See important guidance on the use of this record.

If you have any comments or new information about this record, please email us.

Summary

Large square enclosure identified during a geophysical survey and trench evaluation Cropmarks are also visible on aerial photographs of 1992, on land at Mosshayne Pinhoe, Exeter.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses: none recorded

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• SQUARE ENCLOSURE (Late Bronze Age to Roman - 1000 BC to 409 AD)
• FARMSTEAD (Roman - 43 AD (Between) to 409 AD (Between))
• ROUND HOUSE (DOMESTIC) (Roman - 43 AD (Between) to 409 AD (Between))

Full description

Ordnance Survey, 1992, OS/92197, OS/92197 V 078-79 14-JUN-1992 (Aerial Photograph). SDV358952.

The cropmark enclosure is visible.

Hegarty, C. + Knight, S. + Sims, R., 2014-2015, East and Mid Devon River Catchments National Mapping Programme Project (Interpretation). SDV356883.

Cropmarks which have formed over infilled ditches of a probable prehistoric enclosure are visible on aerial photographs of 1992, to the north of Blackhorse. The partial cropmarks are fairly well-defined in plan and appear to form part of a rectilinear shaped enclosure which measures approximately 89m in width. The northern edge of the enclosure and parts of the southern edge are not visible on aerial photographs. A geophysical survey carried out here in 2014 provides greater detail of the enclosure than has been transcribed here.

Ellis, C, 2015, Land at Mosshayne Farm, Pinhoe: Evaluation (Report - Evaluation). SDV358288.

An archaeological evaluation was undertaken at the 45.12 hectare site of Mosshayne Farm, Tithebarn Lane, Pinhoe. The site had previously been the subject of an archaeological desk based assessment and a geophysical survey.

A trench targeted on the northwest corner of a sub-square enclosure anomaly encountered part of the west side and the northwest corner segment of the enclosure and correlated exactly with the geophysical anomaly, as did a trench targeted on the south side of the linear anamoly. A worked flint flake of Neolithic/Bronze Age date was recovered from the colluvium.

The enclosure ditch was approximately 2.8m wide and 1.2m deep with a steep, Ushaped profile terminating in a narrow, flat base. It contained primary and secondary sandy fills. A prehistoric worked flint flake and two very small sherds of pottery from the secondary fill are probably of later prehistoric (Late Bronze Age to Iron Age) date. The fill sequence did not indicate a collapse of an associated bank or rampart, either ‘internal’ or ‘external’.

The putative sub-square enclosure in the northwest of the Site has been proven by excavation to be a substantial ditched enclosure of Roman date, although no evidence of an associated internal or external bank was evident. The size and morphology of the feature, as well as its location, draped down the gentle north facing slope just off the highest point of the ridge to the immediate south, would fit well with patterns of small settlements or farmsteads of later prehistoric or Roman date. Curvilinear gullies near-centre of the enclosure could be consistent with drip gullies and/or internal divisions/wind breaks within the enclosure.

Ordnance Survey, 2015, MasterMap (Cartographic). SDV357601.

Map object previously based on this source.

Jones, C., 2022, Land at Mosshayne Farm, Pinhoe, Devon, Phase 2: Evaluation (Report - Evaluation). SDV366370.

In May 2022, Cotswold Archaeology carried out an archaeological evaluation on land at Mosshayne Farm, Pinhoe, Devon. A total of 21 trenches were excavated.

The evaluation recorded a square Roman enclosure, possibly representing a small settlement or farmstead. Two possible internal ditches were noted. There was little evidence for significant activity outside of the enclosure, with the exceptions of a possible contemporary ditch running northwards and undated ditches and pits to the immediate south-west of the enclosure, one of which contained ironworking slag. There was no artefactual material associated with the slag to provide a date.

The ditch features associated with the Roman enclosure were recorded in Trenches 2, 3, 7, 8 and 9. Roman pottery sherds were recovered from the ditches in Trenches 2 and 3 and iron working slag was recovered from Trench 8. There was no artefactual material associated with the slag to provide a date. The size and morphology of this enclosure suggests that it represents a small Roman settlement or farmstead.

The pottery sherds recovered from Trenches 2 and 3 are most likely South-western BB1 (SOW BB1) of early Roman date (mid 1st century–early 3rd century). One of the sherds from the subsoil of Trench 2 was too heavily abraded to date precisely but is Roman in date.

Ditch terminus 305 (Tr3) and ditch 705 (Tr7) were located within the enclosed area. Although undated artefactually, their alignments correspond to those of the
enclosure ditches and they may represent associated internal features.

Pink, F., 2024, Romano-British sub-square Enclosure at Cherry Wood Grange, Tithebarn, Exeter, 4; Fig 1 (Article in Serial). SDV366345.

The Romano-British enclosure, c.90m square, was defined by a single ditch with a 3.6m entrance break to the south. There were two small internal divisions in its north-west corner, and further linear features to the south and east of these. A pennanular ditch within the western side of the enclosure was probably the remains of a roundhouse.
Numerous pits were identified by excavation, both within and adjacent to the enclosure, mostly either Romano-British or undated. However, five of the pits contained artefacts of Late Neolithic/Early Bronze Age date, including nearly 1.4kg of Beaker potter.
Also of note was an unusual, sub-rectangular pit immediately beyond the south-west corner of the enclosure. Most of the finds came from this feature, including 16kg of Romano-British pottery, worked stone objects, animal bone, metal objects and metalworking residue. Notable finds included an iron sword, part of a shale armlet, a fragment of quernstone, many pieces of dressed stone and a Neolithic ground stone axe.

Brunning, E., 30.10.2014, Land at Mosshayne, Pinhoe, Exeter (Report - Geophysical Survey). SDV358305.

The magnetic survey has detected a number of anomalies of archaeological interest in the western half of the site. A large square enclosure measuring approximately 90 metres x 90 metres was recorded.
A number of trends categorised as ?Archaeology within the vicinity may be related to both internal and external features associated with the enclosure.

Sources / Further Reading

SDV356883	Interpretation: Hegarty, C. + Knight, S. + Sims, R.. 2014-2015. East and Mid Devon River Catchments National Mapping Programme Project. AC Archaeology Report. Digital.
	Linked documents:1
SDV357601	Cartographic: Ordnance Survey. 2015. MasterMap. Ordnance Survey Digital Mapping. Digital.
SDV358288	Report - Evaluation: Ellis, C. 2015. Land at Mosshayne Farm, Pinhoe: Evaluation. Cotswold Archaeology. 15028. Digital.
SDV358305	Report - Geophysical Survey: Brunning, E.. 30.10.2014. Land at Mosshayne, Pinhoe, Exeter. GSB Prospection. G1487. Digital.
SDV358952	Aerial Photograph: Ordnance Survey. 1992. OS/92197. Ordnance Survey. Photograph (Paper). OS/92197 V 078-79 14-JUN-1992. [Mapped feature: #71635 ]
SDV366345	Article in Serial: Pink, F.. 2024. Romano-British sub-square Enclosure at Cherry Wood Grange, Tithebarn, Exeter. Devon Archaeological Society Newsletter. 147. A4 Stapled. 4; Fig 1.
SDV366370	Report - Evaluation: Jones, C.. 2022. Land at Mosshayne Farm, Pinhoe, Devon, Phase 2: Evaluation. Cotswold Archaeology. AN0554_1. Digital.

Associated Monuments: none recorded

Associated Finds

• FDV5721 - FLINT (Late Neolithic to Late Iron Age - 3000 BC to 42 AD)
• FDV8600 - SHERD (Late Neolithic to Early Bronze Age - 3000 BC to 1501 BC)
• FDV8599 - SWORD (Early Bronze Age to Roman - 2200 BC? to 409 AD)
• FDV5720 - SHERD (Late Bronze Age to Late Iron Age - 1000 BC to 42 AD)
• FDV5722 - BODY SHERD (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
• FDV8601 - SHERD (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)

Associated Events

• EDV6745 - Geophysical Survey, Land at Mosshayne Pinhoe, Exeter (Ref: G1487)
• EDV6744 - Evaluation, Land at Moshayne Farm, Pinhoe (Ref: 15028)
• EDV4887 - Assessment Two Areas of Highway to the East of Exeter
• EDV6530 - The East and Mid-Devon Rivers Catchment NMP project (Ref: ACD613)
• EDV9191 - Evaluation: Land at Mosshayne Farm, Pinhoe, Devon, Phase 2 (Ref: AN0554_1)

Search results generated by the HBSMR Gateway from exeGesIS SDM Ltd.