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Summary

Excavations on the south-east side of Langage Energy Centre revealed a rock-cut pit and channel which was subsequently replaced by a circular stone-built structure together with an associated enclosured. Charcoal rich deposits within both features suggest that they may be the remains of ovens but the lack of superstructures associated with the rock-cut pit and lack of burning on the stone structure makes this interpretation uncertain.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses: none recorded

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• OVEN (Middle Bronze Age to Late Bronze Age - 1500 BC to 701 BC)
• PIT (Middle Bronze Age to Late Bronze Age - 1500 BC to 701 BC) + Sci.Date
• STRUCTURE (Middle Bronze Age - 1500 BC to 1001 BC)

Full description

Salvatore, J. P. + Quinnell, H., 2011, Excavation of a Bronze Age Roundhouse and other Prehistoric, Romano-British and Early Medieval Features at the Langage Energy Centre and Park, and the Choakford-Langage Gas Pipeline, Sparkwell, South Hams, 63-5, 89 (Article in Serial). SDV359806.

Excavation of a feature, first identified by geophysical survey, showed it to be a complex feature of at least two phases. The earliest component was a shallow rock-cut pit (526) from which a channel (518) extended towards the south-east. Within the pit and channel were charcoal-rich deposits. These were sealed by a layer of stony clay. Cutting through this and respecting the edge of the pit was the remains of a roughly circular stone-built structure (501), 1.5 metres diameter. The fill of this structure also contained charcoal. A spread of rubble, soil and charcoal to the north and east may be seen to represent the collapsed superstructure. Associated with one of these phases of activity was small oval pit (522) on the north side of the channel. The truncated remains of a cuirvilinear ditch (511) around the west and north sides of the features was perhaps an enclosure defining the working area of the charcoal-filled features.
The interpretation of these features is uncertain although they could be the remains of ovens. However, no traces of a superstructure were evident with the rock-cut pit and the stone structure shows no signs of burning. The charcoal from both features included large pieces suggesting that in neither case were high temperatures reached. Nevertheless, the features demonstrate activity extending into the Late Bronze Age, a period when ceramics are scarce and sites difficult to locate.
Charcoal samples returned calibrated radiocarbon dates of 1390-1120BC for phase I and 1210-930BC for phase II.

Watts, S., 2016, Pit and Gully at Holworthy Farm, Parracombe (Personal Comment). SDV359817.

A Bronze Age pit and gully with charcoal rich fills was found during excavations of an enclosure at Holworthy Farm, Parracombe (see PDAS 67, 2009). Again the purpose of these features is unclear.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments: none recorded

Associated Finds

• FDV6332 - Charcoal (Middle Bronze Age to Late Bronze Age - 1500 BC to 701 BC)

Associated Events: none recorded

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