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Summary

Archaeological investigations recorded a number of features located at the former Milber Down Abattoir, Newton Abbot. The features include ditches, pits and post-pits.

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1003178: Milber Down camp

Other References/Statuses: none recorded

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• DITCH (Early Iron Age to Roman - 700 BC to 409 AD (Between))
• PIT (Early Iron Age to Roman - 700 BC to 409 AD (Between))
• POST HOLE (Early Iron Age to Roman - 700 BC to 409 AD (Between))

Full description

Ellis, C, 2015, Former Milber Down Abattoir, Newton Abbot: Evaluation and Watching Brief (Report - Evaluation). SDV360332.

An archaeological evaluation and a watching brief of associated geotechnical investigations was undertaken in October and November 2014, at the Milber Down Abattoir site, Newton Abbot, Devon.

The evaluation has been successful in not only investigating known archaeological features on the site, but also identifying a number of previously unknown features. These include a number of ditches, pits, post-pits and a Roman (1st century AD) urned cremation burial (see MDV120039). These indicate a greater complexity and successive phases of activity on the site from that previously known from earlier investigations.

Although the absolute dating of features or deposits recorded during the evaluation was poor, the stratigraphic sequences and spatial dispositions and alignments of many of the linear features in particular, do indicate successive phases of use of the Milber Hillfort outer (4th) ditch circuit. It was possibly re-used in the Early Roman period as an ‘outer’ defence for the Small Camp enclosure along with an east/west aligned ditch in Trench 4 (see below). Most of the ditched boundaries recorded in
Trenches 1, 2, 3 and 5 (possibly palisaded at times), were perpendicular to, and to the west of, the hillfort ditch. Their alignment would suggest a possible series of ‘radial’ field boundaries between the third and fourth circuits of the Milber Down hillfort defences.

Although only a small number of undated pits were recorded, their morphologies and fill characteristics indicate possible refuse disposal and stone/clay quarrying on the site. The post-pits indicate post-built structures on the site lying ‘within’ the outer hillfort ditch across the site, possibly indicating Iron Age activity.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments: none recorded

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV7336 - Evaluation and Watching Brief: Former Milber Down Abattoir, Newton Abbot (Ref: 14604)

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