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Summary

Site of a Neolthic settlement on Hazard Hill excavated in 1951-1952

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX75NE/3
• Unknown Reference: EXE 220/1975

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• UNENCLOSED HUT CIRCLE SETTLEMENT (Early Neolithic to Late Bronze Age - 4000 BC to 701 BC (Between))

Full description

Keene, B., Arrowheads from Prehistoric Devon, 21 (Un-published). SDV325505.

Fox, A., 1952, Nineteenth Report on the Archaeology and Early History of Devon, 243 (Article in Serial). SDV336876.

Hazard Hill occupation site. A south western Neolithic 'A' occupation site. Surface finds were made in 1950. The site was excavated 1951-1952 four post holes were found as well as cooking holes and hearths. The post holes belonged to wooden huts, which were probably built on a stone sill. The pottery is of south west Neolithic 'A' type, some of which had trumpet lugs; 5 more stone axes and a jet bead was found.

Piggott, S., 1954, Untitled Source, 34, 383 (Monograph). SDV340707.

Belleville, G., 1955 - 1958, The coastal belt, 69-72 (Article in Serial). SDV154832.

Mention of discovery of site by author. Other details: Plan.

Fox, A., 1956, Twenty-Third Report on the Archaeology and Early History of Devon, 213 (Article in Serial). SDV112512.

E Masson-Phillips re-examined a collection of stone surface finds from Hazard Hill and suggested a coastal source for the material in the form of sea pebbles.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1961, SX75E1 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV340699.

There are no surface indications of the settlement, the southern part is under root crop and the northern under pasture. The settlement site occurs on the summits of a prominent hill.

Houlder, C. H., 1963, A Neolithic Settlement on Hazard Hill, Totnes, 2-31 (Article in Serial). SDV340700.

Hazard Hill was the site of a singlephase settlement of the Neolithic period. The economy was a mixture of Primitive animal and crop husbandry. Fairly substantial buildings were flanked by domestic working areas around sheltered sunken hearths. Food storage pits and a possible animal enclosure were sited away from the houses. The excavations were not extensive enough to allow a comprehensive view of the site. Evidence of a Neolithic dwelling was excavated and two working areas were identified with pits and hearths. The unenclosed settlement includes a banked enclosure about 65 feet by 35 feet, thought to have been a cattle pound. Pottery includes coarse ware of Hembury Classes 'a','b' and 'e', and fine wares of Hembury Class 'f', but the presence of a wide-mouthed carinated bowl of a type which occurred in late levels of Windmill Hill, suggested that the Hazard Hill settlement may have been later than Hembury. Finds are in Exeter Museum. Other finds include a range of flint tools (flakes, scrapers, awls, choppers, cores, leaf shaped, and barbed and tanged arrowheads), polished stone axes, a saddle quern and grinding stone, and carbonised wood, fruit and nuts. An Appendix of the petrology of all the stone axes found in the area, including stray finds, is published. Aerial photographs of the site are reproduced.

Peacock, D. P. S., 1969, Neolithic Pottery Production in Cornwall, 145-8 (Article in Serial). SDV135849.

After an examination of 27 pottery vessels from Hazard Hill 30% was found to be of Lizard gabbroic wares giving a valuable indication of Neolithic trade or exchange.

Smith, I. F., 1971, Causewayed Enclosures, 89-105 (Article in Monograph). SDV135865.

Brief discussion of the economy of the site, including the presence of crab apples to indicate the gathering of wild plant foods.

Jacobi, R. M., 1979, Early Flandrian Hunters in the South-West, 49-50 (Article in Serial). SDV117514.

Green, H. S., 1980, Flint Arrowheads of the British Isles, 363 (Article in Serial). SDV340706.

Griffith, F. M. + Quinnell, H., 1983, Untitled Source (Site Visit). SDV340708.

No surface features visible: the site is under grass. No earthwork features could be identified. Condition of site appears stable, and cultivation infrequent. Site commands good views, from Brent Hill to Stanborough. Other details: Slides in HER.

Turton, S. D. + Weddell, P. J., 1989, An Archaeological Assessment of the South Devon Spine Main (Roborough to Littlehempston), 3 (Report - Assessment). SDV138026.

Williams, E., 1989, Dating the introduction of food production into Britain and Ireland, 510-21 (Article in Serial). SDV340703.

Williams gives a calibrated Carbon 14 date range of 5890-5480 Before Present.

Cotswold Archaeology, 2001, Fishacre to Lyneham Natural Gas Pipeline: Archaeological Fieldwalking and Field Reconnaissance Survey: Preliminary Summary, Map 4 (Report - Survey). SDV340217.

Cotswold Archaeology, 2001, Fishacre to Lyneham Natural Gas Pipeline: Cultural Heritage Assessment: Volume 1:Text, 15 (Report - Assessment). SDV340215.

Other details: Site 44.

Cotswold Archaeology, 2001, Fishacre to Lyneham Natural Gas Pipeline: Cultural Heritage Assessment: Volume 2: Constraints Maps (Report - Assessment). SDV340216.

Other details: Map 4 Site 44.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV4375 - Fishacre to Lyneham Pipeline Assessment
• EDV4391 - Fishacre to Lyneham Fieldwalking Survey

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