| Summary: | Archaeological monitoring and recording at Hemyock Castle, Culmstock Road, Hemyock, Devon was undertaken by AC archaeology during March 2018. The work comprised the monitoring of groundworks for a replacement water pipe. This linked the Guard Houses with the Manor House, with its route crossing the line of the former curtain wall and moat and into the courtyard of the 14th century castle.
The work exposed archaeological features and deposits relating to the former defences of the castle. This comprised the exposure of the top of the backfilled moat and curtain wall. The curtain wall, which had an existing breech between the Gate House and its northeast corner tower, survived below ground as a rubble core stripped of faced masonry. The wall and moat were overlain and infilled by a series of 19th century levelling deposits. Within the castle courtyard, two phases of probable cobbled surface were revealed adjacent to the Manor House. No dating was recovered from the earlier surface, while the later surface overlay 19th century made ground.
A collection of finds were recovered, most of which were of 18th to 19th century date. A small quantity of pottery dating to the 15th to 16th centuries was also recovered as residual finds amongst the later material. |
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