial). SDV346224.

The 7.0 metre wide road surface consisted of a well laid single layer of rounded cobbles lying between and under later hedgebanks. No camber or roadside ditches were found and the middle portion had sunk into the subsoil.

Dyer, M. J., 1997, Two Castles Trail Survey (Worksheet). SDV269358.

Road surface excavated in advance of new A30 construction.

Fleming, A., 2012, Devon's Early Roads: Devon Archaeological Society Presidential Lecture 2011, 15, Fig. 9 (Article in Serial). SDV351751.

Roman road leading towards Hatherleigh.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

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