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Summary

The enclosure, which measures about 45 metres east-west, has a break/entrance in the south-east quadrant and internal responses pits and stakeholes were recorded during the evaluation. Pottery sherds were recovered.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses: none recorded

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• ENCLOSURE (Bronze Age - 2200 BC to 701 BC (Between))

Full description

SUMO Services Ltd, 2017, Geophysical Survey Report. Challonsleigh, Lee Mill, Devon, 3 (Report - Geophysical Survey). SDV360349.

Sub-oval enclosure identified as a clear anomaly during a geophysical survey on a proposed landfill area. The enclosure measures about 45 metres east to west and probably extends into the adjoining field, having been cut across by a trackway. A break/entrance is visible in the south-east quadrant and various internal responses also suggest pits and other habitation features within the interior.

Rainbird, P. Allan, J. Payne, N. Quinnell, H., 2017, Land at Challonsleigh Farm, Lee Mill, Devon: Trench Evaluation (Report - Evaluation). SDV360902.

An archaeological trench evaluation on land at Challonsleigh Farm, Lee Mill, Devon (NGR SX 5956 5538), was undertaken by AC archaeology during October 2017. The evaluation comprised the machine-excavation of 14 trenches totalling 694 metres in length and each 1.8 metres wide. These were positioned to target anomalies and ‘blank’ areas from a previous geophysical survey, including a possible settlement-type enclosure in the western part of the site.
Trench 1 was located in Area 4 in the northwest corner of the site in the position of the enclosure and other discrete anomalies interpreted from the results of the geophysical survey. The trench was aligned approximately northeast-southwest and was 50 metres long. The overlying layer sequence consisted of 0.2 metres of topsoil (context 100), overlying 0.14 metres of agricultural subsoil (101). The trench contained one linear feature (F106), which correlated well with the enclosure ditch anomaly, and a terrace cut (F103) which contained six postholes (F116, F118, F120, F122, F132 and F135) and three stakeholes (F125, F128 and F130).
The terrace had extensive evidence for burning and a total of 76 sherds of prehistoric pottery dated to the Bronze Age was recovered from deposits.
A single sherd of Middle Bronze Age pottery was recovered from the fill of the ditch.
A large piece of moorland granite was found from context 104, fill of terrace F103. This measures 450mm by 410mm by 120mm and weighs approximately 50 kilograms. This was obviously brought down from Dartmoor and was probably levered off a moorland surface. One side is apparently artificially flat, possibly an intended saddle quern. The breakage of this stone was possibly deliberate.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments: none recorded

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV7348 - Geophysical Survey at Challonsleigh, Lee Mill
• EDV7513 - Trench Evaluation: Land at Challonsleigh Farm, Lee Mill, Devon (Ref: ACD1697/2/1)

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