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Summary

Excavations showed that field systems on the southern slopes of Carn Brea are Neolithic in origin

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument CO79: Carn Brea Castle
• Conservation Area: CARN BREA

Other References/Statuses

• OS No. (OS Quarter-sheet and OS No.): SW64SE 5-11
• Primary Record No. (1985-2009): 18163.25

Monument Type(s):

• FIELD SYSTEM? (Neolithic - 4000 BC to 2501 BC)

Full description

Field systems have been noted on both the northern and southern slopes of Carn Brea. The OS fieldworker in 1970 recorded the northern field system extending about 100m beyond the North rampart of the hill fort, and about 300m to the east, and suggested this was of Iron Age date (see prn 18163.43). Having excavated sites on the gentler south-facing slopes of the hill however, Mercer described this field system as Neolithic in date (b1,2). His excavations on sites B and F found cultivation soils and pot sherds, and a saddle quern built into one of the clearance heaps (h2). The fields on the northern slopes were not investigated and their date remains uncertain.

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Site history:
1: 1970. NVQ / OS
3: 1985. SG, AS / CAU
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<1> Ordnance Survey, 19--, OS Card Index (Unpublished document). SCO5189.

<2> Mercer, R, 1981, Excavations at Carn Brea, Illogan, 77-81 (Article in Journal). SCO3929.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Finds

• FCO1259 - SADDLE QUERN (Neolithic - 4000 BC to 2501 BC)
• FCO3255 - SHERD (Neolithic - 4000 BC to 2501 BC)

Associated Events: none recorded

Related records

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