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Summary

A group of five shallow pits on an east facing slope were excavated as part of a programme of archaeological works along the route of a gas pipeline. They were initially thought to be cremation pits but no cremated bone was found in soil samples and their purpose remains unclear. Sherds of Trevisker pottery and Middle Bronze Age pottery were recovered from the pits including the broken lower wall of a vessel that had been buried in situ, minus its base and rim.

Location

Protected Status

• SHINE: Site of partly excavated Iron Age round house and Bronze Age pits, suggestive of Bronze Age activity and Iron Age farmstead to west of Crablake Farm

Other References/Statuses

• SHINE Candidate (Yes)

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• PIT (Early Bronze Age to Middle Bronze Age - 2200 BC to 1001 BC) + Sci.Date

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, 43-44, 129-130 (Report - non-specific). SDV347992.

ATK 14.09. A group of five pits were located in the eastern part of the site, which lies on an east-facing slope about 0.9km south-west of Exminster. They were initially thought to be cremation pits but no cremated bone was found in soil samples and their purpose remains unclear. However, it is suggested that the may be the remants of occupation activity. Pit 14.09.018 was 0.23 metres long and 60 millimetres deep. The fill contained 11 sherds of Bronze Age Trevisker style pottery. Pit 14.09.003 was 0.51 metres wide and 0.24 metres deep. About a quarter of a complete Trevisker vessel was lifted from its fill. Charcoal from the pit returned a radiocarbon date of 367-201 cal. BC. This is a late date and it is possible that the charcoal was intrusive. Pit 14.09.016 was 0.7 by 0.4 metres by 30 millimetres deep. The fill contained 14 sherds of Middle Bronze Age pottery, a piece of worked flint and small quantities of charcoal and charred cereal grains. A radiocarbon date of 1627-1504 cal. BC was returned from a sample of hazel charcoal. Pit 14.09.019 was an elongated pit, 2.83 metres long by 0.98 metres wide and 0.15 metres deep. Its fill contained two sherds of Middle Bronze Age pottery. Finally, the severely truncated base of pit 14.09.007 was found to contain a fragment of a copper alloy pin.

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. 42 (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, ATK14.09 (Report - non-specific). SDV347994.

Mudd, A. + Joyce, S., 2014, The Archaeology of the South-West Reinforcement Gas Pipeline, Devon. Investigations in 2005-2007, 33-35, 53-54, 69, 73 (Monograph). SDV359340.

Site 15. Crablake Farm, Exminster. A group of five shallow pits on an east-facing slope. They were originally thought to be cremation pits but soil samples yielded only small quantities of charcoal and no cremated bone. The function of the pits then remains unclear. Sherds of Trevisker pottery and Middle Bronze Age pottery were recovered from the pits including about an eighth of a Trevisker pot which was lifted from pit 14.09.003. This did not have a base or rim and so was never a complete in situ vessel. However, it did fill most of the pit which must, therefore, have been dug to receive it. Charcoal from the pit returned a radiocarbon date of 367-201 cal. BC. This is a relatively late date and it is thought the charcoal was an intrusive element within the pit. Samples of hazel charcoal from another pit (14.09.016) returned radiocarbon dates of 1627-1504BC and 1510-1431BC. Charred barley grain from the same pit gave a date of 1495-1451 cal. BC. Although the dates are not similar they are within the expected range indicated by the pottery.
The pottery assemblage from the site comprised an assemblage of 66 sherds from four of the pits, most of which were represented by the large lower wall of the vessel that had been buried in situ but which had broken. All the sherds appeared to be of a similar Exeter volcanic fabric.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds

• FDV6115 - CEREAL GRAIN (Middle Bronze Age - 1500 BC to 1001 BC)
• FDV6116 - PIN (Middle Bronze Age - 1500 BC to 1001 BC)
• FDV6114 - 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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