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Summary

Remains of a terraced structure excavated as part of a programme of archaeological works along the route of a gas pipeline. No artefacts were recovered but the floor of the structure was covered with a charcoal-rich deposit that included crops such as oats and barley and wild plants such as fat hen, cleavers, vetch and black bindweed. Several carbonised small animal droppings, probably water vole, were also recovered. The charcoal-rich deposit possibly relates to an abandonment event, such as the burning of the building or its contents. Radiocarbon dating places the building in the Middle Bronze Age.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses: none recorded

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• BUILDING PLATFORM (Middle Bronze Age - 1500 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, 58, 210 (Report - non-specific). SDV347992.

Site FTC21.06. At the north-western end of the site was part of possible sunken floored building, 21.06.008. The feature was only partly exposed but appeared to have a possible entrance to the south-east. A calibrated radiocarbon date of 1385-1194BC was returned from a charred barley grain. Although no artefacts were recovered, the charred remains from the feature included possible animal dung, which is rarely found in Bronze Age contexts.

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. 61 (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 FTC21.06 (Report - non-specific). SDV347994.

A sunken floored building and two undated ditches were recorded as part of a programme of archaeological works along the route of a gas pipeline. The sunken floored building returned a Middle Bronze Age radiocarbon date.

Mudd, A. + Joyce, S., 2014, The Archaeology of the South-West Reinforcement Gas Pipeline, Devon. Investigations in 2005-2007, 41-44, 73 (Monograph). SDV359340.

Site 30. Beneknowle, Diptford. A terraced structure (21.06.008) and two ditches (21.06.004 and 006) were revealed during stripping of the 5.0 metre wide pipeline corridor. The terraced structure comprised a partly revealed subrectangular pit with a shallow ramp. The area was quite sharply defined, probably originally stone-lined, with a peripheral gully. Also revealed was a posthole (21.06.014) with several edge-set slate stones around its sides, almost certainly post-packing. The post appears to have been deliberately removed and the posthold backfilled. The floor of the terrace was covered with a charcoal-rich deposit which probably relates to an abandonment event associated with the final phase of the building such as the burning of the structure and/or the material within it. This charcoal-rich material included a vast range of crops including oats and barley and wild plants such as fat hen, cleavers, vetch and black bindweed. Also amongst the charred remains were six rodent droppings, possibly those of a water vole. No artefacts were found. Calibrated radiocarbon dates of 1385-1194BC and 1390-1120BC were returned from a charred barley grain and vetch seed respectively while a date of 3342-3097BC was returned from a hazelnut shell. The dates suggest the building belongs to the Middle Bronze Age.
Ditch 21.06.004 was undated but as it was on a similar alignment to the current field boundaries it probably relates to a former subdivision of the field. Ditch 21.06.006 was also undated but since it ran obliquely to the current field boundary it may predate the present field pattern.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments: none recorded

Associated Finds

• FDV6204 - CEREAL GRAIN (Middle Bronze Age - 1500 BC to 1001 BC)

Associated Events

• EDV4375 - Fishacre to Lyneham Pipeline Assessment
• EDV5439 - Archaeological Investigations Along Gas Pipeline, South-West Reinforcement Project

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