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Summary

Archaeological features comprise linear ditches crossing the centre of the site along with an irregular spread of material and one small pit.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses: none recorded

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• ARCHAEOLOGICAL FEATURE (Late Iron Age to Roman - 100 BC to 409 AD (Between))

Full description

Rohan, N. + Morris, B., 15/08/2014, Land off Tiverton Road, Cullompton (Report - Excavation). SDV359363.

Excavation undertaken in advance of a proposed housing development.

Phase 3 dates to the Late Iron Age and Romano–British period. Most of the stratigraphical information relates to a set of linear features crossing the centre of the site on a roughly north-south axis. This group was excavated and recorded as Linear Group <007> during the evaluation (Bray & Morris 2010).

This report will continue to refer to them as Linear Group <007>. Five sections were cut through this group during the excavation, in addition to the three sections cut in 2010. Four of those sections – referred to here by BLOCK NUMBER – were cut through or close to an area of metalling (2381) at the northern end of the Group <007>. An irregular spread of material (2658) and one small pit [2465] were also attributed to this phase.

As discussed in the evaluation report (Bray & Morris 2010), Linear Group <007> was made up of a complex series of intercutting linear features. The stratigraphical relationships demonstrate this boundary was established in the pre-Roman period, fell out of use during the early Roman period, and was re-established later in the Roman period. This pattern of use may correspond and be related to the military occupation of the hilltop (St. Andrews Hill) immediately to the east. The boundary may also have functioned as a holloway during part of its use-life, defined by ditches/hedgebanks either side.
Ditch <2797> was one of the earliest features in this group, the western part being heavily truncated by ditch <2796>. What survived of <2797> measured up to 0.5 metres in width and between 0.45 metres and 0.6 metres in depth with moderately steep sides and a concave base. The total observed length of this linear was 21 metres. At the southern end of the site, a similar feature [2677] on the same alignment was cut by ditch [2667]. Ditch [2677] was orientated north to south and measured 0.6 metres in width and 0.4 metres in depth. It is probable that these two early ditches <2797> [2677] belong to the same boundary and represent the initial phase of Late Iron Age activity on the site.

At the northern end of the site, a number of features were noted as being either contemporary with or pre-dating ditch <2797>. One such feature, possible pit [2503], was heavily truncated by <2796> in Block 3. Only a very small proportion of this feature survived.

Three features recorded within Block 2 may be contemporary with <2797>. A very small portion of Feature [2551] was visible in the south-facing section of Block 2, heavily truncated by ditch <2796>. Part of a linear feature or pit [2548] was also exposed in Block 2, 0.3 metres west of [2551]. Both [2551] and [2548] were sealed by spread [2550], which was in turn cut by ditch <2796>. Lastly, another possible ditch [2570] was recorded in Block 2, lying 1.46 metres and 3.34 metres east of [2390] and [2548], respectively. It was truncated on its western side by ditch <2798>. Given that it was only possible to investigate a small proportion of these features, it was not possible to establish their original form, extent and function. However, it is likely they represent the highly truncated remains of earlier phases of this complex group of intercutting linear ditches.

The most substantial feature attributed to Phase 3 was ditch <2796>. This linear feature crossed the site north to south, and cut and terminated at the fills of the Phase 2 ditch [2248]. To the south, a very similar linear feature [2667] continued on the same alignment, suggesting they were contemporary elements of a single boundary, separated by a gateway. The sides of [2667] were faceted, suggesting it was re-cut on a number of occasions. Both linears had steep-sided profiles with a concave or narrow flat base. Ditch [2667] became progressively shallower as it approached the southern limit of the site, but appeared to continue beyond the edge of excavation. The total observable length of these features was 84.5m. In places, the fills of both <2796> and [2667] were remarkably similar, both displaying banded laminations of grey and white clayey sediments in their upper fills (Figure 36). A single find was recovered from this linear: a faience melon bead from Block 2 context (2519), indicating a Late Iron Age/early Roman date for the feature.

In turn, a number of features were cut into fills of ditch <2796>. At the northern end of the site, ditch [2403] represents a re-cut of linear <2796>, observed in Blocks 3 and 4. Further south, ditch [2564] cut the upper eastern side of ditch <2796> within Block 2. It measured 0.5 metres in width and 0.15 metres in depth. This particular feature clearly post-dated ditch <2796> but was sealed by the metalled surface (2381). At the northern limit of the site, ditch <2796> was truncated by ditch [2395], recorded within but not beyond Block 4. Since metalled surface (2381) did not extend this far north, it was not possible to establish whether this ditch predated or post-dated that surface. At the southern end of the site, ditch [2667] was truncated along its eastern side by ditch [2675], which had a gentle concave profile and measured 0.4 metres in width and 0.2 metres in depth. The dimensions and profile suggest that it represents a continuation of ditch [2564] recorded further north.

At the northern end of the site the linear features discussed above were sealed by metalled Surface (2381), observed to cover an area measuring 13 metres east-to-west by 8.5 metres north-to-south and up to 0.08m in depth. It was composed of sub-angular and sub-rounded stones (average size 30-100mm) set into a compact light brown silty clay. This spread represents a deliberate attempt to consolidate a particularly low-lying and wet area along a possible holloway. It was associated with a small amount of abraded Roman pottery, including two sherds of South Gaulish Samian, and four sherds of Exeter Micaceous greyware.

This surface had been repaired or renewed at least once (2500) (see Figure 38), and had subsided into the top of ditch <2796> as its fills compressed. It was in turn sealed by a thick layer (0.18m) of sterile buff-brown sand (2383), the lower parts of which were heavily mineralised and concreted with manganese. This deposit was sealed by a layer of firm pinkish-brown clay-silt (2382). These latter two layers would appear to have developed – presumably fairly rapidly – after the metalling fell out of use, but before the old boundary was re-established.

The layers overlying metalled surface (2381) were cut by a narrow linear feature <2798> on the same alignment as <2797> and <2796>. It ran parallel to and to the east of ditch <2796> and [2667] across the whole site. At the northern end <2798> had a fairly deep U-shaped profile, and produced a substantial part of an Exeter Grey Gritty ware vessel, dating to the 3rd century AD. The feature became increasingly shallow as it progressed south, and petered out just before the southern edge of excavation.

The northern part of Linear Group <007>, including ditch <2798>, were sealed by spread (2386), a deposit of soft mid-grey sandy clay containing common to frequent sub-angular and sub-rounded stones (average 80-100mm in size). To the south, a very similar spread (2475) sealed [2667] and <2798>, and it is probable they are close contemporaries, and may reflect the development of a shallow (muddy) holloway along the line of the earlier field boundaries.

One other feature can be attributed to Phase 3: a large but irregular spread (2658). A buff-brown sandy-silt lying within a shallow hollow or series of hollows [2795] up to 5m across. Within parts of the hollow, Layer (2658) overlay a discontinuous spread of stony material (2698); the stones were generally sub-angular and averaged c.50-60mm in size. This may have formed a surface, but the most convincing part only measured c.1.5×1 metres across. Excavation revealed a series of short, shallow and slightly curving linear features within the base of the hollow [2688] [2694] [2696]; these were 1.7-2.4 metres long by 0.5m wide and 0.2m deep. There was nothing to distinguish the fills of these features from (2658). The near-complete neck and one handle (crushed in situ) from a Roman amphorae was recovered from this feature; the rim form suggests a date 210-280 AD, based on analogies from Exeter. It is possible this feature represents the remnants of a structure of some sort, or perhaps a working hollow, but the nature and form of such a structure seems very difficult to reconstruct based on the surviving evidence.

Other features on site that could be dated to the Roman period were an elongate pit [2131], which contained a single sherd (4g) of Exeter Micaceous grey ware, and an irregular pit [2107] that contained ten small sherds (12g) of Exeter Grey Gritty ware. These sherds may be intrusive or residual, but they do demonstrate that not all the pits on site need be dated to the Prehistoric period.

Ordnance Survey, 2016, MasterMap (Cartographic). SDV359352.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments: none recorded

Associated Finds

• FDV6088 - SHERD (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
• FDV6087 - MELON BEAD (II - 101 AD to 200 AD)

Associated Events

• EDV6902 - Evaluation, Land off Tiverton Road, Cullompton (Ref: 140815)

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