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Summary

Double ditched enclosure of probable later prehistoric date visible as a cropmark on aerial photos.

Location

Protected Status

• SHINE: Prehistoric double ditched enclosure west of Halthaies Workshops

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: 1571797
• Old DCC SMR Ref: ST00SW/2

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• DOUBLE DITCHED ENCLOSURE (Early Bronze Age to Late Iron Age - 2200 BC to 42 AD)

Full description

Cambridge University, 1959, CUC/ZS, DCC CUCAP/ZS 38 06-JUL-1959 (Aerial Photograph). SDV321048.

Double ditched enclosure with rounded corners visible as a cropmark. Inner and outer ditches are not equidistant. Map object based partly on this source.

Ordnance Survey, 1975, OS/75196, OS/75196 V 5-6 06-JUN-1975 (Aerial Photograph). SDV357087.

A double ditched enclosure is visible. Map object based partly on this source.

Griffith, F. M. + Dick, A. M., 1991, Double-ditched enclosure at Bradninch (Site Visit). SDV56505.

Site visit 23rd October 1991. The site occupies a less steeply sloping area on a south-west sloping field. However, the terrace is not level. The cropmarked (only to date recorded in 1959) appear to suggest a multi-phase site. Within the two principal ditch circuits, a fainter rectangular cropmark of a ditch can also be seem. Maximum diameter of outer ditch, which is an irregular curving quadrilateral, in 85 metres. That of the inner ditch, which is almost square, is 55 metres.

Hegarty, C. + Knight, S. + Sims, R., 2014-2015, East and Mid Devon River Catchments National Mapping Programme Project (Interpretation). SDV356883.

A double ditched enclosure of probable later prehistoric date was visible as a cropmark on aerial photographs of the 1950s and 1970s to the south-east of The Manor House, Bradninch. The inner enclosure is situated on an area slightly less steeply inclined between the 90 and 95 metre contours, the outer enclosure ditch extending onto the steeper slopes by between 6 and 20 metres. An extant field boundary obscured the north-western corner of the outer enclosure ditch, but might also have been aligned upon, and thereby preserved, earthwork elements of the enclosure ramparts. No internal features can be confidently identified.

Dean, R., 2017, Land off Parsonage Street, Bradninch: An Archaeological Magnetometer Survey (Report - Geophysical Survey). SDV360941.

This report presents the results of an archaeological magnetometer survey at the above site. It has been prepared for AC Archaeology Ltd as part of a Bradninch community research project.
There is aerial photographic evidence for an potentially pre-historic or Romano-British enclosure within the survey area. The double-ditched enclosure with rounded corners is visible as a cropmark on aerial photographs and is represented by an outer ditch 85 metres across and inner ditch (almost square) 55 metres across. The enclosure is likely to be of late prehistoric or Romano-British date. Fieldwalking on and adjacent to the enclosure produced a small quantity of prehistoric worked flint and chert (MDV 44081).
A number of groups have characteristics typical of anomalies representing fragments of former field or enclosure boundaries of unknown date (see MDV ) Two groups have similar characteristics but lie within the enclosure opening up the possibility that they represent contemporary internal archaeological structures or deposits. Group 22, an area of enhanced magnetic response, gives weight to the possibility of internal archaeological deposits associated with the enclosure (see MDV122340).
Most of the other anomaly groups mapped as representing potential archaeological deposits have characteristics typical of filled hollows or pits. Many of these anomalies will represent natural deposits but their position relative to the enclosure discussed above means that they should be included in the analysis as potential archaeological deposits (see MDV122337).

Evis, L., 2022, University of Exeter Archaeological Field Schools 2022. Killerton and Bradninch (Article in Serial). SDV365237.

Two archaeological field schools were run by Exeter University in May and June 2022 at Killerton House and Bradninch
The work at Bradninch comprised a small-scale excavation on the site of a double ditched enclosure. This confirmed the presence and state of preservation of the ditches. A range of finds was recovered including samian ware, black-burnished ware and a white-ware mortarium which dated the feature to the Roman period.

Sources / Further Reading

SDV321048	Aerial Photograph: Cambridge University. 1959. CUC/ZS. Cambridge University Collection of Aerial Photographs. Photograph (Paper). DCC CUCAP/ZS 38 06-JUL-1959.
SDV356883	Interpretation: Hegarty, C. + Knight, S. + Sims, R.. 2014-2015. East and Mid Devon River Catchments National Mapping Programme Project. AC Archaeology Report. Digital.
	Linked documents:1
SDV357087	Aerial Photograph: Ordnance Survey. 1975. OS/75196. Ordnance Survey. Photograph (Paper). OS/75196 V 5-6 06-JUN-1975.
SDV360941	Report - Geophysical Survey: Dean, R.. 2017. Land off Parsonage Street, Bradninch: An Archaeological Magnetometer Survey. Substrata. 1707BRA-R-1. Digital.
SDV365237	Article in Serial: Evis, L.. 2022. University of Exeter Archaeological Field Schools 2022. Killerton and Bradninch. Devon Archaeological Society Newsletter. 143. A4 Stapled + Digital.
SDV56505	Site Visit: Griffith, F. M. + Dick, A. M.. 1991. Double-ditched enclosure at Bradninch. Digital.

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV6530 - The East and Mid-Devon Rivers Catchment NMP project (Ref: ACD613)
• EDV7562 - Magnetometer Survey: Land off Parsonage Street, Bradninch Bradninch, Devon (Ref: 1707BRA-R-1)

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