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Summary

The site of a part of a medieval dwelling was excavated during a programme of archaeological works along the route of a gas pipeline. The house was defined by a shallow gully with a floor and hearth. This represents the domestic end of the building which would have had an animal shippon on its slightly downhillside, to the north. Associated with the house was a sunken floored building also with a hearth. The main period of occupation is dated by the large pottery assemblage (over 1000 sherds) to the period 1250-1350 although stratigraphically earlier features pre-dating the house together with sherds of an oxidised ware whose use became less common in the late 12th century points to an earlier phase of occupation. The presence of Membury type wares and the small but important assemblange of Saintonge wares from France may be explained by Exwell Barton's proximity to the coast and the availability of maritime transport.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses: none recorded

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• HEARTH (XII to XIV - 1101 AD to 1400 AD (Between))
• HOUSE (XII to XIV - 1150 AD to 1400 AD)

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, 38-41, 141-2, 178, 205-6 (Report - non-specific). SDV347992.

Site ATK 13.02. Medieval longhouse excavated as part of the archaeological investigations along the route of a gas pipeline. Geophysical survey was not undertaken due to crop cover but the site was investigated due to the presence of undated cropmarks of an enclosure and other features. In the south-eastern part of the site the surrounding drainage ditches, hearth and possible floor surfaces of a longhouse were found together with associated post holes, pits and ditches. An early phase ditch was cut by a rectilinear ditch (13.02.073) which enclosed an area in excess of 10 metres long by up to 8 metres wide. Pottery recoverd from the ditches dated from the 12th to 14th centuries. Pottery from internal features dated from the 12th-15th centuries and included sherds of imported green-glazed Saintonge pottery. One pit (13.02.228) contained a good assemblage of charred crop waste with abundance evidence of rye. See report for full details.

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. 38 (Report - non-specific). SDV347993.

Map object based on this source.

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, ATK06 13.02 (Report - non-specific). SDV347994.

Mudd, A. + Joyce, S., 2014, The Archaeology of the South-West Reinforcement Gas Pipeline, Devon. Investigations in 2005-2007, 139-146, 149-152, 155, 157-162, 166 (Monograph). SDV359340.

Site 14. Medieval house and sunken outbuilding at Exwell Barton, Powderham. The principle occupation of the site dated to the medieval period and comprised part of a domestic dwelling defined by a shallow gully with a floor and hearth, and an adjacent sunken floored building with the remains of two ovens or hearths. Later ditches and pits to the south-east of the dwelling house have more limited dating evidence but generally appear to be of 16th to 18th century date, although it appears there was a continuity in the alignment of features. The 1838 Tithe Map, however, shows no trace of these alignments.
The main period of occupation is defined by the pottery assemblage to the period 1250-1350. Stratigraphically earlier features pre-dating the house may represent domestic occupation of a slightly earlier phase. Ditches 13.02.067 and 070 were followed closely by the gullies of the later house. Two sherds from a green-glazed Saintonge jug were recovered from 067 and seven coarseware sherds from 070. These date generally to the 12th-14th centuries. Also underlying the house ditches and deposits was a sub-oval pit (13.02.222) which similarly contained two sherds of 12th-14th century pottery. This was cut by a circular pit (13.02.228), 0.5 metres diameter and 0.18 metres deep, containing a sequence of deliberately placed soils and capped with stone. Two of the fills contained charred crop waste consisting particularly of rye with some oats, barley, bread-type wheat and a possible celtic bean.
The location of the house (13.02.275) was defined by a gully enclosing a rectangular area over 11 metres long by about 7 metres wide enclosing a beaten earth floor with a large circular hearth towards the southern end. No evidence survived of the wall but it was probably of cob.
The hearth, 1.85 metres diameter was constructed in a pit 0.19 metres deep in which a layer of quartz rock had been placed. This was partly overlain by an outer ring of stones which contained nearly 200 sherds of 13th-14th century pottery. The stones were overlain by baked clay deposits which contained over 1000 sherds of pottery also of 13th-14th century date. It seems that the broken pottery had been used in the construction of the hearth. This was covered by a layer of silt and another ring of stones again incorporating 115 sherds of 13th-15th century pottery appears to represent a rebuilding of the hearth. This was sealed by a baked clay layer with more pottery. The final hearth deposit was a mixed and degraded clay layer representing the hearth's final usage and abandonment. By the site of the hearth was a lozenge-shaped pit of unknown function. Its single sandy silt fill contained not finds.
The complete plan of the building was not present in the excavation area. The part uncovered appears therefore to represent the domestic end of the building which would have had an animal shippon to the north, slightly downhill.
3160 pot sherds were recovered overall making an important assemblage. The majority of the assemblage (96%) comprises hand-made coarsewares made around the fringes of the Blackdown Hills. The rarity of glazed wares is typical of rural sites in the south-west in contrast to Exeter. The difference may be explained by the fact that the use of coarsewares was mostly for cooking and that urban households had adopted the use of metal cooking pots by this time. Most of the coarseware sherds comprised upper-greensand derived ware. This has a wide date range being produced from the late 10th to 14th centuries. Some typological development can be discerned and the presence of cupped jar rims indicates a main date range of c1250-1350 for the settlement. The presence of some oxidised sherds, however, suggests an earlier starting date as vessels of this type of fabric became less common by the end of the 12th century. There was also an unusually large quantity (500 sherds (17%)) of Membury type ware which it is suggested had been brought in by boat - Exwell Barton being close to the shore. Although the glazed jugs form a relatively small proportion of the total assemblage they also indicate the significance of maritime trade at Exwell Barton. 78 sherds of Saintonge pottery were recovered. Like the Isles of Scilly where Saintonge wares were used in considerable quantities the presence of Saintonge vessels at Exwell Barton is a reminder that rather than be an indicator of status they may have been common in some coastal locations due to the availability of cheap transport. Saintonge wares arrived in England from c1250 and the main period of their importation was the 13th century.
See report for full details. Map object based on this source.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds

• FDV6266 - KNIFE (XII to XIV - 1101 AD to 1400 AD)
• FDV6099 - POT (XII to XIV - 1101 AD to 1400 AD)

Associated Events

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

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