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Summary

Ring ditch, visible on aerial photographs taken in the summer of 1984. Ditches exposed in an archaeological evaluation.

Location

Protected Status

• SHINE: Prehistoric ring ditch north east of Westfield

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX98NW/120

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• RING DITCH (Bronze Age - 2200 BC to 701 BC)

Full description

DPRFP, Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV262469.

Small annular dark mark, diam c 15m recorded form the air 1984 (ap). Vis=23/3/1989 (robinson). Low level ground, nothing visible (dprfp).

Untitled Source (Aerial Photograph). SDV284917.

Aph=dap/ar 4(2/7/1984).

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV284918.

Des=dprfp 1989.

Devon County Council, 1984, DAP/AR, DCC DAP/AR 4 02-JUL-1984 (Aerial Photograph). SDV305058.

A dark interrupted ring-shaped cropmark is visible.

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

A dark curvilinear cropmark, circa 1 metre wide and 16 metres in diameter, is visible on aerial photographs taken in the summer of 1984. Its hilltop location and shape are consistent with this having formed over the buried ring ditch of a Bronze Age barrow. However, it is only visible on a single run of aerial photographs, and the cropmark does not form a complete clearly identifiable circuit due to an extensive network of irregular cropmarks of geological origin, so interpretation is tentative. The small number of available control points may have resulted in some inaccuracy of the transcription location.

Rainbird, P., 2017, Land at West Exe Park, Alphington, near Exeter: Evaluation (Report - Evaluation). SDV360299.

Trench 4
This trench was located near the southern boundary of the site and was T-shaped measuring 30m long north-south and 20m east-west. It was positioned to examine a possible ring ditch interpreted from the results of the geophysics survey and previous aerial photography. Natural subsoil (context 402) was exposed at a depth of 0.35m below existing levels. The trench contained three segments of the ring ditch, two linear features and five pits and these are described below. In addition, there was two natural features.

Ring ditch
Three segments of the ring ditch (F403, F411 and F417) were excavated. It was found to have a consistent profile with steep sides and a flat base and measured between 1.05-1.40 metres wide and between 0.46-0.55 metres deep. Each segment contained three fills. The main (primary fill) was comprised of reddish brown sandy loam and in segments F411 and F417, at the base of the ring ditch, ten sherds of pottery dated to the Middle Iron Age were recovered.

Pits
Five pits or postholes (F409, F415, F421, F427 and F429) were revealed in the trench. Two of these (F427 and F429) were positioned central to the ring ditch. Pit F427 was oval and measured 0.28 metres long by 0.20 metres wide and 0.09 metres deep with steep concave sides and concave base. Pit F429 was circular and measured 0.24 metres in diameter and 0.08m deep, with concave sides and rounded base. Both pits had a single fill comprised of greyish brown sandy silt loam. No finds were recovered. The remaining three pits (F409, F415 and F421) were external to the ring ditch with F415 northeast of the ring ditch and only partially exposed in the trench. F409 and F421 were positioned southeast of the ring ditch. F409 was oval and measured 0.80 metres long by 0.35 metres wide and 0.10 metres deep with gently sloping sides and shallow concave base. F421 was oval and measured 0.95 metres long by 0.75 metres wide and 0.11 metres deep with gently sloping sides and uneven flat base. Both had single fills and no finds.

Dean, R., 2017, Land West of Exminster, Devon (Report - Geophysical Survey). SDV360136.

This report presents the results of an archaeological magnetometer survey at the above site, hereafter referred to as the survey area. It has been prepared for AC Archaeology Ltd on behalf of clients. Twenty-one magnetic anomaly groups were mapped as representing potential archaeological deposits or features.

Group 11 coincides with a cropmark recorded from aerial photographs and thought to represent a Bronze Age ring ditch.

Sources / Further Reading

SDV262469	Migrated Record: DPRFP.
SDV284917	Aerial Photograph:
SDV284918	Migrated Record:
SDV305058	Aerial Photograph: Devon County Council. 1984. DAP/AR. Devon Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). DCC DAP/AR 4 02-JUL-1984. [Mapped feature: #89476 ]
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
SDV360136	Report - Geophysical Survey: Dean, R.. 2017. Land West of Exminster, Devon. Substrata. 1702EXM-R-1. Digital.
SDV360299	Report - Evaluation: Rainbird, P.. 2017. Land at West Exe Park, Alphington, near Exeter: Evaluation. AC Archaeology. ACD1572/2/0. Digital.

Associated Monuments: none recorded

Associated Finds

• FDV6562 - SHERD (Middle Iron Age - 300 BC to 101 BC)

Associated Events

• EDV6530 - The East and Mid-Devon Rivers Catchment NMP project (Ref: ACD613)
• EDV7237 - Magnetometer Survey, Land West of Exminster, Devon (Ref: 1702EXM-R-1)
• EDV7323 - Evaluation: Land at West Exe Park, Alphington, near Exeter (Ref: ACD1572/2/0)

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