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Summary

A substantial curvilinear feature to the south of the railway line west of Langaton Lane identified by geophysical survey. Also visible on 1996 aerial photograph. Archaeological excavation identified the feature as a Late Iron age enclosure which was also occupied during the later Romano-British period.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses: none recorded

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• (Former Type) LINEAR FEATURE (Early Iron Age to Roman - 700 BC (Occasionally) to 409 AD (Occasionally))
• ENCLOSURE (Early Iron Age to Roman - 700 BC (Occasionally) to 409 AD (Occasionally))

Full description

Griffith, F. M., 1996, DAP/AAM (Aerial Photograph). SDV338776.

Curvilinear feature shows as a cropmark in the field to the south of the railway line.

Heard, H., 2006, Water Sewage Treatment Infrastructure Near Exeter Airport, East Devon: Gradiometry Survey, 9-10 (Report - Geophysical Survey). SDV344441.

A detailed gradiometer survey was conducted over land at Tithebarn Lane, Redhayes, to establish the presence, or otherwise, and nature of detectable archaeological features in support of a planning application for the site as residential housing development consisting of 412 new homes.

There are at least four discrete circular anomalies of different sizes in a linear orientation at 4001 with further circular, positive anomalies either side of the . The larger pits are stronger in magnetic values typically between +6 and +12 nT.

Wessex Archaeology, 2015, Land Off Tithebarn Lane, Redhayes, Broadclyst, Exeter, East Devon: Gradiometer Survey (Report - Geophysical Survey). SDV361435.

A detailed gradiometer survey was conducted over land at Tithebarn Lane, Redhayes, to establish the presence, or otherwise, and nature of detectable archaeological features in support of a planning application for the site as residential housing development consisting of 412 new homes.

A narrow linear positive anomaly at 4000 is a continuation of an enclosure ditch identified during a previous gradiometer survey (Stratascan 2006).

A very weak linear anomaly at 4009 is in the vicinity of the ditch enclosure at 4000 and potentially part of the same rectangular enclosure feature seen across the Wessex survey and Stratascan survey. The magnetic strength along the anomaly is less than +0.5 nT and it is broader in layout suggesting an ephemeral or lesser surviving feature especially when compared to the response of +9 nT of the ditch at 4000. The southern extent of this enclosure is not distinguishable from the data. The pit type anomalies are discrete and not thought to represent intermittent sections of ditch although an association between these features is possible.

Hughes, S. + Rainbird, P., 2016, The New Cranbrook Watermain: Post Excavation Assessment (Report - Assessment). SDV364434.

A staged programme of archaeological works comprising evaluation trenching, excavation and
watching brief along the route of the new Cranbrook water main, East Devon, was undertaken by AC archaeology between June and November 2011. The work was commissioned by South West Water following consultation with Devon County Council Historic Environment Team. The evaluation trenches principally targeted potential sites that would have been impacted on by the new pipeline, identified through an earlier phase of work assessing historic maps, county historic environment records and aerial photographic information, as well as a walkover survey and a geophysical survey of the route. The works revealed field boundaries of Romano-British to post-medieval date, a cremation in a pit of possible Bronze Age date located in close proximity to an earlier find of a Bronze Age hoard, as well as a ditch of a probable prehistoric enclosure, re-used in the Romano-British period, originally identified on aerial photographs, and containing the fragmented remains of hand worked shale armlets of probable Iron Age date, and an undated a pit furnace for smelting iron inside the enclosure.

Area 26 excavation covered an area of approximately 670 square metres along the pipeline route. Its position overlay the location of a linear anomaly interpreted from a prior geophysical survey with this forming the north extent of a wider possible enclosure interpreted from aerial photography. A previous evaluation trench (Trench 26) targeting the geophysical anomaly confirmed the presence of this and other features.

A total of nine features were exposed and include a probable late prehistoric or Romano-British enclosure ditch, an iron smelting pit furnace with associated stake holes and a small pit. A single ditch
was dated to the post-medieval period and two features – a possible ditch terminal and a short linear ( were undated.

The enclosure ditch was exposed across the length of the excavated area covering a distance of approximately 70m and with a width of between 3m and 3.35m. Its line corresponded with the targeted geophysical anomaly that extended from the west on an east-northeast to westsouthwest alignment before curving to the southeast. A total of five segments were excavated across the feature. There were general parallels in the sequence of fills between each of the segments that comprised up to nine episodes of deposits.

A group of shale armlet fragments were all recovered from fill (26010) in [26009] and are probably Iron Age in date and given their find location at the base of the ditch, indicate that the Phase 1 enclosure is also of that date. Secondary use, either following a period of abandonment, or following a hiatus after the ditch was re-cut in a shallower rounded profile, is indicated by the upper fills containing burnt stone,
slag, charcoal and a trap building stone. This Phase 2 use is probably Romano-British in date as indicated by the pottery.

Other artefacts were recovered from various fills and include pottery dated to the Romano-British period, clinker and clay tobacco pipe dated to the post-medieval period, slag, building stone and a piece of crucible. Worked flint was recovered from various fills and should be considered residual in these contexts.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments: none recorded

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV4609 - Geophysical Survey for Water/Sewage Treatment Infrastructure Near Exeter Airport, East Devon
• EDV8008 - Gradiometer Survey: Land Off Tithebarn Lane, Redhayes, Broadclyst, Exeter, East Devon (Ref: 109300.01)
• EDV8705 - Post Excavation Assessment: The New Cranbrook Watermain (Ref: ACD295/2/0)

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