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Summary

Geophysical survey recorded a number of anomalies, which may relate to former gullies or ditches and make up a former pattern of small ditched enclosures.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses: none recorded

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• ENCLOSURE? (Early Iron Age to Post Medieval - 700 BC? to 1750 AD?)

Full description

Smart, C., 2017, Cloverhayes, Smallridge, East Devon: Geophysical Survey (Report - Geophysical Survey). SDV361131.

This report presents the results of geophysical survey (magnetometer) of land at Cloverhayes, Smallridge, East Devon. The site comprises a long triangular-shaped field immediately south of Cloverhayes, on the northwest edge of Smallridge hamlet. The purpose of the survey was to define the extent, nature and significance of any sub-surface archaeological remains whether corresponding to the recognised vegetation marks or not. The possibility of the site being once occupied by a Roman camp would have provided significant new evidence for the character of military movement through the south west of Britain in the middle decades of the first century AD. It is evident that there is no support in the results of the magnetic survey for the anomalies transcribed from aerial photographs. Specifically, there is no evidence for a rectilinear enclosure or Roman camp.

The area of principal archaeological interest is in the southern half of the
survey area. Here there are a series of strong and weaker positive linear anomalies which, although discontinuous, appear to form a coherent rectilinear arrangement of gullies or ditches (A and B). It can be suggested that these are only the fragmentary remains of a pattern of small ditched enclosures as there are segments which align perfectly that are broken by a gap in the magnetic anomaly too great to have served as an entranceway (e.g. C, a ‘blank’ of about 24m apart). Differential degrees of truncation are perhaps indicated by the varying magnitude of response of positive linear anomalies in the same feature group. Alternatively some sections of ditch or gully may contain a greater or lesser quantity of magnetically enhanced material within the fill. It is suggested that the positive linear anomaly group most likely represents a pattern of rectilinear enclosure but there is a small chance that these represent foundation trenches or post trenches associated with a range of buildings, though the overall area of the group suggests that this is unlikely.

Sources / Further Reading

SDV361131	Report - Geophysical Survey: Smart, C.. 2017. Cloverhayes, Smallridge, East Devon: Geophysical Survey. University of Exeter. Digital.
	Linked documents:1

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV7536 - Geophysical Survey: Cloverhayes, Smallridge, East Devon

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