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Summary

Cropmark site, possible Roman fortlet or a Late Prehistoric multi-vallate enclosure.

Location

Protected Status

• SHINE: Roman fortlet and linears east of Newton Tracey

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SS52NW/41

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• DITCHED ENCLOSURE (Iron Age - 700 BC to 42 AD (Between))
• FORTLET (I to Roman - 1 AD to 409 AD (Between))

Full description

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, SS52NW14 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV88753.

DAP, 1984, AI 1, 2, AI 1, 2 (Aerial Photograph). SDV88751.

DAP, 1984, O 8, 8a, O 8, 8a (Aerial Photograph). SDV88750.

Griffith, F. M., 1984, Roman Military Sites in Devon: Some Recent Discoveries, 11-32 (Article in Serial). SDV35308.

Cropmark site of northern half of fortlet, on summit of hill immediately east of Newton Tracey. Church adjacent. Wide spaced concentric circular ditches, possible interpretation roman signal station. Other linear features in same field. Recorded as cropmark by F. Griffith in June 1984. Inner ditch diameter circa 45m, outer ditch 110m. Other details: Extract with photo.

Griffith, F. M., 1984, Untitled Source (Personal Comment). SDV88748.

Fieldwalking of the site in winter 1984 failed to produce any finds earlier than post-medieval in date, with the exception of one flint flake.

Frere, S. S., 1985, Roman Britain in 1984, 305 (Article in Serial). SDV35311.

Horner, W., 1992, Untitled Source (Site Visit). SDV88749.

Site visible as cropmark on 1992 aerial photos. Site lies on hilltop/ridge end with moderately steep drops to E, N and S, and a gentler slope to the W. Site not visible on ground. Field name of "Burrows" on 1840 Tithe Award may be of significance.

1992, Untitled Source (Site Visit). SDV88755.

Other details: Photos AE 26030.

DAP, 1992, VD 35-36a (Aerial Photograph). SDV88756.

Bonvoisin, P., 2018, Newton Tracey, North Devon: Desk Based Assessment and Geophysical Survey, (Draft 01) (Report - Assessment). SDV361271.

This report presents the results of a heritage impact assessment and geophysical survey carried out by South West Archaeology Ltd. (SWARCH) for land adjacent to Thomas a Becket Church, Newton Tracey, Devon. The survey identified several geophysical anomalies of clear archaeological interest, principally the ditches of what is likely to be a multi-vallate Late Prehistoric enclosure rather than a Roman Fortlet. Relict historic field boundaries and a series of other, undiagnostic, anomalies were also identified. Most of the significant features are not located within the footprint of the proposed site, but the long access route track crosses several linear anomalies, including the Late Prehistoric enclosure ditch.

The evidence for Romano-British activity is sparse. However, directly adjacent to the east of the site lays evidence of a Romano-British fortlet. There lies a cropmark of the northern half of a fortlet, on the summit of the hill in the field containing the site. The feature contains wide spaced concentric circular dishes, thought to be a possible Roman signal station. The inner ditch has a diameter of c.45 metres and the outer c.110 metres. Other linear features also exist in the same field as the cropmarks. The field with which it is contained was named ‘Burrows’ on the 1840 tithe map, which could be of some significance (see MDV122054).

Assessment of the readily-available LiDAR for the proposal site (red line boundary) shows little within the proposal area, with possible other features visible within the field containing the proposal site: a large dip c.40 metres across at the apex of the hill, and slight shading differences appear to indicate the position of the possible Prehistoric enclosure.

An area of c.0.9ha was the subject of a magnetometry (gradiometer) survey. The purpose of this survey was to identify and record magnetic anomalies within the proposed site.

Groups 1 and 2 are moderate positive curvi-linears, appearing as probable concentric circular ditches. The geophysical survey results match the described location of (????) adjacent to the church and on the summit of the hill immediately east of Newton Tracey. This feature was identified as cropmarks in 1984, but could not be seen from the ground. Anomaly groups 1 and 2 are likely representative of the enclosure ditches of the possible Roman Fortlet, although based on the results of this survey, the ‘Fortlet’ is probably a Late Prehistoric multi-vallate enclosure.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV499 - Unnamed Event
• EDV500 - Unnamed Event
• EDV501 - DAP
• EDV502 - DAP
• EDV503 - DAP
• EDV504 - DPRFP
• EDV7544 - Desk Based Assessment and Geophysical Survey: Newton Tracey, North Devon (Ref: 180316)

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