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Summary

Geophysical survey recorded a number of anomalies within the grounds of a former Military Camp and a former Prisoner of War camp. The anomaly groups do not appear to be associated with either camps and may have a different archaeological origin.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses: none recorded

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• ARCHAEOLOGICAL FEATURE (Unknown date)
• DRAINAGE SYSTEM? (Unknown date)
• FOOTPATH? (World War II - 1939 AD to 1945 AD (Between))

Full description

Dean, R., 2017, Land at Bradninch Cricket Club, Bradninch, Exeter: An Archaeological Resistance Survey (Report - Geophysical Survey). SDV360924.

This report presents the results of an archaeological earth resistance survey at the above site. It has been prepared for AC Archaeology Ltd as part of a Bradninch community research project. The area covering the current cricket and its immediate surroundings was an American army temporary camp constructed prior to the D-Day invasion of Normandy in World War 2. The camp was subsequently used as a POW camp for German soldiers (Devon County Council Hstoric Environment Entry MDV80418, summarised in Section 6 below). This survey was designed to help assess the state of beneath-ground preservation of the camp and contribute to the understanding of its history. Forty-six resistance anomaly groups were mapped as representing possible archaeological deposits or features.

Six groups may be associated with the camp but other origins, such as ploughing disturbance or separate archaeological deposits, cannot be ruled out. Three groups do not appear to relate to structures associated with the army camp and may have different archaeological origins. A cluster of ten anomaly groups have a north-south or east-west orientation which does not correspond with any of the army camp structures visible on the 1946 aerial photograph. It is possible that these anomaly groups relate to land drainage or an archaeological structure not recorded on the 1946 image.

Resistance anomaly groups r2 and r3 may relate to a footpath associated with the army camp but may equally well relate to an earlier archaeological deposit.

Groups r7, r8, r9 and r10 lie outwith the area of structures shown the 1946 aerial
photograph (Figure 8) but have a similar orientation to those more likely to be associated with the camp and may relate to the camp or cultivation traces or, indeed, have a different archaeological origin.

Groups r12, r15 and r18 do not appear to relate to structures associated with the army camp and may have different archaeological origins.

Groups r32 to r41 have a north-south or east-west orientation which does not correspond with any of the army camp structures visible on the 1946 aerial photograph (Figure 8). It is possible that these anomaly groups relate to land drainage or a structure not recorded on the 1946 image.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments: none recorded

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV7554 - An Archaeological Resistance Survey: Land at Bradninch Cricket Club, Bradninch, Exeter (Ref: 1704BRA-R-1)

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