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Summary

Test pits containing large quantity of iron tap slag, north-west of Higher Northgate Farm.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses: none recorded

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• SLAG HEAP (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)

Full description

EMAFU 1994, 1994, A30/A303 Marshy to Honiton Improvement and A35 Honiton Eastern Bypass (Report - Evaluation). SDV360124.

High Magnetic anomalies were recorded here during the geophysical survey. Four test pits were excavated in the south-east corner of the field. A large quantity of iron tap-slag was recovered from the pits, some 7.25kg in total. The fragments were mostly small and slightly abraded indicating that they had been broken up by ploughing. The 'B' horizon contained pottery of mixed date (18th-century and medieval) also suggesting long-term ploughing. There were no charcoal or ash deposits present in any of the pits. A possible trodden surface of chert and stone was located in two of the pits. Two fragments of early pottery were recovered; these will require further identification.

The magnetic enhancement in this area has evidently been caused by the presence of a substantial ironworking site. This also accounts for the 'drift' downslope of the magnetic patterns. However, the evaluation appears to indicate that this is not the site of the smelting furnace itself: it probably lies just upslope from here. The date of the site is uncertain but it is likely to be later prehistoric or Roman in date. This area is still of archaeological interest.

Foster, K. + Skinner, R., 2016, A30 to A303 Honiton to Devonshire Inn Improvement Scheme, Honiton, Devon (Report - Assessment). SDV359378.

DBA undertaken along a corridor associated with the A30/A303 between Honiton and Devonshire Inn. This study is intended to inform the development of options for improvements to the A30/A303 between Honiton and Devonshire Inn.

Following the Roman invasion of 43AD, aside from military sites and centrally planned civitas capitals little changed, with settlement patterns continuing from the preceding Iron Age. Later in the 3rd and 4th centuries more Romanised forms of settlement would emerge with estates centred on villas and roadside settlements on newly built Roman roads (Holbrook et al, in Webster (Eds.) 2008). In the Devon area the regional administrative and commercial centre was at Isca Dumnoniorum, modern Exeter.

With the introduction of Roman technology the natural resources of Britain were increasingly exploited. There is evidence that the Blackdown Hills rapidly emerged as an important location for iron production with extensive iron working in the 1st and 2nd centuries possibly serving the needs of the occupying military at Exeter (Griffith & Weddell, 1996). Romano-British iron working sites have been excavated across the region with an important example located at Sweetlands Farm near Upottery approximately 1.3 km to the north-west.

The test pitting and evaluation trenching carried out in 1994 recorded ironworking debris in all of the sites where excavation took place (Figures 10-13) The authors concluded that this indicates an extensive and important ironworking industry in the local area and suggest a possible date from the later prehistoric, Roman or early-medieval periods (Exeter Museums Archaeological Field Unit, 1994, 5). At most of the sites the remains of ironworking were badly disturbed by subsequent agriculture which had removed all above ground traces of the industry. Of the sites investigated only one, Higher Northcote indicated a surviving undisturbed level with a suggestion of a smelting area upslope from the site.

Buried deposits may have been disturbed by ploughing.

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

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments: none recorded

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV6910 - Desk Based Assessment, A30/A303 Honiton to Devonshire Inn Improvement Scheme, Honiton, Devon (Ref: 111160.01)
• EDV6448 - Geophysical Survey for A30/A303 Marsh to Honiton Improvement and A35 Honiton Eastern Bypass (Ref: 0400394/HOD/EXM)

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