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Summary

A geophysical survey recorded a number of anomalies thought to be associated with ditches, pits, cultivation and former field boundaries, on land to the north and west of Cullompton. Some of the ditches may be associated with the D-shaped enclosure. Remains of circular ditches were also recorded.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses: none recorded

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• CULTIVATION MARKS (Unknown date)
• DITCH (Unknown date)
• FIELD BOUNDARY (Unknown date)
• PIT (Unknown date)

Full description

Bunn, D., 2016, Land to the North and West of Cullompton: Geophysical Survey (Report - Geophysical Survey). SDV360272.

A gradiometer survey was undertaken on land to the north and west of Cullompton. The survey identified a number of potential archaeological remains, including possible traces of ring ditches, an enclosure and widespread linear anomalies to the west of St Andrew's Hill.

The survey recorded a number of ditch-like linear anomalies in Areas 2, 3, 5 & 6 (Figs. 3 & 5: red lines). If archaeological, these conceivably form part of an earlier agricultural landscape.

The survey recorded residual traces of recently removed field boundaries, as depicted on historic maps (solid yellow lines). It is suggested that traces of further recent boundaries, albeit unmapped, were recorded in Area 2 (dotted yellow lines).

Limited traces of possible cultivation were recorded in Areas 1, 5 & 6 (clearest examples: dotted orange lines).

The western extent of the D-shaped enclosure (MDV119577) lies along a section of a c.N-S aligned ditch, with a short ditch abutting its south-eastern edge. The enclosure and attached ditches are probably contemporaneous, and might form part of a wider complex of ditches in the western part of the site (at least) also including two closely-spaced parallel N-S aligned anomalies (D) in Area 10. These possibly reflect ditches that flanked a trackway.

Other potential pits and ditches were detected in the central and eastern parts of A7 and A10, some in proximity to ring ditch A, with the putative ditches possibly forming earlier agricultural features.

The western extents of a ring ditch (E) (see MDV119606) were detected in the central part of Area 9, with a probable linear ditch extending NNW-SSE from its southern edge. Further ditches were recorded within the mid northern and southern parts of this field. Those in the south-east corner of the field possibly signify ditches flanking a former track.

There are suggestions of the remains of circular ditches in Area 8 (F and, possibly, G), example F possibly abutting a short NW-SE aligned linear anomaly.

The survey recorded residual remains of recently removed field boundaries, almost all within Areas 7& 10 with one example in Area 9 (yellow lines). Strong responses along the latter reflect likely miscellaneous ‘ferrous’ debris (pink and blue). In Area 10, some resolve as closely spaced double-ditches, perhaps indicative of remains of Devon Banks3 - boundaries that typically consist of a large bank topped with hedges (excavated soil from ditches used to
form the embankment).

As discussed above, it is likely that the majority of linear anomalies that radiate out from high to lower ground in the eastern halves of Areas 7 and 10 reflect former cultivation (e.g. dotted orange lines) - a hypothesis supported by their confinement within former fields and their respect of the fields’ boundaries. Further traces of probable cultivation were recorded in these areas (largely aligned E-W) and elsewhere.

Strongest responses (pink and blue) were recorded principally along current field boundaries, a former boundary in A9, electricity poles (EP) and in proximity to chicken huts in Area 9.

A substantial number of ditches and pits were recorded in Area 13 (Figs. 3 & 13: red lines). This field partially encompasses the western extent of the Scheduled Ancient Monument at St Andrew’s Hill, the primary site of which lies on higher ground to the immediate east.

Other linear anomalies in Area 14, albeit magnetically depleted, appear to correspond to recently removed field boundaries2 (yellow lines) and a suggested recent boundary (dotted yellow line).

An isolated c.E-W aligned ditch-type anomaly, possibly part of an early agricultural landscape, was detected in Area 12 (red line).

A relatively dense concentration of magnetically stronger anomalies was recorded in Area 12, all of probable modern origin, as well as strong variation along boundaries of all areas (pink and blue) and a buried service that extends across the south-west edge of Area 13 (blue line).

Nothing of archaeological potential was detected in the limited survey area at the southern edge of Area 11.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments: none recorded

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV7302 - Geophysical Survey: Land to the North and West of Cullompton

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