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Summary

Part of a post-medieval back block to the rear of a house fronting onto Totnes High Street was revealed during a watching brief in 2000. An infilled possible post-medieval sunken floor level or basement was exposed.

Location

Protected Status

• Listed Building (II) 1236066: CHURCHYARD WALL AND GATES OF ST MARY'S PRIORY CHURCH
• Scheduled Monument 1020567: Totnes Priory
• Scheduled Monument 1014607: Totnes Castle

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX86SW/20/6

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• CELLAR (Early Medieval to XIX - 1066 AD to 1900 AD (Between))

Full description

Brown, S. + Gent T., 1999, Totnes Castle Motte: Archaeological Watching Brief and Evaluation (Report - non-specific). SDV348097.

Brown, S. + Gent T., 2001, Totnes Castle Motte: Archaeological Watching Brief and Evaluation, 1, 3, 9 (Report - non-specific). SDV348107.

In August 2000, an archaeological watching brief was carried out by Stewart Brown Associates following a landslip in January 1999. Part of a post-medieval back block to the rear of a house fronting onto Totnes High Street was revealed. At the east end of wall 41, another, shorter length of revetment wall was exposed. Wall 100 was earlier than wall 41 and had been built to the rear of the property adjoining on the east. Wall 100 in turn abutted the property boundary wall at its east end. The rubble and clay footings for wall 100 were deeper than those of wall 41, and included a splayed recess near its west end, probably a fireplace. Both the wall and recess were faced and plastered on their south sides to a depth of 1.5 metres below the present yard surface, showing that the back plot was built with a sunken floor level, or possibly a basement. This house 'back block' was abandoned and filled in the late 18th or 19th century with a layer of demolition material overlain by a layer of red/brown clay. The north wall was left standing to act as a revetment for the motte. Figure 1 and 2, Plate 3.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds

• FDV5294 - BOTTLE (XVIII to XIX - 1701 AD to 1900 AD)
• FDV5293 - POT (XVIII to XIX - 1701 AD to 1900 AD)

Associated Events

• EDV5528 - Evaluation and Watching Brief, Totnes Castle

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