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Summary

Substantial remains of a medieval century clinker-built vessel found at Zitherixon Quarry in 1898. The boat appears to represent an undecked 14th century working board designed primarily for river or coastal work. Part of the boat is now in Torquay Natural History Museum.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX87SE/40/5
• Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division: SX87SE3

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• WATERCRAFT (XIV - 1301 AD to 1400 AD) + Sci.Date

Full description

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, SX87SE3 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV348988.

In January 1898 the remains of a clinker built viking boat were found under a 2.44 metre thick river deposit. The boat was 6.4 metres long, fastened with nails and caulked with hair and pitch. One piece is exhibited in the Torquay Natural History Museum.

Unknown, Three Boat Finds (Monograph). SDV349005.

Unknown, Untitled Source, 189 (Article in Serial). SDV349007.

Unknown, Untitled Source, 41 (Article in Serial). SDV349006.

Pengelley, W., 1883, Discoveries in the More Recent Deposits of the Bovey Basin, 376-7, 393-4 (Article in Serial). SDV348989.

1898, Untitled Source (Photograph). SDV348997.

Photograph from an original sepia postcard showing the boat as excavated.

Mitchell, M., 1979, Devon Committee for Rescue Archaeology: Ball clay survey of South Devon (Worksheet). SDV337798.

The boat is unlikely to be of Viking origin. Other details: No. 88 (Worksheet No. 3).

Dudley, E. R., 1980, Dark Age Boat (Worksheet). SDV348996.

Details and diagrams of the remains of the boat on display in Torquay Museum. Other details: Photograph.

Dudley, E. R., 1988, Kingsteignton Boat (Worksheet). SDV348998.

A sample submitted for radiocarbon 14 dating in 1985 by the National Maritime Museum gave the result (HAR-6738) 2090 +/- 120 BP (140 BC). This is regarded as unlikely and the test is to be repeated. A visual examination by S. McGrail of the sample and a photograph of the remains suggests a date between 1200 and 1800 AD. Other details: Results attached to worksheet.

Coles, B. J., 1990, Organic Archaeological Remains in Southwest Britain, 23-24 (Unknown). SDV348999.

The dendrochronological sample does not support the radiocarbon date. Other details: Catalogue No. 54.

Hutchinson, G., 1991, Untitled Source (Correspondence). SDV349000.

Sample resubmitted for radiocarbon 14 dating in 1988. A date was obtained of 1300 BP +/- 110 BP, calibrated date AD730 +/- 110 (citing Fairchild). Other details: Letter from J.E. Fairchild attached.

Dudley, E., 1992, Kingsteignton Boat, 2 (Article in Serial). SDV349004.

A second radiocarbon 14 date was obtained from Harwell in November 1992 of AD730 +/- 100. Photographs show a possible single mast step, sternpost knee, starboard rising and a single square section keep with eight heavy subframes.

Hillam, J., 1993, Kingsteignton Boat (Correspondence). SDV348993.

Hillam, J., 1993, Kingsteignton Boat - Dendrochronology (Article in Serial). SDV348991.

A sample plank submitted for dendrochronological analysis in the early 1980s was undatable because of the lack of tree-ring chronologies. On re-testing in 1992 a tree-ring date of AD1110-1295 was obtained. The sample has no sapwood so there are missing sapwood rings to be accounted for. The timber was, therefore, felled some time after AD1305.

Goodburn, D. M., 1993, The Kingsteignton Boat, A Priority for Further Research and Publication?, 5 (Article in Serial). SDV348990.

Photos and sketches by E. Dudley indicate that the vessel was relatively flat floored, clinker built and fairly closely and heavily framed. It is also apparent that it was built of iron fastened oak planking with treenails fastening the frame timbers. These suggest and English origin, perhaps AD800-1500.

Unknown, 1994, Mystery Boat About to Give Up Her Secrets (Article in Serial). SDV349002.

The Museum of London has allocated a budget for a research project.

Wong, W., 1994, Untitled Source (Article in Serial). SDV349003.

Dudley, E. R., 1995, Dating of an Ancient Boat Found at Kingsteignton, Devon (Draft) (Un-published). SDV351988.

Appleton, A., 1995, The Kingsteignton Boat (Un-published). SDV349008.

Dudley, E. R., 1998, Kingsteignton Boat (Correspondence). SDV348992.

The exhibit in Torquay Natural History Museum is from the port middle upper side of the vessel, fastened together at the overlaps by frequent small iron nails and originally caulked with hair and pitch. Dated AD1305 or later. Other details: Plan of location.

Dudley, E. R., 2000, Kingsteignton Boat (Correspondence). SDV348995.

Letter regarding the felling date of the timber with a copy of a diagram showing the match between the Kingsteignton boat ring sequence and a reference chronology.

Reed, S. J. + Turton, S. D., 2001, Archaeological Assessment of Bovey Basin Mineral Site. Part 1 Overview, 26 (Report - Assessment). SDV336226.

Other details: Figure 7, site 1.

Milne, G. + Appleton, S., 2001, Kingsteignton Boat. Research from 1995-9 (Report - non-specific). SDV348994.

14th century oak-planed vessel. Planks originally overlapping and joined with iron fastenings. Original length possibly circa 7.0 metres by circa 2.5 metres wide with amidships depth probably no more than 1 metres. Apparently an undecked working boat primarily for river or coastal work. The Kingsteignton boat is considered a significant archaeological discovery. It represents a class of vessel that was once common but is now poorly represented in the archaeological record. It is also important by fact that it is now closely dated. See report for full details. Other details: Interim report also in parish file.

Milne, G. + Appleton, S., 2001, The boat found at Kingsteignton, Devon in 1898 (Article in Serial). SDV361585.

Reappraisal of the evidence regarding the Kingsteignton boat.

Dudley, E. + Milne, G. + Appleton, S., 2001, The Boat found at Kingsteignton, Devon, in 1898, 266-272 (Article in Serial). SDV349001.

The substantial remains of a medieval clinker-built vessel were found at the Zitherixon Quarry in 1898, 150 metres from the present course of the River Teign. The boat was recorded at the time as being 6.4 metres in length and caulked with hair and pitch. Part of the boat was removed and presented to Torquay Natural History Museum. The boat appears to represent an undecked 14th century working boat designed primarily for river or coastal work. This class of boat is poorly represented in the medieval archaeological record and the Kingsteignton boat must be considered a significan find, therefore. Details of the results of the radiocarbon 14 and dendrochronological tests given together with dimensions of the surviving timbers in the museum.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV4912 - Archaeological Assessment of Bovey Basin Mineral Site

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