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Summary

Archaeological investigations recorded a number of ditches representing former field boundaries the majority of which are not recorded on historic maps. Lynchets and gullies were also recorded. The undated features are likely to represent more than one phase of past land use.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses: none recorded

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• FIELD BOUNDARY (Early Bronze Age to Late Medieval - 2200 BC to 1539 AD (Between))
• GULLY (Early Bronze Age to Late Medieval - 2200 BC to 1539 AD (Between))
• LYNCHET (Early Bronze Age to Late Medieval - 2200 BC to 1539 AD (Between))
• FIELD BOUNDARY (XIX to XX - 1840 AD to 1905 AD (Pre))

Full description

Dean, R., 20/05/2015, Land adjacent to Lyte Lane, West Charleton, Devon (Report - Geophysical Survey). SDV359255.

Geophysical survey undertaken as supporting information for a fourthcoming planning application.

Geophysical anomalies may pertain to former field boundaries, lynchets and gullies. The majoirty of these features are not shown on historic maps including the Orndnace Survey maps and likely to represent more than one phase of past land use.

Bampton, J., 2016, Lyte Lane, West Charleton, South Hams: Evaluation (Report - Evaluation). SDV361114.

South West Archaeology Ltd. was commissioned to undertake an archaeological evaluation in advance of a proposed housing development in May 2016. This phase of work builds upon a previous geophysical surveys undertaken over and near to the proposed development area in 2000 (Johnson 2000) and 2014 (Dean 2014), and field work including field-walking and excavation in 2000 (Bayer 2000). The results of this evaluation will inform the planning decision and the extent and nature of any subsequent programme of archaeological mitigation required as a condition of a planning consent.

A total of 105 potential features were identified, which included 39 linear ditches and gullies and four lynchets (additional lynchets were identified).

A historic boundary (visible on mapping between 1840 and 1905 and removed before or between 1938-1954) that divides the site in two survived in geophysical record as a positive and negative anomaly running north-south within the north half of the site. It was identified as a feature with a slight raised area of natural, which was once probably overlaid with a bank, with flanking intercutting plough-scars and a narrow gully running along its western edge that continued south of the geophysical anomaly and lined up with the existing site entrance. This gully was represented in four trenches. Two ‘U’-shaped ditches in the south-east of the site, [2503] and [2703], contained moderate amounts of medium to large stones and had very similar profiles and fills. They were probably associated with drainage and the historic field boundary, from which the geophysical record indicates the ditches in Trench 27 run. It seems probably, given the geophysical survey results that the ditches and stony material in the southern middle part of the site are associated with the historic field boundary. These features are all very shallow and the ditch in Trench 34 may be associated with a surviving ditch on the east side of the historic boundary.

The large number of undated ditch features on the site generally had one of two morphologies; either a near vertical sided ‘U’-shape with moderate amounts of stone that would be appropriate for drainage; or only a flat base surviving of a shallow or severely truncated ditch. Some of these,
including intermittent geophysical anomalies that did not survive below the plough soils, ran parallel to the historic field boundary, were generally very shallow and probably contemporary to it; [103], [203] and [3003]. The other ditch features then mostly run perpendicular to the slope and the lynchets, north-east by south-west, or parallel to the lynchets and are probably associated with different phases of the same prehistoric or medieval field system. All of the ditches across the site had suffered some plough damage.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments: none recorded

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV6853 - Geophysical Survey, Land adjacent to Lyte Lane, West Charleton, Devon (Ref: 140516)
• EDV7533 - Evaluation: Lyte Lane, West Charleton, South Hams (Ref: 160703)

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