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Summary

Archaeological features, land at Gatehouse Farm, Dawlish.

Location

Protected Status

• SHINE: Archaeological Features, comprise ditches and pits, land at Gatehouse Farm, Dawlish

Other References/Statuses

• SHINE Candidate (Yes)

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• ARCHAEOLOGICAL FEATURE (Unknown date)

Full description

Mason, C., 2016, Land at Gatehouse Farm, Dawlish, (Report - Evaluation). SDV359633.

Wessex Archaeology was commissioned by Gatehouse Park Developments Ltd to undertake an archaeological evaluation on a 14.1 ha block of land north at Gatehouse Farm, Dawlish, Devon (centred on National Grid Reference SX 95995 77921), ahead of a proposed residential development (Screening/Scoping Application 15/00095/SO). The evaluation comprised the excavation of 23 trenches targeted on anomalies identified by a previous geophysical survey.

Undated ditches 208, 506 and 1204 and a shallow pit 504 were identified in Trenches 2, 5 and 12. No finds were recovered from any of these features. However, the fact that they all shared a similar alignment with, or were set at set 90o to ditch 1206, suggests that they are probably of a similar, i.e. Romano-British, date.

North-west–south-east aligned ditch 1204 (Figures 3 and 5), which had a concave 2.54 m wide by 0.45 m deep profile, corresponds with a weak geophysical anomaly that mirrored the alignment of ditch 1206 and the enclosure it formed. (Figure 3) The fill, 1205, contained flecks of charcoal.

North-west–south-east aligned ditch 208 (Figures 3-4; Plate 6), which had a 2.55 metres wide by 0.34 metres deep probable concave profile. The true nature of the base of the feature could not be ascertained due to extensive bioturbation. 208 corresponds with a weak geophysical anomaly along a similar alignment to ditches 1204 and 1206 and potentially represents a part of large enclosure or field system with perpendicular south-west–north-east aligned ditch 506 (Figures 3-4), which had a 1 m wide by 0.27 metres deep concave profile. The fill 507 of 506 contained flecks of charcoal. No traces of associated banks were revealed with either 208 or 506.

South-west–north-east aligned feature 504 (Figures 3-4; Plate 5), which had a 0.94 metres wide by 0.19 metres deep concave profile, corresponds with a weak geophysical anomaly.. The fill, 503, contained flecks of charcoal. This feature is likely to be a pit though it is possible it represents the return of ditch 506 and is in fact a terminus.

Feature 1004 (Figures 3-4) was 1.02 m wide, 0.32 m deep and extended for over 2.35 m along an east–west alignment. It is unclear if this feature was a ditch terminus or a pit; however the fact that it appears to correspond with a weak discrete geophysical anomaly, suggests that the latter is more probable.

Feature 1403 (Figures 3 and 5), which had a 0.5 metres wide by 0.16 metres deep concave profile, was interpreted as a NNW–SSE aligned ditch. Feature 1405 (Figures 3 and 5), which had a 0.83 metres wide by 0.31 metres deep concave base and convex sides, was interpreted as a northwest/south-east aligned ditch. Both features correspond with weak discrete geophysical anomalies; they could therefore be discrete feature rather than ditches, but their function and date remains unclear.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments: none recorded

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV6985 - Evaluation, Land at Gatehouse Farm, Dawlish (Ref: 108011.02)

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