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Summary

3 anomaly groups identified during a geophysical survey denote potential archaeological deposits that typically reflect enclosures that are not contemporary with either the current field system or typical medieval field patterns.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses: none recorded

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• FIELD BOUNDARY (Unknown date)
• ENCLOSURE (Middle Bronze Age - 1500 BC (Between) to 1001 BC (Between)) + Sci.Date

Full description

Dean, R., 2014, Land at Station Hill and Oldway Lane Chudleigh, Newton Abbot (Report - Geophysical Survey). SDV357144.

A geophysical survey was undertaken by Substrata pn land at Station Hill in support of an outline planning application.
Anomaly groups 20, 21 and 22 denote potential archaeological deposits that typically reflect enclosures that are not contemporary with either the current field system or typical medieval field patterns.

Rainbird, P., 2017, Land at Station Hill/Oldway Lane, Chudleigh, Devon. Interim Results of an Archaeological Trial Trench Evaluation, 2 (Report - Evaluation). SDV364862.

Rainbird, P., 2020, A Middle Bronze Age Enclosure, Late/Post-Roman Pit and Late Medieval/Post-Medieval Cloth Drying Rack at Station Hill, Chudleigh, 130-180; Figs 1-23; Tables 1-6 (Article in Serial). SDV364790.

Following a geophysical survey which recorded anomalies interpreted as likely land division features, and intrusive archaeological evaluation which identified a probable settlement-type enclosure with an assemblage of late Middle Bronze Age pot recovered from the associated ditch, the enclosure was subject to open area excavation by AC Archaeology.
The enclosure was an elongated D-shape in plan, with the long axis aligned approximately north-east to south-west. It was defined by a single ditch with the curve of the D located to the south west. The ditch ran parallel in the north west and south east with both lines terminating in the east where a former spring gully appears to have largely defined the north-east side of the enclosure. The enclosure measured approximately 64m by 41m, enclosing an area of approximately 0.26 hectares. Two formal entrances to the enclosure were identified; the north-west entrance, at the northern end of the western curve, measured 2.5m wide, and the other, the south-west entrance, measured in its final form 1.5m wide. No gate furniture was observed, although between the terminals of the south-west entrance an area of possible trample was identified, which contained two sherds of Bronze Age pot and two pieces of worked flint. This trample was cut by the terminal, and may have been caused during construction of the enclosure. No bank survived, possibly due to plough truncation.
The ditch had a V-shaped profile and measured up to 1.8m wide by 1m deep. Ten of the 14 excavation segments through the ditch showed clear evidence of having been re-cut. The earliest enclosure ditch contained variable numbers of fills, with the basal fill containing sherds of Middle Bronze Age pot and a piece of worked flint. Subsequent fills had a greater number of finds with an apparent focus of depositional activity on the terminals of the southern side of the enclosure. The south-east terminal at the open side of the enclosure contained in the basal fill a possible stone axe roughout and several finds in the subsequent fills: an unfinished axe hammer and three pieces of worked flint; charcoal from this fill gave a date of 1260-1043 cal BC (SUERC-86801). The eastern terminal of the south-west entrance contained in its secondary fill 448 sherds of Middle Bronze Age Trevisker ware from four vessels, including the largest known in Devon. The opposing entrance terminal also contained Bronze Age pot and fired clay.
The north-east side of the enclosure appears to have been largely open except for where the spring was located. The north-east terminal had been cut into the lowest fill of the former spring gully. The geoarchaeological evidence indicates that the spring gully had been partiall filled in naturally prior to the ditch being dug, with much of the remainder of the gully filled in during the life of the enclosure, but the spring gully was a feature of the landscape when the site was chosen for the enclosure.
Two hundred and eighty-two stakeholes were identified. These were small, in general measuring less than 0.1m in diameter by a maximum of 0.17m deep. All were fully excavated. Although it is possible to discern some possible alignments and arcs none of these are completely convincing and presumably the clustering represents several phases of driving stakes into the ground for short-lived purposes. The densest cluster of stakeholes was in the area at the eastern end of the line of postholes (MDV132636) where a pit for a modern dog burial was also situated (MDV132637). The only finds from the stakeholes were three sherds of post-medieval glass and some clinker, indicating a post-medieval or later date. They may relate to small-scale market gardening which is said to have taken place here.
That the enclosure was deliberately left open in the east is shown by the re-cutting of its original ditch, which would have surely meant the completion of the full circuit prior to refreshing of the first enclosure. Despite the east end being open there was clearly a focus on at least one of the entrances, with that on the south west apparently remodelled and a focus for the deposition of finds.
Given the paucity of features it is difficult to establish the character of activity within the enclosure. It was perhaps not for domestic settlement. The Trevisker pottery recovered represented storage vessels. The archaeobotanical evidence found traces of hulled wheat, barley and possibly rye, indicating small-scale crop cleaning; a conclusion supported by the finds of muller and saddle quern.
Of particular note is the rare evidence for tin working crucibles. The lack of other metalworking debris perhaps indicates that metalworking was restricted to melting Dartmoor tin for jewellery, although this is extremely rare in the Bronze age.
Perhaps the oddest thing about the enclosure is the open east side. The geoarchaeological evidence indicates that there was an open spring gully on this side at the time of construction, and was incorporated as part of its circuit. This may indicate that the spring was an important place in the landscape.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds

• FDV7821 - LITHIC IMPLEMENT (Mesolithic to Middle Bronze Age - 8000 BC? to 1001 BC)
• FDV7822 - LITHIC IMPLEMENT (Mesolithic to Middle Bronze Age - 8000 BC? to 1001 BC)
• FDV7819 - AXE HAMMER (Early Bronze Age - 2200 BC? to 1501 BC?)
• FDV7824 - CRUCIBLE (Bronze Age - 2200 BC to 701 BC)
• FDV7825 - MULLER (Bronze Age - 2200 BC to 701 BC)
• FDV7826 - MULLER (Bronze Age - 2200 BC to 701 BC)
• FDV7827 - MULLER (Bronze Age - 2200 BC to 701 BC)
• FDV7828 - SADDLE QUERN (Bronze Age - 2200 BC to 701 BC)
• FDV7823 - LITHIC IMPLEMENT (Middle Bronze Age - 1500 BC to 1001 BC)
• FDV7829 - SHERD (Late Bronze Age to Late Iron Age - 1000 BC to 42 AD)

Associated Events

• EDV6569 - Gradiometer Survey, Land at Station Hill and Oldway Lane Chudleigh, Newton Abbot (Ref: 130713)
• EDV8797 - Trial Trench Evaluation: Land at Station Hill/Oldway Lane, Chudleigh (Ref: ACD1575/2/0)

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