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Summary

Location of Roman road through woodland to the southeast of Rowden Bridge proven by excavation, which exposed the road surface.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses: none recorded

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• ROAD (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD (Between))

Full description

Stocker, S., 2017, Observations on the Roman Road between North Tawton and Okehampton (Report - non-specific). SDV360960.

There is a visible 40 metre stretch of agger located in woodland (Fields 1095 and 1111 on the Sampford Courtenay Tithe Map). The location of road proven by excavation across its full width in woodland (Field 1112 on the Samford Courtenay Tithe Map). The excavation comprised a series of one metre sections across the road undertaken over three seasons. There was much upheaval caused by root disturbance, the centre of the road being almost at the modern ground surface. No datable finds were recovered although several small pieces of soft and abraded coarse ceramic were found.
The road proved difficult to interpret here. A presumed truncated agger, visible on LiDAR, was shown to be a natural shale outcrop. The edge of the road appeared to have slumped here and a 'bypass' had been added. The bypass is some 150 millimetres lower and visible as a change in soil colour. It was initially thought to be overspill stone but excavation showed it to be a well-bedded stone surface. No ditch was observed on this edge. The road here appeared to be 16 metres wide.

Kaye, S. + Stocker, S., 2018, Observations on the Roman Road between North Tawton and Okehampton - Northern Section (Interpretation). SDV361673.

A probable agger and bounding ditches within woodland are visible on LiDAR. This was exposed and recorded during excavations in 2015, 2016 and 2017. The line continues as a broad elevation across fields to the south-west, although it fades into a broader, less distinct, linear feature of bounding banks either side of a central depression; width is circa 40 - 45 metres. A road scar is visible here on the 2010 Google Earth aerial photography. The southern end of this section is aiming at a flexture point in the path of an extant trackway.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV7638 - Landscape Investigation, Field Walking and Test Pit Excavation between North Tawton and Okehampton

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