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Summary

Fragments of imported Mediterranean amphorae were recovered from a dark layer exposed on the upper edge of the beach and dated to the 5th or 6th century, together with two sherds of grey native ware. Two small fragments identified as Late Iron Age Glastonbury Ware were also found.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX64NW/2/1

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• FINDSPOT (Late Iron Age to VII - 100 BC to 700 AD (Between))

Full description

Totnes Museum, Untitled Source (Unknown). SDV140324.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, Untitled Source, 7 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV140323.

Fox, A., 1961, Twenty-Fifth Report on the Archaeology and Early History of Devon, 79-80 (Article in Serial). SDV341693.

Fragments of pottery were recovered from a dark layer exposed on the upper edge of the beach below Mothecombe House. The pottery comprised three sherds of creamy buff wheel-turned amphorae (Class B.ii of C. Thomas's classification in J. Med. Archaeol. 3, 89), on which a diamond pattern had been scratched, two pieces of grey native ware and a fragment of coarse red amphora (class B.iii). The group can be assigned to the 5th or 6th century. Similar pieces of imported post Roman amphorae have been found at Bantham, 4 miles away. Other details: Fig. 8.

Thomas, C., 1981, A Provisional List of Imported Pottery in Post-Roman Western Britain and Ireland, 10, 12, 13, 17 (Article in Serial). SDV140321.

The fragment include sherds of type B(1), B(11), and b(misc) amphorae. One sherd has "diamond" graffito.

Fox, A., 1995, Tin Ingots from Bigbury Bay, South Devon, 22 (Article in Serial). SDV323321.

Read, M., 2001, Meadowsfoot Beach, Mothecombe (Report - Survey). SDV140212.

Turner, S. + Gerrard, J., 2004, Imported and Local Pottery from Mothecombe: Some New Finds Amongst Old Material at Totnes Museum, 171-175 (Article in Serial). SDV322786.

The pottery from Mothecombe, now in Totnes Museum, has been re-examined as part of a new project based at York and Newcastle Universities to assess the extent and nature of the archaeological deposits at Mothecombe. The assemblage includes more imported Mediterranan amphorae than previously thought as well as sherds of locally-produced ceramics and has important implications for our understanding of the post Roman period in south Devon. Nine fragments of amphorae were identified, together with two sherds of native ware. There were also two sherds identified as Late Iron Age Glastonbury Ware. They are not mentioned in Fox's 1961 report but they are recorded in the museum as coming from hill wash.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds

• FDV3196 - AMPHORA (Late Iron Age to Unknown - 100 BC)
• FDV469 - SHERD (Late Iron Age - 100 BC to 42 AD)
• FDV467 - AMPHORA (Post Roman - 410 AD to 700 AD)
• FDV468 - SHERD (Post Roman - 410 AD to 700 AD)

Associated Events: none recorded

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