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Summary

Site of a post medieval stone-walled building constructed over the edge of the Barnstaple Castle ditch. The floor was of pottery waste with a layer of clay and grit over which it turn was superseeded by cobble floors bedded on sand.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SS53SE/535/1

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• WAREHOUSE (Post Medieval to XIX - 1540 AD to 1900 AD (Between))

Full description

Ordnance Survey, 1855-1895, First Edition 1:500 Town Map (Cartographic). SDV338879.

Buildings shown in this location.

North Devon District Council Rescue Archaeology Unit, 1986, An Excavation at North Devon Area Library Site, Barnstaple; Summary Report (Report - Excavation). SDV76038.

On the west side of the library site the remains of a stone and clay walled building built over the edge of the Castle Ditch were excavated. Two lines of central posts supported the floor above. Main entrance on to Castle Walk, to the north. Floor of pot-waste made-up with clay/grit layer over. The pot-dump may indicate use by a potter. Close to the building over the castle ditch was a small single cell building 4 metres by 1.2 metres by 0.6 metres deep with 0.25 metre wide walls. Probably a cellar used as a pottery dump by the early 18th century.

Lovatt, A. M., 1990, Excavations within a Medieval Town: North West Barnstaple 1985-1988, 8-9 (Report - Excavation). SDV64370.

Postmedieval workshop/warehouse. Originally built of angular shillet set in clay. The east and west walls were replaced in the 19th century. The north wall survived in original form, with entrance formed from bricks laid end-on to front of external beam 12 metres wide. This in turn fronted a cobbled surface cut by a modern drain. Within the building was an irregular scoop containing a series of posts, possibly roof supports. The hollow was subsequently levelled with a tip of roof slates, then a massive dump of pottery waste, including part of a sagger containing fragments of clay pipes fused to the base by a run of glaze. This indicates pipes being fired in the same kilns as pottery. All surviving heels stamped ?'lc' and date to 1610-1630. The pot waste formed a bedding for a pink clay floor, possibly reject potting clay, which was superseded by 2 fragmentary cobble floors, both bedded on sand.

Exeter Archaeology, 2003, Barnstaple Castle Car Park Scheme: Phase 1: Archaeological Assessment, 13 (Report - Assessment). SDV319631.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds

• FDV5332 - CLAY PIPE (SMOKING) (XVII - 1601 AD to 1700 AD)

Associated Events

• EDV1378 - Barnstaple Castle Car Park Scheme Archaeological Assessment
• EDV4504 - Excavation at Library Site in Barnstaple

Search results generated by the HBSMR Gateway from exeGesIS SDM Ltd.