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Summary

An area of archaeological excavation recorded a single pit possibly associated with a cremation. The silty clay within the pit contained charcoal inclusions along with fragments of cremated bone. No other finds were recovered.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses: none recorded

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• CREMATION PIT (Early Bronze Age to Roman - 2200 BC (Between) to 409 AD (Between))

Full description

Hughes, S. + Rainbird, P., 2016, The New Cranbrook Watermain: Post Excavation Assessment (Report - Assessment). SDV364434.

A staged programme of archaeological works comprising evaluation trenching, excavation and
watching brief along the route of the new Cranbrook water main, East Devon, was undertaken by AC archaeology between June and November 2011. The evaluation trenches principally targeted potential sites that would have been impacted on by the new pipeline, identified through an earlier phase of work assessing historic maps, county historic environment records and aerial photographic information, as well as a walkover survey and a geophysical survey of the route.

The excavation area measured 720 square metres and was located on a topographically elevated position. A previous evaluation trench (Trench 9) exposed a single possible cremation pit (F902). The excavation area exposed two additional features; an irregular possible linear (F906) and a linear terminal (F908).

The site was excavated onto natural subsoil, which comprised a reddish brown clay with abundant weathered slate fragments and was exposed at a depth of 0.3m below subsoil and topsoil. An oval possible cremation pit F902 measured 0.5m long by 0.39m wide by 0.13m deep with moderately steep to steep sides and a rounded base. It contained a dark brown silty clay that had frequent charcoal inclusions on the base of the feature associated with fragments of cremated bone. No other finds were recovered.

The single probable cremation pit represents a fortuitous find without obvious associations. The rare Bronze Age hoard discovered in the vicinity may provide a context for this mortuary deposit, but the lack of associated finds means that only chronometric dating will provide a possible answer to this question.

The charcoal in the cremation pit have the potential to examine the specific selection of timber for its high temperature burning properties.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments: none recorded

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV8705 - Post Excavation Assessment: The New Cranbrook Watermain (Ref: ACD295/2/0)

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