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Summary

Pits and ditches dating from the Neolithic to post-medieval period. Large numbers of associated finds.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses: none recorded

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• DITCH (Early Neolithic to Post Medieval - 4000 BC to 1750 AD (Between))
• PIT CLUSTER (Early Neolithic to Post Medieval - 4000 BC to 1750 AD (Between))

Full description

Hughes, S. + Govier, L., 2017, Stoke Cottage, High Street, Stoke Cannon: Archaeological Trench Evaluation and Historic Buidling Apprasial. (Report - Evaluation). SDV360688.

The results from the trial trench evaluation have established the presence of ditches and pits in four of the seven trenches. These have been dated to the prehistoric, medieval and post-medieval periods.

Probable prehistoric features were exposed in Trenches 1, 4 and 5. In Trench 1, the date of probable pit F104, is based on the single abraded but potentially Middle Neolithic sherd of pottery. The limited quantity and nature of the pottery perhaps makes this date inconclusive, especially given the recovery of medieval material from adjacent pit F106.

In Trench 4 the sequence of ditches is likely to have included a prehistoric element, with this represented by ditch F411. The earliest in the sequence of intercutting ditches was F411 and this is potentially of Neolithic to Bronze Age origin, based on the recovery of worked flints from its fill.

Medieval activity was recorded in Trenches 1, 4, 5 and 7. From the small number of pottery sherds recovered, this has a potential date range of between the 10th and 14th centuries, but with a pre-13th century date likely.

The function of pit F106 in Trench 1 was not clear, but its presence, as well as the adjacent undated but possibly associated small pits or postholes F108, F110 and 112, have the potential to represent some evidence for occupation on the site.

The majority of the ditches recorded in Trench 4 have been dated to the medieval period and include F405, F409, F415 and F416. As discussed above, ditch F407, which included evidence for iron working on the site, also has the potential to be of medieval origin.

Post medieval features were only exposed in Trench 7 and consist of parallel ditches F704 and 709. These are likely to have formed the flanking ditches to a former hedgebank.

Finds.
A total of nine sherds of prehistoric pottery were recovered. These are six sherds (9g) from context 408, fill ditch of F405: rim and body sherds of similar smooth fabric with large inclusions of vein quartz. Eleven sherds of medieval pottery (36g) were recovered from nine contexts, these are all upper greensand derived pottery, this has a date range of 950 to 1350 AD, however the present of several oxidised sherds could imply a date of pre-1200AD. Two rim sherds were present these are not cupped and therefore are not datable, the remaining pieces are body sherds. A single body sherd of unglazed red ware (5g) was recovered from fill 703 of ditch F704, this is likely to be 18th or 19th century. Eight of the nine pieces are flint, with several having a good nodular cortex (contexts 107, 408, 412, 505 and 703). A piece of glazed roof ridge tile (80g) was found from context 501, this has a green stippled glaze and knife stabbings to aid firing and is comparable with other 17th century tiles from Exeter. Four fragments from the same Iron object (235g) were recovered from fill 505 of ditch F504. A total of 68 pieces of slag (990g) were found from three contexts, these are undiagnostic iron working waste. The vast majority came from context 408. A single small fragment of clinker (1g) was retrieved from context 102. This is undiagnostic.

Sample 1, taken from dumped basal deposit 707 of Trench 7 ditch F708, presented favorable environmental potential. Recovered material comprised frequent trunk/branchwood charcoal fragments and 50+ charred grains of mainly wheat /barley type, as well as some of oat/rye type. A small quantity of diverse charred plant macrofossils (CPM) comprising weed seeds and poorly-preserved possible nut/berry/legume fragments were also recovered. The composition of the material
recovered from Sample 1 is likely to represent domestic waste remains.
Sample 2, which was recovered from dumped fill 408 of Trench 4 ditch F407 considered to have associations with industrial processing, had only limited results. Recovered material included no grain and only occasional CPM, including a large charred thorn and a few poorly-preserved fragments of unidentifiable charred ecofacts (possibly berry or legume).

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments: none recorded

Associated Finds

• FDV6719 - FIRED CLAY (Unknown date)
• FDV6711 - SHERD (Unknown date)
• FDV6717 - SLAG (Undated)
• FDV6716 - FLINT (Early Neolithic to Early Bronze Age - 4000 BC to 1501 BC)
• FDV6710 - SHERD (Neolithic - 4000 BC to 2201 BC)
• FDV6712 - SHERD (Middle Iron Age to Late Iron Age - 300 BC to 42 AD)
• FDV6714 - BODY SHERD (XI to Early Medieval - 1001 AD to 1399 AD)
• FDV6720 - PLANT MACRO REMAINS (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• FDV6713 - RIM SHERD (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• FDV6715 - BODY SHERD (Post Medieval to XVIII - 1540 AD to 1800 AD)
• FDV6718 - RIDGE TILE (XVII - 1601 AD to 1700 AD)

Associated Events

• EDV7484 - Results of Archaeological Trench Evaluation and Historic Buidling Apprasial at Stoke Cottage. (Ref: ACD1617/2/0)

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