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Summary

Enclosure and internal pits, south-east of Peamore Truck Centre, Exminster.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses: none recorded

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• ENCLOSURE (Unknown date)

Full description

Rainbird, P., 2017, Land at West Exe Park, Alphington, near Exeter: Evaluation (Report - Evaluation). SDV360299.

An archaeological trial trench evaluation on land at West Exe Park, Alphington, near Exeter, Devon, was undertaken by AC archaeology during March 2017. The site occupies approximately 13 hectares of agricultural land to the west of Exminster. The main archaeological interest is that a recent geophysical survey identified two potential rectangular enclosures of late prehistoric or Romano-British form, a ring ditch, which may relate to a ploughed-out former Bronze Age barrow, and a World War II gun battery platform. In addition, a series of linear anomalies relating to possible early land division were present.

Trench 3
This trench was located near the southwestern corner of the site and was X-shaped with each arm 15m long. It was positioned to examine a rectilinear enclosure interpreted from the results of the geophysics survey. Natural subsoil (context 302) was exposed at a depth of 0.38m below existing levels. The trench contained three segments of the enclosure ditch (F303, F308 and F340), three further linear features (F316, F318 and F330), nine probable postholes (F306, F312, F314, F320, F334, F336, F338, F342 and F344) and two pits (F310 and F328) and these are described below. In addition there were ten unexcavated probable features (F346, F348, F350, F352, F354, F356, F358, F360, F362 and F364) and four natural treethrow hollows (F322, F324, F326 and F332). Enclosure ditch
Three segments of ditch (F303, F308 and F340) corresponded with the rectilinear enclosure interpreted from the results of the geophysics survey. The enclosure ditch segments were variable in character but generally slight features with rounded bases measuring between 1.82- 0.60m wide by 0.38-0.14m deep. The deepest segment was F303 on the southeast side and this contained two fills while all of the remainder had a single fill. Particularly poorly preserved was the northwest side of the enclosure represented by segment F340 which was only 0.14m deep. There were no finds from the enclosure ditch segments. The southwest side was not found, but its expected position was marked by a cluster of features.

Linear features
Three further linear features were excavated. Ditch terminus F330 was situated close to the line of the enclosure on its expected southwest side. It measured 0.64m wide by 0.19m deep, with irregular gently sloping sides and shallow concave base. It had a single fill and no finds. Small ditch terminus F318 measured 0.35m wide by 0.07m deep and was parallel with shallow ditch terminus F316. There were no finds from any of these linear features. Several other linear features, including possible ditch terminals (F346, F348 and F350) were exposed within the area of the enclosure, but were not excavated. Crossing the trench on a NW-SE alignment is possible ditch (F360) which measured 0.95m wide and ran parallel to the northeast enclosure ditch.

Postholes
Nine probable postholes (F306, F312, F314, F320, F334, F336, F338, F342 and F344) were excavated. They had diameters ranging between 0.18-0.50m and their depths varied from very shallow to up to 0.50m deep. Only four (F306, F320, F342 and F344) of these were within the area of the enclosure, with the remainder largely outside to the southwest where there was a cluster of postholes (F334, F336 and F338) in close proximity to ditch terminal F330, including unexcavated examples (F352, F354, F356, F362 and F365). A pair of postholes (F312 and F314) were located outside of the enclosure to the southeast and the fill (313) of F312 contained a piece of iron nail which is not possible to date.

Pits
Two pits (F310 and F328) were excavated and two possible ones (F352 and F353) identified but not excavated (although unexcavated features identified as possible ditch termini may be pits). Very shallow pit F310 was located close to the northeast side of the enclosure, was not fully revealed in the trench and measured 0.80m long by 0.50m wide and 0.06m deep, with gently sloping sides and a shallow concave base. It had a single fill (311) comprising of dark reddish brown silty clay and no finds. Pit F328 was located within the southwest edge of the enclosure. It was not fully revealed in the trench and measured 1.14m long by 0.30m wide and 0.23m deep, with gently sloping sides and an irregular base. It had a single fill (329) of mid-greyish brown sandy silt loam and no finds.

Dean, R., 2017, Land West of Exminster, Devon (Report - Geophysical Survey). SDV360136.

This report presents the results of an archaeological magnetometer survey at the above site, hereafter referred to as the survey area. It has been prepared for AC Archaeology Ltd on behalf of clients. The survey area location is shown in Figure 1. Twenty-one magnetic anomaly groups were mapped as representing potential archaeological deposits or features.

Group 5 anomaly has a distinctive pattern and is likely to represent an enclosure. Groups 6 to 9 anomalies are distinct within the data set and are within the potential enclosure represented by group 5. For these reasons they are mapped as potential archaeological pits.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments: none recorded

Associated Finds

• FDV6561 - NAIL (Unknown date)

Associated Events

• EDV7237 - Magnetometer Survey, Land West of Exminster, Devon (Ref: 1702EXM-R-1)
• EDV7323 - Evaluation: Land at West Exe Park, Alphington, near Exeter (Ref: ACD1572/2/0)

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