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Summary

One of two rubbish pits recorded during excavations to the rear of the Guardhouse in 2009. It was not excavated but its upper fill was sampled and found to contain animal and fish bones. These were provisionally dated to the mid to late 19th century, the period following the decommissioning of the fort when it was looked after by a succession of Chelsea Pensioners who resided in the Guardhouse.

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1017322: Berry Head Fort and battery and Hardy's Head Battery

Other References/Statuses: none recorded

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• RUBBISH PIT (XIX - 1801 AD (Between) to 1900 AD (Between))

Full description

Farnell, A. J., 2009, Archaeological excavation at the Guardhouse, Fort No. 3, Berry Head, Brixham, Devon (Report - Excavation). SDV365436.

A rubbish pit (1041) was recorded during an archaeological excavation undertaken to the rear of the Guardhouse. The excavation was required as a condition of planning permission and listed building consent for the extension and reordering of the Guardhouse as a restaurant.
The pit was adjacent to, and appeared to have disturbed, the east wall of structure B, a possible privy, suggesting that it post dated the use of the building. The pit was not excavated but its upper fill (1039) was sampled and found to contain animal and fish bones. The latter comprised a total of 275 bones, representing 17 species.

Passmore, A. J., 2010, Archaeological Recording at Berry Head, Brixham, Devon, May to October 2009, 11, Appendix 1 (Report - Assessment). SDV364281.

A total of 318 faunal and fish bones from the fill (1039) of Pit 1041 were analysed. The bones are provisionally dated to the mid to late 19th century. This corresponds with the period following the decommissioning of the fort in c.1817, when the guardhouse was occupied by successive Chelsea Pensioners acting as caretakers for the Board of Ordnance.
Analysis of the bones indicates that the diets of the occupants of the fort at that time were based on mutton and beef, with the occasional hare or rabbit, together with a wide range of fish but particularly whiting. Particular notable is the quantity of fish, probably procured from Brixham fish market and the absence of poultry. The discarded waste attracted scavenging rodents as shown by the presence of bones of mice and rats.

Sources / Further Reading

SDV364281	Report - Assessment: Passmore, A. J.. 2010. Archaeological Recording at Berry Head, Brixham, Devon, May to October 2009. Exeter Archaeology. 10.73. Digital. 11, Appendix 1.
	Linked documents:1
SDV365436	Report - Excavation: Farnell, A. J.. 2009. Archaeological excavation at the Guardhouse, Fort No. 3, Berry Head, Brixham, Devon. Exeter Archaeology. 09.88. A4 Stapled + Digital. [Mapped feature: #140551 ]

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds

• FDV8168 - ANIMAL REMAINS (XIX - 1801 AD to 1900 AD)
• FDV8166 - FISH REMAINS (XIX - 1801 AD to 1900 AD)

Associated Events

• EDV8910 - Excavations at the Guardhouse, Fort No. 3, Berry Head, Brixham
• EDV8911 - Archaeological recording at Berry Head, Brixham

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