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Summary

Bronze Age ditch recorded during excavations undertaken as part of a programme of archaeological works along the route of a gas pipeline Thirteen sherds from a Trevisker vessel together with six other sherds of Middle Bronze Age pottery were recovered from the fill. The profile of another ditch to the south is also suggestive of it being Bronze Age in date.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses: none recorded

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• DITCH (Middle Bronze Age - 1500 BC to 1001 BC (Between))

Full description

Joyce, S. + Mudd, A. + Collard, M., 2010, South-West Reinforcement Project, Ottery St Mary to Aylesbeare, Aylesbeare to Kenn, Fishacre to Choakford Gas Pipelines, Devon: Post-Excavation Assessment and Updated Project Design Issue 2: Volume I Text, 27, 129 (Report - non-specific). SDV347992.

Site OTA 4.10. At the centre of the site was a north-west - south-east orientated ditch (4.10.008) which was 1.9 metres wide and 0.75 metres deep. Thirteen sherds of Middle Bronze Age pottery from a plain Trevisker vessel and small quantities of charcoal were obtained from the third fill and six sherds of Middle Bronze Age pottery were recovered from the fourth fill.
In the southern part of the site was a north-west - south-east orientated ditch (4.10.018) which measured 3.4 metres wide and 1.5 metres deep. The fifth fill contained a single sherd of possible Roman pottery.

Joyce, S. + Mudd, A. + Collard, M., 2010, South-West Reinforcement Project, Ottery St Mary to Aylesbeare, Aylesbeare to Kenn, Fishacre to Choakford Gas Pipelines, Devon: Post-Excavation Assessment and Updated Project Design Issue 2: Volume II Illustrations, Fig. 23 (Report - non-specific). SDV347993.

Joyce, S. + Mudd, A. + Collard, M., 2010, South-West Reinforcement Project, Ottery St Mary to Aylesbeare, Aylesbeare to Kenn, Fishacre to Choakford Gas Pipelines, Devon: Post-Excavation Assessment and Updated Project Design Issue 2: Volume III Site Gazetteer, Site OTA 4.10 (Report - non-specific). SDV347994.

Mudd, A. + Joyce, S., 2014, The Archaeology of the South-West Reinforcement Gas Pipeline, Devon. Investigations in 2005-2007, 28-9, 52 (Monograph). SDV359340.

Site 7. Land East of Broad Oak. A 6.0 metre wide topsoil strip across this large field revealed five ditches and two shallow pits. Three of the ditches, although undated, appear likely to be medieval or later in date. The other two ditches appear older.
Across the centre of the site was an east-west orientated ditch (4.10.008), 1.9 metres wide and 0.75 metres deep with steply sloping sides and a broad flat base. Thirteen sherds, some conjoining, from a plain Trevisker vessel in Exeter Volcanic fabric, dated to the Middle Bronze Age, were recovered from the third fill, which may have occupied a recut, and six sherds of Middle Bronze Age pottery came from the upper fill, which derived from gradual erosion of surrounding topsoil/subsoil deposits.
Ditch 4.10.018 had a similar steep-sided, flat-based profile, although at 3.5 metres wide and 1.5 metres deep it was almost twice the size. A single pot sherd of probable Roman date came from the upper fill. The character of the ditch and its non-modern origin suggest that it may well also be Bronze Age in origin and was finally levelled by Roman ploughsoil.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds

• FDV6074 - POT (Middle Bronze Age - 1500 BC to 1001 BC)

Associated Events

• EDV5439 - Archaeological Investigations Along Gas Pipeline, South-West Reinforcement Project

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