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Summary

A prehistoric sandstone mace-head was found in a 16th century cottage in Charles. Now on display in Barnstaple Museum.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SS63SE/7

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• FINDSPOT (Neolithic - 4000 BC to 2201 BC (Between))

Full description

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, SS63SE5 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV91116.

Barber, J., 1965, 28th Report on Archaeology and Early History, 89-90 (Article in Serial). SDV91115.

Macehead 0.44 meters long and up to 0.38 meters wide with a hole circa 0.3 meters diameter. The sandstone cushion mace-head was found in a 16th century cottage. The surface was smoothed by dressing but not polished. The perforation is smooth due to use of an abrasive in forming it. Recent fractures on each blade and on rim of the perforation. A secondary Neolithic type. (see Atkinson, Piggot and Saunders, 1951, p.70, 116, no.149). The implement petrology survey for the southwest reports that it cannot be assigned to any group. Made from a micaceous sandstone, microscopically greenish-grey to white, with small rusty surface stains; bluish- grey in the cut surface. Microscopically it consists of a fine-grained sand-stone, with quartz grains of various sizes, angular in varying irregular shapes, cemented with micaceous paste. Large mica plates are present with plagioclase grains. Brown to greenish tourmaline, zircon and apatite occur sporadically as heavy minerals. Other details: Fig 1.

Evens, E. D. + Smith, I. F. + Wallis, F. S., 1972, The identification of stone implements, 264 (Article in Serial). SDV254826.

Described as micaceous sandstone shaft-hole adze. Other details: No 1252 Devon 89.

Timms, S. C., 1982, Untitled Source (Site Visit). SDV91118.

Macehead on display in Athenaeum at Barnstaple.

Exeter Archaeology, 1998, Bray Valley Quarries, Brayford: Consolidating Planning Application: Archaeological Assessment, 5 (Report - Assessment). SDV65480.

Humphreys, C., 2002, Charlestown Barton, Charles, Devon. Archaeological and Historic Building Assessment, 2.31 (Report - Assessment). SDV64050.

Dunkerley, T. + Knights, J., 2006, A Probable Iron Age Hill-fort or Hillside Enclosure at Welcombe Farm, Charles, 9 (Report - Interim). SDV339942.

Sandstone mace head of probable Neolithic date.

Humphreys, C., January 2004, Charlestown Barton, Charles, Devon. Results of a Survey of the Cottages and Outbuildings, a Geophysical Survey and Evaluation Trenches (Report - Assessment). SDV319898.

Humphreys, C., January 2004, Charlestown Barton, Charles, Devon. Results of a Survey of the Cottages and Outbuildings, a Geophysical Survey and Evaluation Trenches, 2.1 (Report - Assessment). SDV319898.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments: none recorded

Associated Finds

• FDV2170 - MACE (Early Neolithic to Unknown - 4000 BC)

Associated Events

• EDV4353 - Geophysical Survey of an Iron Age Enclosure at Welcombe Farm
• EDV544 - Bray Valley Quarries: Consolidating planning application: Archaeological assessment
• EDV545 - Charlestown Barton, Charles, Devon

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