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Summary

An evalution recorded a wall foundation and four linear features on land at Challonsleigh Farm, Lee Mill.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses: none recorded

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• BUILDING (XIII to XIV - 1201 AD to 1400 AD (Between))

Full description

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 SX5956 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 3 was located in the west part of Area 1 and positioned to test three linear anomalies and a discrete anomaly interpreted from the results of the geophysical survey. The trench was aligned approximately east-west and was 62 metres long, having been extended westwards. The overlying layer sequence consisted of 0.21 metres of topsoil (context 300), overlying 0.17 metres of agricultural subsoil (301). The trench contained a wall foundation (304) and four linear features

The robber trench of the wall foundation and one of the ditches contained pieces of roof tile dated to the late 13th or early 14th centuries and a piece of iron nail.

One of the linear features aligned approximately north-south and measured 0.75 metres wide. It was unexcavated but packed with slate in a mid yellowish-grey silty clay matrix. No finds were recovered.

The other linear feature aligned approximately north-south and measured 2.1 metres wide. It was unexcavated. No finds were recovered. Features 314 and 315 probably represent ditches from former
hedgebanks.

It is probable that the wall footing, at 1.36m wide, was placed to hold a substantial structure and the ridge tiles within the fill of the robber trench were of a type that would have adorned a high-status building of medieval date. Challonsleigh is in the parish of Plympton St Mary and was a Domesday Manor (HER ref. MDV16923). The current buildings of Challonsleigh bear little relationship to the ones shown on the parish tithe map of 1841, which appear to have been removed before 1887, as they are not present on the first-edition 25-inch Ordnance Survey map. This includes the building to the east of the farm in the field named ‘Chapel Park’ which, if mapped correctly on the tithe map, is located outside and just to the west of the location of Trench 3.

The tithe map building is L-shaped and has the character of a field barn. It is not clear why a chapel would have been located in Chapel Park, as a private chapel belonging to Challonsleigh Manor would most probably have been located closer to the house. There is documentary evidence that, following authority from Bishop Grandisson in 1332, Sir Ralph and Peter de Challons were re-interred ‘near the church’. However, it is not clear if this was at Challonsleigh or at Plympton (Ben Stephenson pers. comm.).

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments: none recorded

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

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

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