See important guidance on the use of this record.

If you have any comments or new information about this record, please email us.

Summary

Site of an early Bronze Age ring ditch which was visible as a cropmark on aerial photographs of 1989. Its position was respected by a later Bronze Age field boundary. Excavation in advance of development revealed a deep pit within the ring ditch at the bottom of which was an archer’s stone bracer and a Beaker vessel of circa 2000BC.

Location

Protected Status

• SHINE: Prehistoric ring ditch intersecting sub-rectangular, single ditched enclosure north east of Kingswood

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: 1048162
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SY09NW/57

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• RING DITCH (Early Bronze Age - 2200 BC (Between) to 1501 BC (Between)) + Sci.Date

Full description

Robinson, R., 1987 - 2000, Devon Post-Reconnaissance Fieldwork Project (Un-published). SDV342165.

Sites lie on level ground, no visible traces. Other details: Photos B C 11,12.

Devon County Council, 1989, DAP 6762, DAP 6762/07-08 04-JUL-1989 (Aerial Photograph). SDV357383.

A cropmark ring ditch is visible.

Griffith, F. M., 1989, DAP/NO, 7-8 (Aerial Photograph). SDV133094.

Ring ditch, showing as annular dark mark 20m diameter. This intersects with part of a sub-rectangular single ditched enclosure. Recorded from the air as a cropmark by F Griffith in 1989.

CPM, 2000, Land at Clyst Hayes: Archaeological assessment, 13 (Report - Assessment). SDV325508.

Archaeological Services WYAS, 2003, East Devon new community, 3.4 (Report - Geophysical Survey). SDV323042.

A geophysical survey undertaken in 2003 did not identify the possible ring ditch. Other details: Block 2.

Exeter Archaeology, 2004, Archaeological evaluation of the proposed site for East Devon new community - Draft, 3-4, 8-9, Figs 1-6 (Report - Evaluation). SDV101308.

Two trenches were excavated by Exeter Archaeology in 2004. A north to south aligned trackway 2.4m wide x 0.3m deep was revealed in the eastern trench. The western trench revealed a small subcircular ring ditch c6m diameter within a larger circular ditch up to 20m diameter. The western half of the outer feature lay within a rectilinear enclosure c30m x c25m assumed to be of a slightly later date. The small irregular ring ditch 0.32m wide x up to 0.15m deep contained a sherd of probable late Iron Age pottery. The larger ditch c1m wide x c.0.25m deep contained 16 sherds of probable Bronze Age pottery. The southern boundary of the rectilinear enclosure comprised a 1m wide x 0.48m deep ditch from which 4 fragments of early to middle Bronze Age pottery were recovered. The ditch appeared to replace an earlier ditch on the same alignment. Other details: Draft Report.

Waterman CPM Ltd, 2006, Cranbrook, Devon: Archaeological Mitigation Strategy, 5, 7 (Report - non-specific). SDV345274.

This site was originally identified on air photographs as a rectangular enclosure containing a circular feature. Trial trenching confirmed the survival of several truncated ditches of Bronze Age or later date. During archaeological recording the known extent of the ditches should be exposed, and further soil stripping undertaken to expose any features shown to continue beyond these extents. Other details: Plan 1, Area C.

Bryant, A., 2007, East of Exeter Major Scheme Bid M5 Junction 29 and Old A30, Exeter, Devon: Historic Environment Desk-based Assessment, 8 (Report - Assessment). SDV345164.

Other details: Appendix 1, site 93; figure 3.

Horner, W., 2011, Cranbrook: New Community, Ancient Landscape, 1, 6 (Article in Serial). SDV351760.

The ring ditch, identified as a crop mark in 1989, was excavated by Foundations Archaeology in 2011 in advance of construction of the new community school. It was shown to be early Bronze Age and would once have surrounded a barrow. Its position was respected by a later Bronze Age field boundary. Finds included flint tools and pottery.

Stephenson, B., 2012, Cranbrook: New Community, Ancient Landscape, 10 (Article in Serial). SDV351768.

Excavations by Foundations Archaeology in advance of development revealed a deep pit within the ring ditch at the bottom of which was an archer’s stone bracer and a Beaker vessel of circa 2000BC. The bracer is thought to be made from Langdale stone from Cumbria.
Further finds of Beaker sherds and Trevisker type pottery sherds suggest that the knoll on which the ring ditch is located saw activity over many centuries.

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

A ring ditch of probable Bronze Age to Roman date was visible as a cropmark on aerial photographs of 1989, on the west facing slopes north of South Whimple Farm. The cropmark of the ditch was approximately 1 to 1.5 metres wide and enclosed an area roughly 18 metres in diameter. An apparent break in the circuit on the northern edge, approximately 8 metres long, was probably caused by an increase in depth of soil cover adjacent to an outcrop of bedrock. A possible internal feature was visible as a roughly circular cropmark circa 6 metres in diameter.
A possible rectilinear ditched enclosure was visible intersecting with the ring ditch from the west. The easternmost edge of this possible enclosure projects into the centre of the ring ditch, adjacent to the possible internal feature. The enclosure has now been recorded separately.
The ring ditch is now situated under Cranbrook new town and has probably been levelled.

Hood, A. + King, D., 2019, Early Mesolithic Occupation, a Beaker Ring Ditch with Probable Burials and Probable Middle Bronze Age Activity at Cranbrook, Devon, 7-9; Figs 4-6 (Article in Serial). SDV364793.

An area of strip, map and sample excavation was undertaken by Fountains Archaeology in 2011, targeted upon the ring ditch and its environs.
The ring ditch had an internal diameter of 18m to 19m and an external diameter of 21m to 22m. The ditch had an irregular rounded profile, up to 2.1m wide and 0.47m deep. Its fill contained 43 sherds of Beaker and six sherds of Trevisker pot, along with 80 residual Mesolithic and three Early Bronze Age struck flints. Radiocarbon dates from two fragments of charred hazelnut recovered from the ditch fills indicated that ditch silting/in-filling had occurred in the Beaker period or later. There was no convincing evidence for the vestigial remains of a former barrow mound within the area enclosed by the ring ditch.
Within the ring ditch was a probable Beaker burial pit (Pit 2069), 2.5m by 2m by a maximum of 1.9m deep from the top of natural substrate. It had near vertical sides and a flat base. A whole Beaker vessel and a stone bracer were present at the base of the pit. These are assumed to represent grave goods associated with skeletal remains which did not survive.
The fill of the pit contained a further six sherds of Beaker and 62 residual Mesolithic and two Early Bronze Age struck flints. Two Early Mesolithic hazel shells were clearly residual.

Sources / Further Reading

SDV101308	Report - Evaluation: Exeter Archaeology. 2004. Archaeological evaluation of the proposed site for East Devon new community - Draft. Exeter Archaeology Report. A4 stapled + Digital. 3-4, 8-9, Figs 1-6.
SDV133094	Aerial Photograph: Griffith, F. M.. 1989. DAP/NO. Devon Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). 7-8.
SDV323042	Report - Geophysical Survey: Archaeological Services WYAS. 2003. East Devon new community. Archaeological Services WYAS Report. 1174. A4 Stapled + Digital. 3.4.
SDV325508	Report - Assessment: CPM. 2000. Land at Clyst Hayes: Archaeological assessment. CPM Report. A4 Spiral Bound + Digital. 13.
SDV342165	Un-published: Robinson, R.. 1987 - 2000. Devon Post-Reconnaissance Fieldwork Project. Devon Post-Reconnaissance Fieldwork Project. A4 Unbound.
SDV345164	Report - Assessment: Bryant, A.. 2007. East of Exeter Major Scheme Bid M5 Junction 29 and Old A30, Exeter, Devon: Historic Environment Desk-based Assessment. Wessex Archaeology Report. 63771.01. A4 Stapled + Digital. 8.
SDV345274	Report - non-specific: Waterman CPM Ltd. 2006. Cranbrook, Devon: Archaeological Mitigation Strategy. Waterman CPM Ltd. H1173_08c. A4 Bound. 5, 7.
SDV351760	Article in Serial: Horner, W.. 2011. Cranbrook: New Community, Ancient Landscape. Devon Archaeological Society Newsletter. 110. A4 Stapled. 1, 6.
SDV351768	Article in Serial: Stephenson, B.. 2012. Cranbrook: New Community, Ancient Landscape. Devon Archaeological Society Newsletter. 111. A4 Stapled. 10.
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
SDV357383	Aerial Photograph: Devon County Council. 1989. DAP 6762. Devon Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). DAP 6762/07-08 04-JUL-1989. [Mapped feature: #94776 ]
SDV364793	Article in Serial: Hood, A. + King, D.. 2019. Early Mesolithic Occupation, a Beaker Ring Ditch with Probable Burials and Probable Middle Bronze Age Activity at Cranbrook, Devon. Proceedings of the Devon Archaeological Society. 77. Paperback Volume. 7-9; Figs 4-6.

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds

• FDV7831 - FLINT (Mesolithic - 8000 BC to 4001 BC)
• FDV7552 - ARM GUARD (Early Bronze Age - 2200 BC to 1501 BC)
• FDV7551 - BEAKER (Early Bronze Age - 2200 BC to 1501 BC)
• FDV7832 - FLINT (Early Bronze Age - 2200 BC to 1501 BC)
• FDV7830 - SHERD (Early Bronze Age - 2200 BC to 1501 BC)
• FDV7833 - SHERD (Middle Bronze Age - 1500 BC to 1001 BC)

Associated Events

• EDV2530 - DAP/NO
• EDV2531 - Unnamed Event
• EDV2532 - Archaeological evaluation of the proposed site for East Devon new community
• EDV2533 - Land at Clyst Hayes: an archaeological assessment
• EDV2534 - East Devon new community
• EDV4887 - Assessment Two Areas of Highway to the East of Exeter
• EDV4910 - A Programme of Archaeological Assessment and Evaluation between Blue Hayes and Southbrook, East Devon
• EDV6530 - The East and Mid-Devon Rivers Catchment NMP project (Ref: ACD613)

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