See important guidance on the use of this record.

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

Summary

Possible cooking pit or temporary hearth of Early Bronze Age date, revealed during topsoil stripping at Town Farm Quarry.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• Royal Albert Memorial Museum Accession Number: 162/2009
• Royal Albert Memorial Museum Accession Number: 162/2009

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• PIT (Early Bronze Age - 2200 BC to 1501 BC) + Sci.Date

Full description

Farnell, A. + Quinnell, H., 2010, Archaeological Recording at Town Farm Quarry, Burlescombe, Devon: Phase 5/6, 2, 4, Figs. 3-5, plate 2 (Report - Watching Brief). SDV347619.

A pit, which appeared to represent a cooking pit or temporary hearth, was revealed during topsoil stripping in advance of quarrying of phases 5 and 6 at Town Farm. It was located in the southern half of the site, approximately 100 metres to the east of two Bronze Age burnt mounds. The pit was sub-circular in plan, measured 0.9 metres across and was 0.18 metres deep, with a steep sided and flat bottomed profile. The primary fill contained frequent charcoal fragments and occasional large burnt/fire affected stones. Assessment of the charred remains recovered from the fills demonstrated the presence of cereal grains and fuel wood charcoal. A single Bronze Age sherd was also recovered and a radiocarbon date was obtained on a hazelnut places the pit within the Early Bronze Age. This also placed the pit broadly contemporary with or slightly preceeding the burnt mound site. The pit is one of the first to be dated to the Early Bronze Age in Devon, and also provides the first definitive evidence for the presence of cereal in the area at this date. See report for further details. Map object based on this Source.

Ordnance Survey, 2011, MasterMap (Cartographic). SDV346129.

Map object based on this Source.

Farnell, A. + Quinnell, H., 2012, Further Prehistoric Activity at Town Farm Quarry, Burlescombe, 63-65 (Article in Serial). SDV361557.

Excavations at Town Farm Quarry revealed three Early Bronze Age pits representing an eastwards extension of the Bronze Age activity and the burnt mounds found in 2005. Pit 175 is thought to have been a cooking pit. It was subcircular in shape, 900 millimetres across and 180 millimetres deep with steep sides and a flat base. It's fill contained charcoal fragments, occasional large burnt stones and a sherd of Bronze Age pottery from a Trevisker type vessel that would have been suitable for serving food. Assessment of the charred material showed it to contain burnt cereal grains (wheat and barley) and fuel wood. The charcoal returned a calibrated radiocarbon date of 2130-1890 BC. See report for further details.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds

• FDV1887 - PLANT REMAINS (Early Bronze Age - 2200 BC to 1501 BC)
• FDV1886 - SHERD (Early Bronze Age - 2200 BC to 1501 BC)

Associated Events

• EDV5189 - Archaeological Recording at Town Farm Quarry, Burlescombe

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