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Summary

Prehistoric enclosure to the north of Pin Court Farm, identified by geophysical survey.

Location

Protected Status

• SHINE: Prehistoric enclosure, ring ditches, linears, field boundaries, possible furnace and burnt deposits north of Pincourt Farm

Other References/Statuses: none recorded

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• ENCLOSURE (Bronze Age - 2200 BC to 701 BC)

Full description

Heard, H., 2006, Water Sewage Treatment Infrastructure Near Exeter Airport, East Devon: Gradiometry Survey, 8 (Report - Geophysical Survey). SDV344441.

One of a number of curvilinear positive anomalies identified in Area 2, which may represent cut features of archaeological origin. Other details: Figures 8-12.

Cook, J., 2006, Water/Sewage Treatment Infrastructure Near Exeter Airport, East Devon, 9 (Report - Geophysical Survey). SDV344444.

A further positive curvilinear anomaly which corelates with previous survey data was identified, and may represent a cut feature of archaeological origin. Other details: Figures 8-12a.

Sheldon, L., 2010, Land Around Pinn Court Farm, Pinhoe, Devon. Archaeological Evaluation (Report - Evaluation). SDV347870.

Evidence for Bronze Age activity was recorded during an archaeological trench evaluation at Pinn Court Farm. A ditch identified in one of the trenches contained 37 sherds of Middle Bronze Age Pottery. This ditch would appear to form part of the large, pennanular enclosure previously identified by geophysical survey. A northern return to the enclosure was not identified by either geophysical survey or during the current evaluation.
The ditch was wide and deep, had moderatley steep sides, a concave base and contained five distinct fills. As well as the sherds, 20 fragments of fired clay, possibly from a single spindle whorl were recovered along with a single flint flake. An environmental sample was collected from this fill and this identified magnetic material, coal and charcoal.

Dean, R., 2010, Land at Pin Court Farm, Broad Clyst, Exeter, Devon: Results of an Archaeological Gradiometer Survey, 12-13 (Report - Geophysical Survey). SDV344434.

A curvilinear positive anomaly which may represent an early, possibly prehistoric, enclosure. Other details: Figure 4, site 9; Appendix 2.

Wells, T. + Newton, L., 2020, Bronze Age Monuments and Iron Age Settlement at Pinn Court Farm, Exeter, 81-85, 87; Figs 3, 8, 9 (Article in Serial). SDV364781.

The western part of Area 2 contained a substantial horseshoe or U-shaped enclosure (2266) formed of several conjoined sections of ditch, measuring approximately 35m across at the northern, open end.
The western end of the enclosure was defined by a ditch (2261) 26.5m long, up to 1.85m wide and 0.95m deep, with relatively steeply sloping sides. Finds from the ditch included 11 pieces of worked flint, nine sherds of Early/Middle Bronze Age pot from a single vessel, one sherd of Middle Bronze Age pot and three sherds of less diagnostic prehistoric pot.
The southern, and largest section of the enclosure was formed by a 37.5m long ditch (2262) with a maximum width of 2.8m and up to 1.15m deep, with steeply sloping sides. It contained 58 sherds of Middle Bronze Age pot. Other finds from one of the upper fills included 25 pieces of iron slag which had seemingly been dumped in the top of the largely infilled ditch, along with four pieces of unworked burnt stone, possibly used as furnace lining.
The ditch (2263) forming the northern end of the eastern side of the enclosure had a similar profile to the above, with a maximum width of 2.6m and depth of 1.15m. Three sherds of Middle Bronze Age pottery was recovered, along with 12 pieces of worked flint.
An earlier section of ditch (2099) occupied the gap between the southern terminal of 2263 and the northern end of 2263. This was 1.57m wide, had moderately sloping sides, a flat base and was 0.43m deep. No datable finds were recovered from this feature. Another earlier ditch (2264) was encountered at the intersection of 2261 and 2262. This was 2.85m long, 0.9m wide and 0.3m deep, with gently sloping sides and a concave base. It produced no datable artefacts. Together with 2099, this may represent evidence for an earlier phase of the enclosure.
Monolith samples taken from ditch section 2262 suggest rapid, though natural, infilling indicating that this feature, and possibly the entire enclosure, was abandoned rather than purposefully backfilled.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments: none recorded

Associated Finds

• FDV5499 - FIRED CLAY (Undated)
• FDV5500 - FLAKE (Undated)
• FDV5497 - SHERD (Bronze Age - 2200 BC to 701 BC)

Associated Events

• EDV4608 - Archaeological Gradiometer Survey at Pin Court Farm, Broad Clyst, Exeter
• EDV4609 - Geophysical Survey for Water/Sewage Treatment Infrastructure Near Exeter Airport, East Devon
• EDV4610 - Geophysical Survey for Water/Sewage Treatment Infrastructure Near Exeter Airport, East Devon
• EDV5328 - Evaluation of Land Around Pinn Court Farm, Pinhoe (Ref: 10185)

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